Optimizing the Performance of your High Efficiency Washer

Optimizing the Performance of Your
High Efficiency Washer
A Guide to Achieving the Best Results with
Today’s Washing Machine
The Appliance Helper
theappliancehelper.blogspot.com

March 2016
2
Optimizing the Performance of Your
High Efficiency Washer
Today’s Washing Machine
Clothes washers are not the same as they were 20 years ago. Since 1987 the United States
Government has incrementally implemented stricter appliance efficiency standards. These
efficiency standards have saved American consumers $63 billion on their utility bills in 2015
alone, and have helped the United States avoid emissions of 2.6 billion tons of carbon dioxide
(1). As a result, washer technology has changed. Today almost all new clothes washers on the
market are High Efficiency (HE) washers.
A new HE washer is 70% more efficient than a washer made in 1990, and uses up to 66% less
water that a traditional agitator washer (2). Lower water use means less water to heat, and
process later on at the water treatment facility. These washers also use electronic components
which require less electricity to operate. Overall, HE washers cost less to operate, and are
better for the environment. Since HE washers use less water, many people are not accustomed
to how they wash clothes. Some people believe that they do not do as good of a job as a
traditional washer because of their efficiency standards.
Clean clothing can be achieved by meeting the three elements of clothes washing. In this
document we will improve your understanding of HE washing by explaining the three elements
of clothes washing, and how your HE washer achieves these elements in a basic HE wash cycle.
We will then provide tips on creating the best wash load for your HE washer, and tips on using
laundry products to clean your clothes. Lastly, we will provide a short section on how to keep
your washer clean and smelling good. By the end we hope you will agree that it is 100%
possible to have clean clothes, lower your utility bills, help the environment, and love your
washer.
INSIDE
Understanding Your HE Washer…………..3
Creating the Best Wash Load……………...5
Using Laundry Products…………………...7
Cleaning Your HE Washer………………...9

March 2016
3
Understanding Your HE washer
In order to understand how to achieve the best performance with you HE washer, it is first
helpful to understand what it is doing. In this section we will first explain the elements of
clothes washing. Then we will examine how a HE washer achieves these elements in a basic
wash cycle.
Illustration 1. Washing in antiquity.
The Elements of Washing
From antiquity to the modernity, methods of clothes of clothes washing have shared these
three basic elements:
Water action. Lake dwellers of some of the earliest known civilizations left crude drawings
showing primitive people beating clothes on rocks beside a stream, a method of forcing water
through fabric. They found that water action results in cleaner clothes (3).
Use of a detergent. The Egyptians probably discovered the second element of washing- the use
of an effective detergent. An alkali that is found extensively in Egyptian soil was used, much as
soap is used now, to emulsify the oils and carry away dirt deposited on clothes (4).
Heated water. Although the use of heated water is not recommended for all types of fabric, the
use of heated water helps in liquefying the oils deposited on clothes. The oils are then floated
away through water action and detergent use.

March 2016
4
The Basic HE Wash Cycle
A basic HE wash cycle consists of six steps. These steps are designed to meet the three
elements of washing while saving energy. In a basic wash cycle, your washer will complete
these steps in this order:
1. Fill. HE washers fill with just enough water to soak your clothes, with not much left over.
This miserly use saves not only on water waste, but the energy required to heat the
unneeded water. Furthermore, your washer has a sensor that monitors the water
temperature. By using this sensor, and using the proper mix of hot and cold water, your
washer will fill with water of an exact temperature for the cold, warm, and hot settings.
The heated water temperature your washer fills with for these settings has been tested by
its manufacturer to be the most efficient to wash your clothes, saving energy. Also, during
this first cycle step, your washer will dispense any detergent you are using to clean the
load of clothes.
2. Wash. A HE washer then uses a tumble method to force the water through your clothes,
creating water action. Much like beating them on a rock, but not as harsh. This action
does two things; it forces the water through clothes while working the detergent into the
fabric. As the detergent works into the fabric it emulsifies the oils and helps carry away
any dirt in the clothes.
3. Spin. Your washer will then go through a spin cycle. The washer drum will rotate at a high
speed. The centrifugal force of this rotation will force the water and detergent out of the
clothes. The water and detergent is then pumped out of your washer, along with the dirt
and oil it has cleaned.
4. Fill. After you washer is done spinning, it will then fill with water again. This second fill is
designed to rinse any additional detergent, oils, and dirt out of the wash load. Again, the
washer will only fill with enough water to soak your clothes, and not much more.
5. Rinse. Your washer will then tumble again to force water through your clothes. This new,
clean, water will grab onto any additional detergent, oils, and dirt that was not forced out
during the previous spin.
6. High speed spin. The final spin of a HE washer is the fastest. It is designed to force any
remaining detergent, oils, and dirt out of your clothes. The high rate of speed wrings your
clothes out. The end result is clothes with very little water left in them. This helps your
dryer save energy by having less to dry.

March 2016
5
Creating the Best Wash Load
To help your washer do the best job possible, it is good to keep these sorting and loading
guidelines in mind while creating the wash load. In doing so, you can then choose the
appropriate wash cycle for what you are washing, and maximize your washer’s performance.
Sorting
It is helpful to keep these guidelines in mind while sorting your clothes for the wash load:
1. Sort by color: Separate items into loads of whites, darks, lights and non-colorfast (5).
2. Sort by fabric and construction: Separate items into loads of cottons/linens, permanent
press, synthetics/blends/poly knits, and delicates (6).
3. Sort by temperature: Separate items into loads that can be washed in cold, warm, or
hot water (7). Refer to your garments tag for the manufactures wash
recommendations. Many manufactures now use the label system found in illustration 2.
4. Sort by type and amount of soil: Heavily soiled clothes will need extra treatment.
Lightly soiled clothes can become dingy if washed with heavily soiled items (8).
5. Sort lint “shedders” from lint “receivers”: Some fabrics attract lint and should not be
washed with lint-shedding loads. Lint shedders are cottons, terry towels, chenille
bedspreads, rugs, and clothes that have been heavily bleached. Lint receivers are
synthetics, permanent or durable press, knits (including socks), corduroy, and other
smooth fabrics (9).

March 2016
6
Loading
How you load your washer plays an important role in maximizing its performance. Here are
some important tips to remember when loading:
 Different items use different wash cycles and temperatures. Always follow the
manufacturers use and care label to choose the best cycle for the load you are washing
(10). Your garments may use the label system found in illustration 2.
 To help you washer balance and achieve optimal spin speeds, wash items of similar sizes
together. Wash large items, such as towels and jeans, together with other large items.
Wash small items, such as socks and underwear, together with other small items.
 Fill your washer ¾ to all the way full, but be sure the items are loosely packed. A tightly
packed wash load can result in poor washing, and can damage your washer. A load that
is too small wastes energy, and can result in an unbalanced or canceled spin cycle.
Illustration 2. Textile care symbols.
Cycle Selection
It is important that you choose the proper cycle for what you are washing. New HE washers
have more cycle options than older washers. These cycles are designed to maximize your
washer’s performance for the cleaning task at hand. Choosing a cycle will amend different
parts of the basic HE wash cycle mentioned earlier. Different cycle choices may add time to a
particular cycle step, add additional steps, or change its wash actions and spin speeds. HE
washer cycles vary by different manufacturers, so take the time to read the use and care
manual supplied with your washer to learn more about its cycle options.

March 2016
7
Using Laundry Products
When using detergent, bleach, and fabric softener in you HE washer, it is very important to
follow these guidelines for best wash results.
HE Detergent Use
It is very important to use only HE detergent in your HE washer. HE detergent is a low
sudsing formula designed to be used in washers that use less water. If non HE detergent is
used, or if too much HE detergent is used, the extra suds will cause poor wash results, and in
some cases, premature machine breakdown.
The amount of detergent needed depends on your water hardness, and the amount of dirt
and oils you are washing. Use more detergent if you are washing with hard water. Use less
detergent if you are washing with soft water. The detergent will chemically bond with the dirt
and oils it is washing. Once this bond happens, the detergent is neutralized, and will not create
suds.
Suds buildup in a HE washer usually is the result of excessive detergent use. When a HE
washer is washing you should see little or no suds. When you have too much suds, the unused
detergent may not rinse out by the end of the cycle. This produces poor wash results because
detergent will be left on your clothes.
Bleach Use
Most HE washers have an additional bleach dispenser. When using bleach in the wash load
it is very important not to overfill the dispenser. Most dispensers have a maximum fill line. Over
filling of the dispenser can cause it to dispense prematurely (10). The washer dispenses the
bleach by mixing it with water. If non-diluted bleach is dispensed on your clothes prematurely
this can damage your clothing.
Fabric Softener Use
Many HE washers also have a dispenser for fabric softener. Just like the bleach dispenser,
overfilling this dispenser can cause the fabric softener to dispense too early. This will diminish
its effectiveness. When using fabric softener check to see if your washer has a fabric softener
option. Many HE washers have a special setting that you need to select in order for the
softener to dispense correctly.

March 2016
8
Cleaning Your HE Washer
Over time, detergent residue and soil buildup can form in the tub and pump of your washer.
This can cause a foul odor. Many times this is the result of detergent overuse. Sometimes,
however, smells can happen even when detergent is not being overused because many HE
washers are tightly sealed, and do not allow air to flow through them when they are not in use.
Stagnant moisture mixed with detergent and soils deposited in the outer tub and pump of your
washer can start to smell if it’s not ventilated properly. To promote airflow when its not in use,
and cut down on smells that can develop, leave the door or lid open when you are not using
your washer. (11).
To help keep your washer smelling and washing well, many manufacturers have developed
washers with a special tub clean cycle. If your washer has a tub clean cycle, follow the
manufacturer’s specifications on using the cycle. The directions can be found in your washers
use and care manual.
If your washer does not have a tub clean cycle, don’t worry, you can still clean your washer
by following these easy steps:
1. Select your washer’s longest, hottest cycle. For most washers this is Heavy Duty, or
Sanitize.
2. Fill the detergent, bleach, and fabric softener compartments with liquid chlorine bleach,
or a store bought washing machine cleaner such as Afresh or Washer Magic.
3. Run the cycle.
The long hot cycle with bleach or washer cleaner will help break up detergent residue and
clean the water system of you washer. Furthermore, by filling the three compartments with
bleach, it will be dispersed intermittently throughout the cycle.

March 2016
9
Bibliography
(1,2) U.S. Department of Energy, Saving Energy and Money with Appliance and Equipment
Standards in the United States, July 2015,
http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2016/01/f28/Appliance%20Standards%20Fact%20Sheet%20
1%2026%202016.pdf, February, 17 2016
(3, 4) Milwaukee Area Technical School, History of Washing, Laundry repair class handout,
October, 2007
(5,6,7,8) Alliance Laundry Systems, Users Guide For Frontload Washers, October 2015,
http://www.whirlpool.com/digitalassets/MLPDF/Use%20and%20Care%20Guide%20-
%20W10656457.pdf, February, 17 2016
(9,11) Whirlpool, Use and Care Guide Front load washers, November 2014,
http://docs.alliancelaundry.com/tech_pdf/Production/804648.pdf, February, 17 2016
(10) American Cleaning Institute High Efficiency Washers and Detergents 2010,
http://www.cleaninginstitute.org/assets/1/Page/HE.pdf, February, 25 2016
(Illustration 1) http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/
All other illustrations are licensed “free to share and use” on a Bing image search.

Optimizing the Performance of your High Efficiency Washer

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