High Efficiency (HE) Washing Machine?

[x__amour]

So we are getting ready to move into our new home and for the first time since we've been renters, we don't get a washer and dryer included in our home. Not a huge issue really. We've been wanting to buy our own for quite a while now anyways.

Over the 4th of July weekend DH and I went to the store and bought brand new Samsung smart machines that are normally for $2,000 (£1,301) which we got for $900 (£585)! With the 4th of July sales and we negotiated the washer which was an open box. We are so ecstatic!

https://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k410/shannonmtravis/Samsung-WF42H5200AW-and-DV42H5200EW-4.2-Cu.-Ft.-Steam-Washer-and-Dryers-with-Sanitize-and-Allergen_zpsvvre2o0w.jpg

The thing is... I've never had a HE machine. Only regular top loaders. I've read that you specifically have to use HE laundry detergent but when I went to Sams to look at it in bulk it was double the price for half the loads!

Right now we use All Free & Clear which says "Safe for HE machines" on the bottle. Is this right? I've heard that you have to cut regular laundry detergent in half?

This is so confusing!

 

[Nut_Shake]

From what I know you have to use the 'safe for he' detergent. I use arm and hammer which says 'safe for all machines including he' on the bottles

 

[x__amour]

From what I know you have to use the 'safe for he' detergent. I use arm and hammer which says 'safe for all machines including he' on the bottles

Hey! Long time no see!

That's what mine says as well. It's just All Free and Clear. Do you use less detergent or just whatever the bottle says? I've heard that HE specific detergents make less suds resulting in less wash time and soap residue build up?

 

[Nut_Shake]

From what I know you have to use the 'safe for he' detergent. I use arm and hammer which says 'safe for all machines including he' on the bottles

Hey! Long time no see!

That's what mine says as well. It's just All Free and Clear. Do you use less detergent or just whatever the bottle says? I've heard that HE specific detergents make less suds resulting in less wash time and soap residue build up?

Lovely to see you! Apparently he machines use less water so are more energy efficient. I'm not sure about anything else tbh. I actually just use the normal amount of detergent, I always do a full load so to the MAX line on the cap. I've never seen anything that says to use less detergent... Everything I've read does say that you must really use he detergent for he machines and yours says 'safe for he machines' so it would be fine!

 

[jd83]

Yes, it needs to be HE detergent. The difference is the amount of suds. Regular detergent for regular washers is high sudsing, but also uses enough water in the cycle to rinse all the suds away. HE machines use much less water, so have to have a low suds detergent to be able to wash it all away, or you'll get a sudsapocalypse LOL.

 

[x__amour]

Yes, it needs to be HE detergent. The difference is the amount of suds. Regular detergent for regular washers is high sudsing, but also uses enough water in the cycle to rinse all the suds away. HE machines use much less water, so have to have a low suds detergent to be able to wash it all away, or you'll get a sudsapocalypse LOL.

What about detergents that say "Safe for HE machines"? That's what my current detergent says. Does it have to be the detergents that are exclusively for HE machines and not safe for all?

 

[jd83]

Yes, it needs to be HE detergent. The difference is the amount of suds. Regular detergent for regular washers is high sudsing, but also uses enough water in the cycle to rinse all the suds away. HE machines use much less water, so have to have a low suds detergent to be able to wash it all away, or you'll get a sudsapocalypse LOL.

What about detergents that say "Safe for HE machines"? That's what my current detergent says. Does it have to be the detergents that are exclusively for HE machines and not safe for all?

I'd imagine that's the same as made for HE, just different wording by different brands. It must be a low suds detergent already if its safe for HE, so I'd go ahead and use it.

 

[Incubus]

US stuff is confusing That is just a regular washer here, we only have the front loaders and you can use any detergent in them!

 

[CRWx]

So confusing!

I have learnt something new reading this though! xxx

 

[x__amour]

So much of our stuff is so confusing!

Thank you for all the advice!

 

[dairymomma]

I literally just read something about this in a Good Housekeeping magazine today. -Soap that is made specifically for HE machines is the best for HE machines because it's designed to be low-sudsing and the bubbles that do form, break down faster so you don't need as much water for rinsing.
-Soap that says it's 'okay for all machines' or 'including HE machines' means you can use it in either HE or regular washers but it's not quite as efficient as that made just for HE machines.
-Soap that has no labels is just for regular machines and you can't use it in an HE washer because it'll suds too much and you'll get too much soap residue left in your clothing. The guy we bought our washer from said to put a load of clean towels in your washer and put it washing but don't add any soap. If you see suds form, you've got soap that's not rinsing out well enough.

I personally use Tide Free and Clear for HE washing machines and I find I only need 2T of soap (up to the #1 line in the cap) to wash all but the dirtiest clothes (then I use 3T (#2 line) and pre-treat stains as needed).

 

[FAB mama]

I have a top loading HE washer and I use All free and clear. I've never noticed any issues but I should try that tip about the towels!