You may need to do some experimentation to find what is right for you. Everyone has different water, clothes and dirt on the clothes. I use a concentrated liquid, not a powder, but I have soft water and use only a scant TBSP for small to med loads. A good start would be to try about half of the ammount recommended on the box then go up from there for large or dirty loads. If you can see suds then you have enough or maybe too much detergent. I only rarely have any suds left in the gasket when I open the door. Fluffy things like towels can create more suds, so experiment with non-fluffy things.

I know there have been various opinions in the forum on whether shaking detergent in a jar to check suds, etc. actually proves anything. But I decided to try it with the Sears HE free I have and also reg. Ariel. When I used tap hot water, shook and then observed and let sit, the Sears had very little suds--probably 1/4-1/2 inch. The rest of the water was very cloudy and there was residue (white specks) in the bottom that didn't dissolve. The water never did clear up after sitting some time. I then did the same with the Ariel. It suds quickly to the top of the jar, but more like loose suds. After about 1/2 hr when I checked again, the suds had dissipated quite a bit and the water was clear although blue! There were also some undissolved specks on the bottom of the jar. When I rinsed out the jar after the Sears experiment, the specks actually stuck to the bottom and wouldn't rinse out, I had to scrub them with a rag. Am trying it again tonight with the Sears and will leave it sit overnight. (I did try that once with cold water and there was a gelatin type substance in the bottom the next morning with the specks but the water was more clear.) So does anyone think there is anything to the fact that the Sears HE stays cloudy and leaves undisolved specks? Would that hinder cleaning or rinsing well? I ask because since I have been using it I have noticed that the wash water (which I can see as it is programed higher) seems more cloudy than the other detergents I used but thought maybe it was suspended soil. I gave away a couple other boxes of non-HE detergents, but think I may try to pick up a small box or two of other free versions and see if they all act the same.

Laundryman: I am not using large loads: the most recent load was 1 pr. jeans, 1 shirt, 1 lightweight cotton sweater, 1 tee shirt, 3 pr. men's jockeys, 2 pr. socks and 2 handkerchiefs, 1 pr P.Js. This was probably 1 pr pants lighter than normal load. I use the normal/casual cycle using hot/cold for whites and warm/cold for darks. Occasionally I use the sanitary cycle for towels and sheets, but I really watch the load size. I fill the detergent receptacle until the level reaches 1/2 way up to the max fill line for liquid detergent. I fill the fabric softner to about 2/3 to the max level and add some water to reach the max. I have no idea what the "cleaning cycle" is, so I guess that means I probably haven't done it, unless it is the same thing as using the sanitary cycle, which I use about 1 time a week, maybe 2. I don't notice suds when I look through the window. The clothes don't have excessive soiling or grease. I appreciate your response, and hope you have some ideas. In the meantime I will find my manual and see about the "cleaning cycle" you referred to.. I am willing to change detergents and fabric softners...whatever it takes. I'm hoping it doesn't take a new washer....when we bought this one I had such high expections/hopes that it would be "the one!" Also, as I said, we do have a water softner. We live in an area that has good water.

Neither my wife nor I have ever had an interest to spend any time at all trying to starch and then crisply iron dress shirts, much less doing 5 or 6 each week. Maybe the lack of experience is why we suck at the task but no matter. The laundry we've used for decades is nearby and close to several grocery stores we're at several times a week. When working I always had at least 3 weeks worth of shirts or even a bit more so the drop off/pickup cycle was never time critical. Cost wasn't and still isn't a consideration. Even in our expensive area, after all these years, I think it's still about $3 a shirt. I'm retired but dress shirts still go to the dry cleaners for laundering. If you like to do it, fine. PS - I'll bet I can correctly pick out a home laundered dress shirt 3 times out of 4. It's gotten rare in my area because in the business world, appearance is so very important and so everyone (male and female) has their shirts professionally done.