What Is High-Efficiency Laundry Detergent and Do You Need It?

If you get confused when you walk down the aisle containing laundry detergent, you are not alone. There are so many different brands. That is one thing. But, there are also so many different types of detergent that your head might start to spin. How do you know which one you need? What thought process will you go through to make this determination? One thing that will help you is to better understand what high-efficiency laundry detergent is. Continue reading to learn more.

High-Efficiency Laundry Detergent Explanation

You already know that laundry detergent and stain removers are designed to clean your clothes. What you might not know is that not all washing machines are created equal. Newer machines use less water than the older ones, which is why they are labeled as being high-efficiency. This means that they should have a higher-efficiency type of laundry detergent in order to be used effectively. Such detergents are made to result in less suds than other types of laundry detergent. They are also quick dispersing, making them an ideal cleaning choice in a low water environment that you will find with today’s washing machines. It is also helpful to note that high-efficiency laundry detergents contain a special formula that allows them to more effectively hold soil while in suspension in a machine that has a low volume of water. This decreases the likelihood that the soil would later find its way back onto clothes that have already been cleaned.

Why High-Efficiency Laundry Detergent is Necessary

If you are like most Americans today, you grew up using a washing machine that used roughly 40 gallons of water during an average wash and rinse cycle. This is a lot. Because of this, detergents for those washing machines actually ended up making a lot of bubbles because the manufacturers at the time thought that the more suds you had, the cleaner the clothes would be. Because the washing machine used so much water, those suds would eventually be washed away. A high-efficiency washing machine today uses only between 11 and 14 gallons of water on average. That means that if you were to use a detergent that produced a lot of suds, you would be looking at clothes that would likely end up with soap being left on them. This is because there would not be enough water to wash all of those suds away.

Another reason that you will want to begin using high-efficiency laundry detergent in a high-efficiency washing machine is due to mold and smell. If you are not able to get rid of the suds during the washing process because you are using traditional laundry detergent, you will notice a buildup o fold over time. It is simply too difficult to wash all of it away with the minimal amount of water that machine will use. You will also find that the residue will be sticky over time, and this is the perfect recipe for mold. You certainly do not want that.

Using High-Efficiency Laundry Detergent Effectively

Many people want to know how much of this high-efficiency detergent they should actually use now. The general rule is to always read to instructions on the box that you buy. One thing to keep in mind that that more is not better. If you just have a normal size load of clothes, you are looking at needing only one to two teaspoons of high-efficiency laundry detergent. There are also new tabs that you can use for your high-efficiency laundry detergent needs. You just drop these in the machine. You will just need one for a normal load. You can use two if the load is heavier or the clothes are particularly dirty.

If you do find that the detergent is not getting your clothes clean enough, then you can start to add a bit more. The key is to find a brand that you like and then stick with it. This will enable you to determine how much you should add to each based on the size of your machine and how many clothes you are putting in.

So, there you have it. You now understand what high-efficiency laundry detergent is and why it is so useful. If you have a high-efficiency washing machine, you will want to begin using this type of laundry detergent in order to achieve maximum results.