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Hubby bought us a Kenmore HE washer. We had a regular washer that agitated before this Kenmore. I've read online how HE use little water, soaking the clothes and research has shown that clothes get cleaner this way. I'm not so sure. I've noticed that some of the kids clothes that they've had potty accidents in still smell after washing. People have been agitating clothes for a long time to get them clean and now it's better to soak??? I have a bedding setting on it that agitates so I use it for everything. I don't think I'd buy another HE. Any thoughts?

You're talking about a top loader, right?

My verdict is still out. I've had an "infusion" top loader for about 18 months. In general, I like it... But then, the household is just two retired folks whose clothes don't get exceptionally dirty. DH used to get filthy at work, and I'm not convinced this machine would have handled that kind of grime like the old machine did. Still, I didn't think the new one would work for even lightly soiled clothes, considering how little water it uses; but I am happy with the job it does.

There are things I'm still learning about the features of my machine. Be sure you understand all those on yours, because you may have to adapt your methods. The printed manual for mine is not as comprehensive as it could be, but I found a video at the mnfr's website that explains things better. For example, mine has a feature that presoaks really dirty clothes for a choice of 15 or 30 minutes before it moves through the rest of the longest cycle. I just learned how to use that feature, and the results seem worth using it.

For clothes that tend to hold odors, like pillowcases or sweaty t-shirts, I insure they'll come out fresh by adding a half cup or so of washing soda with the detergent to those loads, but then... I did that with the old machine, too. If borax is easier for you to find, that does about as good a job as washing soda for removing those 'kid' organic odors.

I put in 1/4-`1/2 cup vinegar in the fabric softener slot of my HE for the "smelly" clothes. towels, accidents etc. And sometimes do a second rinse. Dryer gets all residual vinegar smell out; although I usually don't smell it after the wash.
What kind of detergent do you use? Most swear by Tide, but I find the generics work fine for us. No small kiddos here, tho.

I wash small loads in my front loader. I too do not think it cleans. I've mentioned before, if you put a folded napkin in the washer and it comes out still folded...ummmm...I don't think a good soak is the same thing as a good cleaning.

Another problem we have is the lack of phosphates in our detergents. Some states prohibit them completely so the detergent manufacturers have removed them instead of producing detergents with and without in the USA. My understanding is that you can still get them over the border. My solution was to go to Lowe's and buy a box of trisodium phosphate (TSP) found in the paint section. (Be sure to buy the real stuff and not the fake TSP.) It is caustic...be remember that it was in the detergents you previously used! While gloved up, I poured it into two different containers (repurposed cottage cheese containers) and purchased a set of measuring spoons. Ever since I started putting 1/4 teaspoon in the dishwasher and 1/2 teaspoon in the laundry - my clothes are cleaner. I FINALLY got rid of husband's ring-around-the-collar on his white Harley shirts.

It's a top loader and I use Purex (BOGO so I have a stock-pile right now) Before the Purex we used Cheer and still didn't trust the washer to get clean. Maybe I've been conditioned to think it has to agitate to clean (I'm 41 and washers for me growing up have always agitated)I'll look into the TSP also, I could use it in my dishwasher since it doesn't clean well either. Thanks

Another thing I do...in addition to small loads...program the machine for the longest wash possible. I wash nothing on "delicate" even the delicates.

So these machines that advertise larger wash loads to save money. HA! Larger loads does not mean clean clothes!!!

My old machine had the equivalent of a 'hand wash' cycle. It would fill, agitate briefly, soak, agitate briefly... for about 6 minutes total till it drained, rinsed and gently spun. The new 'hand wash' cycle just filled and then sat there. It didn't agitate one whit. Well sheesh... What's the point?

a Front loader is easier on clothes and does a mulitple of things that no agitator ever thought of.
People have beat clothes on rocks since BC but that doesn't make it the best way to wash clothes! And upright agitator is just like beating clothes on rocks!
FRONT LOADERS are PROVEN to clean beter, kinder, and my gentle cycle on my Kenmore FL HE does agitate but slowly and I never use it because my most delicates come out perfectly on the gentle cycle--don't need that extra one.

I would never go back--never! Rocks are for holding down tent edges and soil in a rock garden NOT washing clothes!

ALSO: VINEGAR is the best for all kinds of things--I bought expensive sheet set and after 3 washings it still felt rough--so I called the 800 number and the sheet mfr recommended VINEGAR in the wash and rinse cycle--WHOA--now the sheets are smooth and smell great!

Hey marcy - how to you get the vinegar in the "wash" cycle? I put the detergent in the detergent compartment, and vinegar in the water softener compartment. Do you put it in the "liquid bleach" compartment behind the softener one?

I just looked and there is residual water in my bleach compartment. What's up with that?

I use vinegar frequently as fabric softener. A splash in the washer after you are done for the week (I only wash one day a week unless there is an emergency) will keep any washer from having that musty smell. I don't know any washer that drains every drop completely.

I use vinegar in place of fabric softener, so it is placed in that compartment.

I personally know quite a few people who will never have a front load again. One woman did not keep hers *SNAP* that long. She moved it out of the laundry room and bought a new top load with an agitator.

While the alternative may be compared with beating clothes on rocks...I can guarantee that my front load Maytag Neptune does a crummy job. When you have to wash smaller loads on the longest cycle with an extra rinse, make certain you pretreat just about every garment (half or more of my wash consists of my office clothes so they are not grungy and grimey), add something like Clorox II to every load...I sincerely doubt any monetary savings to my household.

More and more of my husband's clothes (he is a 76-year old retiree) are being relegated to the work clothes pile. And the washer/dryer set we have were his idea after his time of living in Belgium. He's changed his mind too.

Personally, I think most of the studies are done by the manufacturers of the appliances, those pushing the "green" agenda, and the gover-nment. LOL Right! It's a conspiracy against those of us charged with cleaning our family's clothing. Hmmm...I need a slogan: THEY'RE MY CLOTHES AND IF I WANT THEM BEAT AGAINST ROCKS TO CLEAN THEM...THAT'S MY RIGHT.
How's that?! LOL

This message has been edited. Last edited by: KeepYouInStitches,

...same here; I wouldn't buy another.

In fact, I was happy to sell my HE set when we sold the house.

My main prob was that I was warned, big time, by the installer to neverrrrrrrr lift the lid as it would 'crash the motherboard'. That way, I could never know if I was using too much/too little of detergent. ???!!!???

It was an expensive washer, too!!!

I confess...I'm pro rock beat-ing

I noticed right away that the front loader did not get out aromas like the "regular" washing machines did. I think because the top loaders just don't use enough water to really soak out the stuff. I never once remember an odor lingering on the clothing after being washed with our old "regular" machine. (And we have our fair share of odors thanks to some kitties who don't always pee in the litter pan.)

I don't think that the front loader really gets our clothes any cleaner, either.

I have to admit, I am not a fan of HE washers, but we don't have a choice anymore unless we have an old washer, a stockpile of parts, and know how to repair them.

I had to buy a new washer last fall.I did not want a front loading HE. I've read to much about them right here! I was told by the sales person that even the washers that LOOK like the old type are really a hybrid of the old and new and that within a year or so they will all be HE even if they are top loading.

I realized a short while back that I am now used to my new washer and no longer h@te it!

I did notice that our clothes were not coming as clean as they used to. But I have switched to Tide and Oxyclean and no longer have that problem. So I'm not sure if it was the washer or the detergent.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Becky56,

I made a mistake...our washer is a Samsung...sorry Kenmore

First of all, high energy efficiency is required so no one is going to escape HE.
I have had no problems with front-load. I agree with Marcy--clothes are cleaner because the detergent is getting removed. Ask a man if he thinks his clothes are cleaner. An immediate "Yes!" told me all I needed to know.
Perhaps the issues some are reporting is because of your water source: municipal v well.
We have well; we have a softener; I add softener for some loads, white vinegar for others.
No odors. Clothes are clean.
For spots, have you tried tossing in some dry OxyClean onto the clothing or pouring some liquid Oxy in with the detergent, Mountain? For many loads, I use a bit of Oxy powder or add some to the detergent.

Even with my old top load washer, I found out that the recommended detergent on the packaging was too much. You didn't have to see suds to have enough detergent to do the job. My water was toward the hard side...definitely not soft. I found that 1/2 - 3/4 the amount called for was plenty. You just needed enough detergent for the water to start to feel "slickery."

Even with the HE detergent, if I use the recommended amount, I have to rinse two more times.

One thing that helped with odors is to use vinegar in the fabric softener receptacle.

Wonder if I could make a trip to Mexico for a "decent" washing machine that cleans without adding phosphates to the detergent?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: KeepYouInStitches,

I was shopping for a new front load washing machine. The one I had lasted 4 years (G-r-r) so we looked at LG's (made in Korea) another Whirlpool (made in Mexico) and another Whirlpool (made in the USA). We got the one made in USA and it is the quietest front loader I have ever seen.....It is direct drive instead of belt driven. My old Whilpool (belt driven) used to dance all over the floor and sounded like a freight train when it was spinning. Love my new washer.

Our LG front loaders are also direct drive, and very quiet. (they also play a little tune when cycle is complete rather than the annoying BLEEP of the older units).
The direct drive took care of a lot of the noise and vibration that was a prior issue with many front loaders. Just need to retain the "locking plugs" that came with, and are inserted into the back of the machine, before you ever move it to a new home or location.

At first I did not like my front loading machine but it does use less water and less soap. It is gentler on fabrics. I wouldn't go back to a top loader since I've grown used to my front loader. As for phosphates, didn't they clog up streams and lakes? I live on Lake Erie, it was turning into a green algae mess in the 70's--phosphates were banned here and along with better environmental policies the Lake has gotten better, so my conclusion is that this was a regulation that worked. Do I want to sacrifice phosphates for clean drinking water, yes.

By playing around with the cycles on my HE top loader, I found out that the "bulky items" cycle (bedspreads, sleeping bags) fills the tub with more water and agitates instead of stirs. (My washer has the plate, not the older style tall agitator.) I have a glass lid on my washer, and on the bulky cycle I can watch the clothes move from the top to the bottom as they move around the tub - not just get "stirred".

After I discovered this, I read on another board
that a washer repairman had said that if you want to wash with more water and get a better agitation, use the bulky cycle. So, it's not just me!

I've got a 3.6 Whirlpool HE front loader set for a year on Thanksgiving. I'd never go back. They're awesome.