High-Efficiency top loader: powder or liquid detergent?
topie
13 years ago
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whirlpool_trainee
13 years agoRelated Discussions
Do you put powder detergent in dispenser in front loader?
Comments (33)I was told by a repairman that liquids will leak into the machine and gum it up, especially if you use the delay feature. He recommended only powders for front loaders. As a result, when we recently had the dryer fixed, the repairman was surprised that my washer was in such great shape after 8 years. I never close the door after a load but let it dry completely before doing so. Also, every once in a while I throw a cup of white vinegar in with the load or put some in the fabric softener tray. I too was disappointed that Costco stopped selling their powder detergent. It was cheap and excellent....See MoreMiele W4842 - liquid vs. powder detergent
Comments (24)The liquid doesn't run out of my soap tray, but our water is in softer end of the 'moderately hard' category and I use very little detergent. It mostly just sits in the dispenser tray due to the small volume, but I rarely use more than a half-Tablespoon of liquid detergent or we have suds overload. For experiment, I just now filled the soap tray with 1/2 cup of water, and it does slooowly drip out. Maybe the thickness of liquid detergent wouldn't drip out much.(?) You raise a good question about the water pump removing residual water in the bottom of the tub when a cycle begins. It's probably not an issue unless the machine is programmed for a delayed start. By then, the liquid might make it down to the bottom of the tub if the delay is an hour or more. I've never used the pre-wash but I think @larsi has. Others will have to comment on that....See MoreAre all liquid HE detergents bad for front loaders?
Comments (0)So after hours of perusing this forum, I'm more confused than ever. Is there a current consensus on whether liquid detergents are to blame for buildup of slimy scum on the outer drum? Or is it only liquid when used with cold washes? Will regular use of a "sanitize" high temp load or a load with Oxy eliminate that build up? (I use the sanitize at least once a week with sheets and towels, so I suspect/hope I don't have that nasty buildup.) I've had a FL for about 2 years with absolutely no problems with odors. I've just decided I'd like to switch to a more eco-friendly laundry regime and want to find an alternative to TideHE---though other than the fact that it's a huge brand name petrochemical, I generally think TideHE works great for us. I'd love to find these results in a natural brand, preferably a powder because it would have less packaging and less fillers. So for powders, I had narrowed my choices to Persil and Charlies. I love the way powdered Persil smells, and I absolutely *want* to love it. Reminds me of my childhood detergent. I can see my mom folding our childhood laundry when I smell it. But it didn't seem to clean anything in my wash. Most of my kids jeans and tee shirts smelled and looked like they were still dirty after washing with Persil. So that's out. I know lots of people love Charlie's... my mom included. She just gave me a bag of it to try. But it doesn't seem to clean my clothes as well as the tide, and I tend to like a tiny bit of a scent to my clothes when they're done. I'm going to continue trying it, but I just don't yet feel like a convert. So I keep coming back to the liquid detergent options. I'm considering Method's HE Liquid and Seventh Generation Liquid HE. Both seem to have some sort of plant based softener, so I'm wondering if that's potentially going to gunk up the machine worse than something like a TideHE liquid. Or is that a non-issue if I'm using a sanitize mode once in a while and not over-dosing. Thanks, Kmama...See MoreSeptic Tanks, Front Loaders and Powdered Detergent
Comments (5)Using a FL with a septic tank is a great idea. They use much less water than TLs and so they will be less of a burden on your system, prolonging its very-expensive-to-replace life. In fact, I saved my septic tank and leach field from needing replacement by switching from a TL to FL. I'm not sure where the notion about powedered detergent being bad for septic tanks arose. Most major brand powders note that they are safe for septic tanks. I would check the box, or call the manufacturer of the detergent to confirm. I have used only powders for many years and had no problems with my septic system. And as I recall from my rural childhood everybody had septic tanks and liquid detergents were very uncommon, if not un-invented at that time. HTH, Molly~...See Morewhirlpool_trainee
13 years agoandersons21
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13 years ago
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