HE detergents are formulated to work properly in the smaller volume of water with which HE washers operate ... a higher concentration of laundry soil exists ... much smaller amount of water but the same size load ... ingredients to combat a higher concentration of dye-bleed, water conditioning agents in the proper proportions for less water, and so forth.

HE detergent can be used in non-HE machines but a larger dose is usually needed for equivalent results.

Okay so I finally found the list of ingredients on both versions. Seems the HE version has more stuff in it. They both have borax. How cool. Never used borax though. I'm just in the middle of detergents. The tide vivid powder is too harsh on my kids colored clothes. They look old in less than a month. And I hate washing in cold water. I don't think the warm is fading the colors. Because the warm doesn't feel very warm at all. So I switched to the total care to see if I can have my kids clothes colors last longer. Used tide total care he in the FL but didn't notice a difference. I think the clothes agitating for an hour or more is the hardest on them, plus being in warm water for an hour or so too must have done the damage faster. Well see how it plays out this time!

Also I bought tide free and clear because we have a new baby coming in dec 7th. When we washed my daughter clothes for the first year or so we used dreft but to me it didn't take out any stains or smells. Will the tide free and clear be any different or better at tackling stains and smells. Since its fragrance free. We don't have sensitive skin but we just wanna make sure for the first year we use something gentle for his clothes.

Not only can warm water fade dark clothing, but the Tide Vivid has non-chlorine bleach. Color-safe yes, in that it won't totally bleach the color out. But in my experience, it will fade colors, including pastels. That has been my experience, so I use the detergents with 'color-safe' bleach judiciously.

Guess ill stick to the tide with bleach for the towels and such. No more on my clothes!

Cheer powder for colors--has no brighteners. The liquid does.

Go to some diaper sites. They give a lot of tips about doing baby clothes. According to them you never want to use a detergent with enzymes on baby clothes cause the enzymes can attack babys skin if not throughly rinsed especially if the babys skin gets wet where the fabric is touching.

According to CR test, Tide Coldwater liquid cleaned and protected fabrics as well as Total Care but cost less.

I don't egt my P&G has to throw brighteners in all its US detergents. Even the Total Care has it. I tried the liquid HE ColdWater formula last years and it faded my dark clothes. Went back to my beloved Ariel Color & Style powder after the bottle was empty.

Alex

Here is a link that might be useful: Tim Gunn's Tide Total Care

Whirlpool trainee. I sent you and email. And said my washer does that spin drain.

I will need to get cheer next time I'm out. I have so much tide I don't know what to do with. We used regular tide when my daughter turned 2 and it never irritated her. I personally didn't like the dreft. I love the smell of Ariel and I think I've used I once. I cannot remember. What's everyone up too tonight. In setting the Christmas tree up. I'm bored lol

Also I've noticed a big increase in lint since washing in this TL vs my FL. My towels I have to empty the lint 2 times during the cycle. Before with the fl I barley had any lint. Is it because the clothes are submerged in water vs the FL or is it the non HE soap?

Lint: Its the agitator. Rougher treatment of fabrics thus more linting. Difference in top load/front load although some FL are rougher than others on clothes.

You go back and check your filter while the dryer is drying? I barely check mine when I put in another load LOL but then I dont have much lint. When I notice the most is when I line dry all time--as in towels--then when weather is bad and dry them the filter is full when it is finished. Try the Cheer. On sale now at Kmart. Also Sears has the 180 load Orange Box detergent on sale now for $9.99--or it was. I guess it is still on sale.

Hi sparky. Yes I have to check the lint filter twice! I have a Kenmore/LG dryer and I always use the sanitize sensor cycle. But with the increase in lint the filter gets clogged half way through and needs to be emptied or the towels will not dry within the hour cycle. I can live with that over the short wash times. The clothes do not come out as dry as with the LUX washers final spin, but it really only ads maybe another ten minutes to each sensor cycle. I have an electric dryer and like it better than the gas. iMO I feel the clothes dry faster in the electrics "dry heat" is what I call it.

I just thought about this. Take the upper agitator out of a older (like my washer) and leave the base plate, then add a load of clothes and see how clean that base plate cleans them. That's just like how the new TL HE washers are. Why would they so that. How stupid.

fastonetime, I have a TL HE washer -- a Maytag Bravos. It works great! I've never had a better washer.

As for detergents; I really like Tide Total Care (obviously, I use the HE formula), but I like Tide HE liquid w/Febreze even better. I always wash dark clothes in cold or cool water, and I wash black and dressy clothes inside out (and turn them right side out to dry).

When my children were babies, I washed their baby clothes in Ivory Snow powder. I don't know if that's still available now, or not, but I loved it. It got their clothes so clean, and they were amazingly soft.

The pediatrician's nurse told me to always use white vinegar in the last rinse so that all detergent would be rinsed out thoroughly, and that worked great.

I would think the bottom part of the agitator is what damages the clothes the most. I have a friend that was noticing their clothes just wasnt coming clean as they used to. She had a DD Kenmore. One day she went back in there for something and opened it while it was washing. The top auger section wasnt moving. That is when she realized the reason the clothes werent coming clean. Husband fixed the auger and then the clothes were back to where they used to be(clean). So I would think if you remove the auger your results wont be as good, but guess you can try it. Just try a shorter wash time and see if that helps.

"Take the upper agitator out of a older (like my washer) and leave the base plate, then add a load of clothes and see how clean that base plate cleans them"

Here is a link that might be useful: Which would look something like this

I's that video good or bad?

Anyone use this downy before. ? Love the smell

In my service business I've been recommending that customers Not use liquid detergents. It seems that almost every customer complaining about odors in the washer are using liquid detergent. I tried liquid for 6 weeks and my washer started to get odors. I switched back to powder and the odor went away.
When I tear apart washers I see more detergent build up with liquid detergents than with customers that use powder. You would think it would be the opposite but it's not.
But these are the reasons that more and more appliance servicers are recommending against liquids.

Hi all. I just switched from tide powder. Probably go back after this total care is done. Hey I see small tiny pin hole rust spots in some of the holes of the porclin tub. Will they get worse? Is there a way to keep it from coming back? Haven't seen any spots in my clothes but I was just wondering what to do?

jakvis, I really, really appreciate your professional input. Thank you.

Powdered detergents frequently contain oxy bleach, which helps to sanitize even in warm water. Liquids don't.

Sparky, does Cheer powder come in an HE formula? I haven't seen that on store shelves.

Yes,I bought a box at Sams but this was first of the year. Had the he and a pic of a front loader on there and said "clean rinse technology" or something like that.

I did call Cheer and ask since I never see it at Wal/Mart or other places. Lady told me they did it in the 120 load box for Club stores as a trial. Said that it wasnt being made anymore, BUT that it could come back later again for the club stores. I saw a while back at Sams they had it in the new dark box and it was also he (120 ld) and was cut to $9.99.

I still believe the regular Cheer Powder is the same as the HE cause it doesnt suds much either. I wish it still smelled like it used to several years ago.