Laundry HE

I recently read this interesting WSJ article that pinpoints consumer confusion over those ever-present, but hard-to-read lines found on the inside of liquid laundry detergent caps. Genius! Has anyone really ever looked at those?  Well, according to the article, most Americans in fact don’t pay attention, instead filling their detergent bottle caps to the brim – no matter what size of load they’re doing or what type of washing machine they are using!  We’re all tempted to think that more bubbles equal cleaner clothes, but in a High Efficiency washer, too many bubbles, or oversudsing, can actually prevent your clothes from getting clean (but, Laundry Line regulars already knew that).  The article says:

Generations of consumers have washed clothes with the idea that more soap means cleaner laundry. But the sudsy habits are creating messy problems from dingy clothing to worn machines.

Over-filling the cap for your load (also known as “overpouring”) can spell disaster for a front loading High Efficiency (HE) washer by creating too much foam inside the machine, extending the rinse cycle.  This may not sound bad, but all the oversudsing can actually prevent clothes from a thorough clean and can leave residue behind.  Too many bubbles can also lead to bacteria growth and, therefore, odor inside a front loading washing machine.

According to the WSJ article, Whirlpool says modern technology may correct your mistakes for you in the future with some washers featuring software that adds extra rinses to cover for too many suds.  For peak performance, however, the only detergent you should ever use in an HE washing machine is HE detergent.  And, you should always read the back of the detergent bottle for cap clarity to see how much you really need.  Or, take a marker and mark on the outside of the cap how much HE detergent is suggested for small, medium and large loads.

When was the last time you checked the lines on the cap? Or, do you go by instinct? I’d love to hear from you!

Kristen