High-Efficiency Or Regular Detergent? Here's How And When To Use Them
High-efficiency vs. regular laundry detergent: It's a small but impactful distinction.
Fact checked by Jillian Dara
When it comes to buying laundry detergent, we all have our preferences and favorites, and more often than not, we'll stick to what we know. But are you using the best detergent for you and your washing machine?
While the world of laundry detergent may seem vast and intimidating, we're here to break down one of the more confusing distinctions: high efficiency vs. regular detergent. If you've never heard of these categories, you're not alone. These words may not mean much at first glance, but it turns out that the difference is important to understand, as it can make a big difference in your washing machine's efficiency. Read on to learn the difference between HE detergent and regular detergent, and which one you should be using to make sure your clothes come out sparkling every time.
What Are High-Efficiency Washers?
High-efficiency (HE) washers come in front-load or top-load styles, designed to conserve water. Detergent company Tide said high-efficiency washers "use up to 80 percent less water than traditional, top-loading washers, deliver 65 percent energy savings, and wash more laundry in one go than traditional machines." If you're not sold by that fact alone, consider this: "High-efficiency washers are much larger than regular washers, holding up to 40 percent more clothes."
So, high-efficiency washers are good for the environment, wash more clothes per load, and save you on your electric bill—sounds like a win-win-win situation. But high-efficiency washers will only deliver these results if appropriately used. Enter high-efficiency detergent.
What Is High-Efficiency Detergent?
High-efficiency laundry detergent is designed specifically for high-efficiency washing machines. Since high-efficiency washers use significantly less water than regular washers, it's essential to ensure that your detergent packs a punch to get your clothes clean. High-efficiency detergents create fewer suds, so your HE washing machine can do its job without adding more water to clean your clothes. You can tell that a detergent is high-efficiency by a small HE sticker on the bottle. High-efficiency detergent does cost slightly more than regular detergent, but as it's more condensed in its cleaning power, you'll likely be able to use it for longer.
Related: Do You Need To Separate Your Laundry? Here's Everything You Need To Know
How Much High-Efficiency Detergent To Use
Because it’s concentrated, a little HE detergent goes a long way. How much you use will depend on the size of the load and the type of detergent. If you’re using laundry pods, use one per load. If using liquid HE detergent, you need only one tablespoon for a normal-sized load. For powdered HE detergent, use about two tablespoons per load. Heavily soiled or extra-large loads may require additional detergent. Consult the manufacturer’s recommendations in the machine’s user manual and the label on your HE detergent for specific guidelines.
When To Use Regular Detergent
The best practice would be to use HE detergent in HE washers and regular detergent in regular washers. But if you only have one or the other, here's when you can mix and when you should be wary.
Don't use regular detergent in a high-efficiency washer. Using regular detergent in your HE washing machine will produce more suds and lead the machine to a longer rinse cycle that uses more water, therefore canceling the benefits of the HE washer. It can also lead to a smelly washer and dirty clothes from leftover suds residue.
When To Use High-Efficiency Detergent
There are minimal differences in the ingredients of high-efficiency versus regular detergents. The primary difference is the amount of suds created, but high-efficiency detergents will still get your clothes just as clean as traditional detergents. Like the popular myth that you need hot water to clean your clothes (cold water can come in handy in these cases), more suds do not necessarily equal cleaner. High-efficiency detergent can be used in regular washers and won't cause any problems. It will produce less suds, but your clothes will come out just as clean.
What To Do If You Use The Wrong Detergent
If you’ve accidentally used regular detergent in your HE washing machine, cancel the cycle. Set a spin cycle and then a rinse/spin cycle to remove all the suds. Resume washing the load using cold water. If there are suds left over after a wash, that’s a sign you’ve used too much detergent. Run the load on a rinse cycle to remove excess detergent.
In conclusion, high-efficiency and regular washers can use high-efficiency detergent, but don't use regular detergent in HE washers.
Related: 7 Ways To Use Laundry Detergent Around Your Home
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