Since the introduction of the front-loading washing machine into the
North American market their sales have literally exploded. Like most
people, you probably bought one because of the suggested savings.
When operated properly you can
save energy, water, and money. Plus they do a fabulous job of washing
your clothes.
But, using the wrong detergent can quickly destroy any hopes of savings.
Your front load washing machine
requires a type of detergent called HE (High Energy) detergent. It's
make specifically for front loading clothes washers. It's a type of detergent
(now available from most detergent manufacturers) that washes your clothes while producing very small amounts of
suds. These non-suds properties are necessary for your front load washer
to clean properly. Unfortunately, we have become so used to seeing
suds in our old top loading washing machines that we mistakenly relate their presence
to proper operation. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
A front loading washer
uses a very unique method of operation to clean your clothes. We are all
used to the old top loading washer method where the clothes are immersed
into a large tub of water. Alternately, during the top loading washer
method of cleaning, the clothes spend more time out of the water than in
it. Every cycle of the drum they are picked up by the
vanes inside, lifted to the top of the drum, and then dropped
into water laying at the bottom. This collision of clothes
and water will dislodge the dirt from the clothing fibers. To add to a
front loaders cleaning action the wash water is replaced a number of
times, plus the spin speed is very high. Possibly twice that of a top loader.
All of these actions allow additional amounts of water,
dirt and detergent to be removed from the clothes. This front-loading method of
cleaning your clothes is both simple and dependable. But, the
whole method can stop working if there are
too many suds being produced by your laundry detergent.
Using regular laundry detergent
(crystal or liquid) in your front loader
will have one major consequence. It will produce excess suds. The excess
suds produced by regular detergent results in their accumulation at the bottom of the
wash drum. So much suds that they will take the form of a big fluffy cushion.
One that impedes
your clothes from reaching the water even
though your clothes continue to tumble. Since the clothes hit the
suds cushion, rather than the water, the result is a very poor wash. f you have been using the wrong detergent
in your front loading washer stop using it immediately.
Even owners of front loaders who are using the
HE detergent can misunderstand how to use it properly. Again they feel
that they should see lots of suds to get a proper cleaning action.
Therefore, not seeing
any suds they continue to add increasingly more detergent during the
wash cycle until suds finally appear. Once again the result is a poor
wash because of the production of a suds cushion at the bottom of the
drum. Too much detergent may also result in water leaking
around the door, vibration, noisy operation, and poor spinning.
I
To return your front
loading washer to normal try the following
suggestions. Run the machine through a number of cycles using hot water
wash temperature. Do this without clothes. This should help expel the old detergent. It usually takes 3 or 4
full cycles
to wash away the old detergent accumulated inside the machine. Then do
another hot wash temperature cycle after you have added a
product that will further remove the build-up of old detergent. One such product
is called GLISTEN, another is called AFFRESH. Additionally, a small amount
of one of them should be
added to the detergent dispenser drawer to remove any residue that has
built up in this
area.
So if you think your front loader is not working as
well as anticipated, look to your laundry detergent. If it does not say
HE on the label -- switch immediately. Then purchase a box of the proper HE type detergent
and you may be pleasantly surprised.
By
Donald Grummett
Copyright © 2005
Donald Grummett. All rights reserved
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