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4 Rules to Make your Front Load Washer Work Better

 

Your front load clothes washing machine only uses about 25% of the water that would be used by a top-loading machine. This is a significant saving and probably one of the reasons you switched to a front loader. Unfortunately, it has also led to misunderstanding and confusion by consumers because manufacturers are not explaining the idiosyncrasies of these machines. Additionally, consumers are not educating themselves about their new style washer and the methods necessary to obtain a good quality wash. Most people are simply assuming that the methods used in their previous washer will apply. Therefore we offer the following article to explain the four most common misunderstandings.

1... Detergent Type
Due to the machines tumbling action a front load washing machine needs special detergent called high efficiency (h-e) detergent. It’s a low suds detergent that is necessary to allow a front loading washer to operate properly. When buying detergent look for the letters 'h' and 'e' inside a circle, it’s the universal logo for this type of detergent. Don’t be tempted to use standard laundry detergent because it’s less expensive. Using the wrong detergent can result not only in a poor quality wash but also, detergent left in clothing fibers, water leakage, bad odors, mildew, and unnecessary strain upon the machine. Using standard laundry detergent in a front loader will be a decision that can come back to haunt you.

2 ... Detergent Quantity
How much detergent is required by a front loading washer? A good place to start is how much you used in your previous top-loader, and then half or quarter that amount. If after a couple of loads of washing you're satisfied the clothes were cleaned then lower the quantity of detergent used still further. Try a quarter of a cup or less for the next few loads. Many of our customers who use liquid detergent report that they only use a tablespoon of detergent per wash.

Most front loaders come with a detergent dispensing drawer where your  laundry detergent, fabric softener, or bleach is inserted prior to starting the cycle. Look inside the dispenser cups for a mark or line indicating a suggested amount to use. But even with these guidelines many consumers continue to grossly overfill the detergent dispenser. This is usually because consumers simply can't believe how little detergent a front load washing machine uses. The detergent level markings seem so low many people think they are incorrect, or not to be taken seriously. They unwisely assume that such a small amount of detergent will result in a poor wash – this is untrue. 

Additional confusion can result when comparing the amount indicated in the detergent dispenser with the recommendations on the detergent box. What many people don't understand is that the box recommendations are general suggestions only. Suggestions that must encompass all makes and types of washing machine, all load types, all load sizes, fabric type, water temperatures, and the waters mineral content. The suggestions on the detergent box are in no way specific to front-loading washers, nor your particular needs.  Even your water hardness affects the amount of detergent required.  While harder water requires more detergent per load, a softer water needs less detergent per load. Additionally, detergent type affects the quantity needed per load. For example, since liquid detergents are more concentrated they require less per load than a powder type. 

3 ... Fabric Softener
Again, because of the small amount of water used by a front loader  the amount of fabric softener required per load must be lowered significantly. In fact, it should never be used full strength in a front-loading washer. Don't be tempted to pour it directly from its container into the fabric softener dispenser cup. Instead, the fabric softener must to be diluted with water before being added to the machine.
A dilution ratio of 7 to 1 is suggested. That is: Seven parts of water to every one part of fabric softener. The easiest way to do this is to mix it in an alternate storage container. Something such as an old (clean) wide-mouthed juice container with a screw cap works well. Add one cup of fabric softener to the container followed by seven cups of water, secure the lid, and shake the bottle to mix. This will provide you with enough of the proper mixture for about fifty loads of washing.  

4 ... Water Temperature
Lastly, we suggest avoiding cold-water wash unless you are washing lingerie or delicate items. This is because the combination of low water volume and cold water during the wash section of the cycle may not wash away all the detergent from the clothing fibers. This can result in your clothes taking on a prematurely dull or worn appearance. Cold-water washing can also result in a deposit of detergent, fabric softener, and debris between the tubs that results in the production of very bad odors. Odors that may get so strong that they will even impregnate the clothes. Note, we said cold water ‘wash’ -- not cold water rinse. Therefore, a hot wash followed by a cold rinse cycle is acceptable. Or a warm wash followed by a cold rinse is also okay. It’s only the cold wash and cold rinse combination that should be avoided. A worst-case scenario is when consumers combine a lot of cold water washing with excessive use of detergent, followed by full strength fabric softener. This can result in the machine starting to produce a mildew odor that will be almost impossible to eliminate.

Therefore as has been shown above even though the front loading clothes washer is an amazingly efficient  piece of machinery it's one that requires a slight adjustment in your way of washing. But in my opinion they are definitely worth the rethink. Putting into action the above methods will allow you to use this machine to its maximum, resulting not only in clean and sparkling clothes but at a substantial cost saving to you and your family.

 

  By Donald Grummett 
  

Copyright © 2010 Donald Grummett. All rights reserved

 

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