Since you're not having any trouble, I don't see an issue. Being a top loader you don't have the splashing that a front loader has churning up suds so that would also make it less of an issue. The thing to look out for in HE machines is oversudsing. People have and continue to use non-HE detergents in HE machines and there's not a problem despite the Chicken Little crowd that wants to claim it'll "void your warranty!!!!!" and other silly claims.

Some HE detergents are formulated differently for cleaning issues, while some are merely a lower sudsing version, or they just are a low sudsing version to start with. Keep in mind that HE compatible detergents will carry the HE logo and they are a regular formula. I think that's misrepresentation but that's the way it is.

Personally, were I you, I would consider getting a jug of HE detergent and mix it 50/50 with the regular and use it up.

I wouldn't be surprised if it was put in the wrong spot by an inconsiderate customer or even an employee not paying attention or not knowing better.

rrah,

I have to agree with Cynic 100%. I wrote to the makers of Frigidaire regarding my machine and the use of regular detergent. They said they have no problem with it. All they stipulated was that it would be a good idea to use less, pretreat stains, and do regular maintenance practices to prevent build up in the machine.

I even kept the email they sent me telling me this just in case.

I myself have used regular detergent in a pinch. The kids are sick, weather is bad, and clothes still have to be washed. I'm not going without clean clothes and sheets because of a lack of an HE logo. I do try to keep whatever I am using as low sudsing as possible, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

I am one of those Charlie's soap fans, and although it is low sudsing after a lil while, it is still plenty sudsy while the washing is going on.

Thank you both for your thoughts on this. It was because of the warranty issues I've read about here that I was concerned. Since I needed to get some laundry done yesterday I used it, but I did use less. I'll buy the HE next time I'm at Sams Club. I do wish they still carried the HE powder though. It seems to me that stores are making choices for consumers more and more lately as they stop carrying some items and only stock others. I guess it's always been that way, but I wish I did have a choice to purchase powder at a reasonable cost. None of my local stores carry Tide HE powder, and it's pricey at Amazon.

Over past many years w/FLs I used HE and non HE detergents without any problems. Some produce more suds than others and need more rinsing so those I wouldn't buy again. I actually can not use Tide HE in one of my washers.It creates suds that spill out from the bottom of the machine.
I don't care if detergent is HE or not as long as it cleans and doesn't produce mounds of suds that will not rinse out.
In my whole life I did not have a machine broke down b/c of using the wrong soap.

While I understand your frustration, let's be fair. You can't blame the stores for not stocking things that don't sell well. This varies by location a lot. Some stores will carry certain items if requested as long as you follow through and buy it. Stores make their profit by turns and they have limited shelf space to keep things. If that shelf spot isn't turning often enough, common business sense will tell you to put something else there that will increase your profit. The expense of that square footage is the same as anything else so you don't want too much dead space in retail.

The old addage of location, location, location applies to retail. Different parts of the country, different parts of the state and even different parts of the same town can have different product mix according to sales. As an example, a shelf spot in Texas might carry grits, while the same space in Minnesota would do better with lefse.

Add me to the one who has trouble with Tide HE. I only use about 1-2tbsp of the powder and that's about all my machine can take before oversudsing.

Have a 2 year old washer dryer stack. Machine started making this horrible noise. Called repair man. Stated the I was using HE soap in a non HE washer. He said it caused the bearing to burn out. Said not worth fixing, would eventually lock up. Since this has happened to me have had a few others say the say thing happen to them. Good luck finding non HE detergent

There may be some contributing factors in your usage environment to early bearing failure but what the repairman told you about using HE detergent in a non-HE machine is ridiculous.