Can You Use HE Detergent in a Regular Washer?
High-efficiency (HE) detergents have become increasingly popular in recent years as more households purchase high efficiency washing machines.
But what if you have an older, regular washing machine – can you still use HE detergent in it? Let’s take a look at the differences between regular and HE detergents and examine whether it’s okay to use HE detergent in a regular washer.
What is HE Detergent?
HE stands for “high efficiency.” HE detergents are formulated specifically for high efficiency washing machines, which use less water than regular washers.
Key differences between HE and regular detergent include:
– Concentrated Formula – HE detergents are more concentrated.
A little goes a long way, allowing you to use less detergent per load.
– Low Sudsing – HE detergents produce fewer suds.
Excess suds can prevent HE washers from operating efficiently.
– Designed for Cold Water – Many HE detergents work well in cold water temperatures.
This saves energy.
– Stain-Fighting Ingredients – HE detergents contain enzymes and other ingredients to help break down stains.
– Fragrance – Some HE detergents have less or no added fragrance.
So in summary, HE detergents are specially formulated for the high efficiency washers that dominate the washer market today.
But what if you have an older, conventional top-loading or front-loading washer?
Using HE Detergent in a Regular Washer
The good news is that you can use HE detergent in a regular, non-HE washing machine.
However, there are a few things to keep in mind:
– More Suds – The low-sudsing technology in HE detergents is meant to prevent oversudsing in HE machines.
But regular washers may not have this issue.
Using HE detergent in a regular washer may result in more suds.
– Dilution – Since HE detergents are concentrated, they may need to be diluted more to avoid having too much detergent residue left on clothes.
Try using less HE detergent than you would regular detergent.
– Cleaning Issues – The cleaning performance of HE detergents may be reduced in a regular washer.
The enzymes and stain-fighting ingredients are designed to work well with HE washers.
You may need to use a bit more HE detergent or pre-treat stains.
– Waster Water – HE detergents are designed for the lower water levels used in HE washers.
If your regular washer uses more water, some of the cleaning ingredients may get washed away before fully working.
So while you can use HE detergent in any type of washing machine, you may not get the full benefits compared to using it in a high efficiency model.
You may need to experiment with the amount of detergent used to minimize excess suds and ensure your clothes get fully cleaned.
Tips for Using HE Detergent in Regular Washers
Here are some useful tips to get the best results when using HE detergent in a conventional washer:
– Start with half the amount of HE detergent you would use with regular detergent.
You can always increase it if needed.
– Scrape dirt and debris off heavily soiled clothing to reduce the cleaning burden on the detergent.
– For tough stains, pre-treat with a stain remover or mix a scoop of regular detergent into the HE detergent to boost cleaning power.
– Run an extra rinse cycle to remove excess suds or detergent residue after washing with HE detergent.
– Clean the washer regularly to prevent dirt buildup that could reduce cleaning performance over time when using HE detergent.
– Use the hottest water temperature allowed for the fabric load to maximize cleaning with HE detergent.
The Bottom Line
While high efficiency washing machines are specially designed to work with HE detergents, you can use HE detergent in any type of washer.
However, you may need to adjust the amount of detergent, do more pre-treating, use warmer water temperatures, and take other steps to achieve the best possible cleaning results when using HE detergent in a conventional washer.
Test out a small amount first and tweak your routine until you find the right balance for your machine.
With a bit of trial and error, HE detergents can be an effective cleaning option for all washers.