Can HE Detergents Be Used in Traditional Clothes Washers?

With high efficiency laundry soaps available, some worry that they are not effective in traditional washing machines.

High efficiency (HE) laundry detergent is specially formulated for high efficiency, front loading washing machines. However, the HE laundry soap is safe to use in standard washing machines as well.

Function

HE laundry soap is specially formulated to have fewer suds than the standard laundry detergent. So HE laundry soap gets clothing clean without creating as many suds as standard detergent.

Misconceptions

HE washers do not handle standard soap well because it creates too many suds and doesn't rinse out completely. It is safe to use traditional laundry soap in HE washers, but clothes will not get as clean. Using less soap creates fewer suds, but also reduces the cleaning power of the soap.

Benefits

Most HE laundry soaps are friendlier to the environment because they break down more easily. They are also generally highly concentrated, requiring less soap per load. Front loading washers also use less water, another environmentally friendly feature.

References

• Consumersearch: Laundry Detergent Review
• Talk To Tide Customers: Can Tide HE Be Used in a Regular Washer?