Sodium citrate/citric acid (same thing) is in practically every liquid detergent I've researched. Yet I know that precipitates and hard water did NOT cause my towels to feel stiff and harsh. I got this stiff result after ONE wash (so, no "buildup" possible) with a liquid detergent (Kirkland Free & Clear) that by itself, or with hard water minerals, feels soft even when not rinsed out of the fabric. 1) I used exactly the same detergent and the same hard water in my TL; towels came out soft. 2) My experiments have proven that hard water alone, or hard water plus liquid detergents, even when completely left in the fabric and allowed to dry, do not leave the fabric feeling stiff Now, powder detergent (Gain, Clout) and cleaning agents (OxiClean, borax) not rinsed out DO leave fabrics feeling stiff. But this was not what caused my towels to be stiff. Fabrics with liquid detergent residue not rinsed out all feel soft. (Woolite, which contains a lot of soap, also feels slightly, well, soapy. NOT stiff or scratchy, though.) After rinsing though, SOME liquids leave fabrics feeling softer than others. The ones that leave fabrics feeling softer contain "fabric conditioners." "Fabric conditioner" is another name for "fabric softener." These work by leaving a residue behind -- a soft-feeling residue.

First I take issue with P&G having scents on everything. Not true at all. I have been using the Tide Free/Sensitive Skin for years now and there's no scent there and no itching. Even the stench version has no itching for me anymore, and even a cousin and another friend with psoriasis have no troubles with Tide anymore, one did with the stench version but not with the "free"; My sister who is also sensitive has no trouble with Tide, though both she and I did have big troubles with Tide 20 years ago. And I'm finding I'm a lot more sensitive to more detergents as I get older so that suggests to me that Tide has improved and not me becoming less sensitive. Consumer reports? Line a birdcage with it. That's all they're good for in my opinion. I've found that detergents perform differently for different people and their particular needs. Generally speaking, enzyme detergents clean far better than non-enzyme. Virtually all P&G products have enzymes. Wisk has enzymes. Ultra Plus Sears has them as well as the Great Value powder (or at least used to) as do some other brands. But there's more to getting clean clothes. Using your machine properly, using the proper temperature, water conditions, pretreating and other variables all make a difference. One brand will work well for one person and work poorly for another. Sometimes, expectations play a big roll. (To me, Persil at $1-$2 per load is expected to wash, dry, fold, hang, put away the clothes and dress me while it's at it.) I will say that since switching to Tide (which cost me about 1â per load or less) now called Free & Gentle, I don't use anywhere near the additives I used to use with more expensive detergents. Sun required a lot of additives, Great Value some, Arm & Hammer quite a bit, etc. I use the gauge that clothes should not smell days after washing or right after washing for that matter. When they smell is when you should wash them IMO.

Such good questions! I have an LG FL, and I agree about powdered detergent, ESPECIALLY for all-synthetic clothing! I learned that from a clothing Sales rep of outdoor and adventure clothing. The liquid detergents do not fully break down and rinse out. The residue acts like fabric softener, preventing the wicking ability of synthetics. If it‘s not rinsing out of clothes, then it must also be leaving residue in the machine! I tried something new with smelly sheets and towels, and overly dirty or smelly clothes. It‘s a bit of a commitment, but worth it. I do 3 washes: Alkaline, Acidic, Alkaline. Short wash with only oxy-clean on hottest setting, Alkaline. Then short wash on hot using only 3/4-1 cup white vinegar, Acid. Then regular wash with detergent, but by now I only need a small amount, since the Acid, vinegar, has neutralized the Alkaline, Oxy-clean. Think about science in school: if you pour baking soda into vinegar, it foams. I don’t need to do this for every load, but done 2x per week, it keeps the washer smelling so fresh. And the clothes come out clean!

"HE" stands for "High Efficiency". This is a formulation designed specifically for "High Efficiency" clothes washers, such as frontloaders and the Calypso. The tumbling/showering actions of these machines tend to generate a lot of suds, and excessive amounts of suds in the drum can hamper the wash action (by cushioning the clothes). In extreme cases, the suds can build up to such a degree that they overflow the drum, and wind up oozing out the dispenser drawer or top or back of the machine (not unlike the situation resulting from putting hand dishwashing detergent in an automatic dishwasher)! Thus, the most important characteristic of an HE laundry detergent is a low level of sudsing. High-quality HE detergents may also have additional properties beneficial to HE washers, such as dye-transfer inhibitors. Although use of HE detergents is highly recommended in frontloaders, it's not strictly necessary to use brands that carry the HE label. A low-sudsing "conventional" formula can also give good results, depending on the hardness of the local water supply and the level of soiling in the washload. The chief advantage of very low-sudsing detergents is that one can add greater amounts for improved cleaning of tough loads, without fear of oversudsing. While it is of course possible to use reduced amounts of ANY detergent in a frontloader (to limit the amount of suds buildup), the resultant cleaning performance may be less than optimal. --Tom. [first added to Appliances FAQ: 4 October 2002] [moved to Laundry Room FAQ: 28 December 2004] [last edited: 28 December 2004]