The purpose of laundry detergent is, of course, to clean, to remove dirt, sweat, and odors that have accumulated and leave you with a fresh article of clothing. In order to accomplish this goal, laundry detergents must not only clean your clothes but prevent them from being re-depositing soil as they tumble about in water which has now been effected by the grime which has been liberated from your laundry. For this reason, lest their work be in vain, your detergent must capture these pollutants and keep them separate. In most washers, a typical detergent will almost certainly be able to accomplish these goals. However, with front-loading and high-efficiency washers the story’s a bit different. For you to get what you want out of these machines, HE detergents are necessary.
HE detergents are specially formulated for use in such machines. These detergents are more concentrated, dispersing more rapidly and producing less suds. Using normal detergents in their place will result in the development potentially damaging level of suds, which can in turn lead to performance issues with the machines, such as lengthening the washing process. The more excessive the level of soap the more difficult it is to remove, and as such clothes in front-loading and high-efficiency washing machines will ultimately be considerably harder to wash. Also, it will be harder to separate the soil from the clothes. The suds may even make it impossible for your clothing to move about your laundry machine properly by not allowing it to tumble. In contrast HE detergent will produce the correct amount of suds, as well as holding in dirt and dyes, preventing them from being reincorporated into the clothing.
HE detergent should not be especially difficult to find. It can be located in an average laundry aisle and typically costs no more than traditional detergent. Without it, your front-loading or high-efficiency washing machine will not be able to function to its fullest ability and will almost certainly have trouble performing its most basic function, cleaning your clothes. With HE detergent, you can be assured that your machines, provided they have no mechanical issues, will work optimally. High-efficiency washing machines are an excellent purchase, reducing your water usage by as much as 80%. Just be sure to let them live up to their potential.
