Can I use non-HE detergent in a HE washing machine?
December 28, 2014 5:31 PM Subscribe
I forgot to buy HE detergent and now I have a box of regular old Tide powder. Will I summon the apocalypse if I use the powder (a small amount) in my building's HE machine?
The machines are small front loaders. The directions on the wall of our laundry room say to use 2 tablespoons of high-efficiency laundry detergent. Will I make a giant mess of I use, say, 2 teaspoons of the regular Tide powder?
If the answer is NO WAY I can drive back to target tomorrow to return it but I am lazy and all my clothes are dirty and I just want to do some laundry.
The machines are small front loaders. The directions on the wall of our laundry room say to use 2 tablespoons of high-efficiency laundry detergent. Will I make a giant mess of I use, say, 2 teaspoons of the regular Tide powder?
If the answer is NO WAY I can drive back to target tomorrow to return it but I am lazy and all my clothes are dirty and I just want to do some laundry.
Supposedly, the HE detergent is formulated to be low-sudsing. When I've put too much HE detergent in a front loader (so not even the stuff you are talking about), it locks down until the suds subside which is a hassle. And I had to wash everything again because it was soapy. So while I too am a lazy person, I'd return it and get the right stuff.
posted by cecic at 5:39 PM on December 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by cecic at 5:39 PM on December 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
My building's HE machines suggest using 1/4 the volume of detergent if using not HE detergent. I have done this using Costco's hypoallergenic detergent (which is not intended for HE machines) and not had problems.
Your building's machines may be different. Your detergent may be different.
I'm not sure I would have risked it if they hadn't mentioned the 1/4 volume thing specifically on the machines and on the use instruction posters in the laundry room.
posted by sciencegeek at 5:45 PM on December 28, 2014 [5 favorites]
Your building's machines may be different. Your detergent may be different.
I'm not sure I would have risked it if they hadn't mentioned the 1/4 volume thing specifically on the machines and on the use instruction posters in the laundry room.
posted by sciencegeek at 5:45 PM on December 28, 2014 [5 favorites]
I once spilled a bottle of non-HE detergent that I keep for handwashing. I cleaned it up with the dogs' towels (that I use after bathing the dogs). Then I stupidly put the towels in the HE washing matching. Do not do this. If only for the walk of shame you will have to make to the super's office in the middle of the night, do not do this.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 5:58 PM on December 28, 2014 [6 favorites]
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 5:58 PM on December 28, 2014 [6 favorites]
Tide is particularly sudsy.
posted by H21 at 6:25 PM on December 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by H21 at 6:25 PM on December 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
The trick is: use a minute amount of the Tide and it will be OK. Like 1/20 the normal amount. (I have successfully done this on more than 1 occasion)
posted by Obscure Reference at 6:33 PM on December 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Obscure Reference at 6:33 PM on December 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
HE detergent in a non-HE machine -> OK
Non-HE detergent in an HE machine -> a realistic depiction of what will happen
posted by DirtyOldTown at 6:44 PM on December 28, 2014 [4 favorites]
Non-HE detergent in an HE machine -> a realistic depiction of what will happen
posted by DirtyOldTown at 6:44 PM on December 28, 2014 [4 favorites]
Does your building sell those little boxes in a vending machine? Can you go out to the corner and get the right stuff? Can you borrow some from a neighbor? If not, treat yourself to fluff and fold this week, and take back the big box.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 6:55 PM on December 28, 2014
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 6:55 PM on December 28, 2014
Return it. When you buy the new package, pour some off for an emergency backup for the future.
It's as bad as hand wash dish soap in the dishwasher ...
posted by Buttons Bellbottom at 8:00 PM on December 28, 2014
It's as bad as hand wash dish soap in the dishwasher ...
posted by Buttons Bellbottom at 8:00 PM on December 28, 2014
Also, I suggest you take out the least smelly of your clothes now and hang them in the shower to hang out and air out to get through tomorrow.
Or hand wash something with a bit of dish soap and run it through the dryer for something to wear tomorrow. Hand washing leaves a lot more water in your clothes than a spin dry washer - I'd FOLD the wet clothes as if you were putting them away, wrap in a towel (one pice, one towel).
Take the towel and press to wring out the water, by pressing it or walking on it.
THEN run it through the dryer.
You could roll in the towel and wring by twisting but I've found that introduces more wrinkles.
posted by Buttons Bellbottom at 8:06 PM on December 28, 2014
Or hand wash something with a bit of dish soap and run it through the dryer for something to wear tomorrow. Hand washing leaves a lot more water in your clothes than a spin dry washer - I'd FOLD the wet clothes as if you were putting them away, wrap in a towel (one pice, one towel).
Take the towel and press to wring out the water, by pressing it or walking on it.
THEN run it through the dryer.
You could roll in the towel and wring by twisting but I've found that introduces more wrinkles.
posted by Buttons Bellbottom at 8:06 PM on December 28, 2014
Response by poster: Thanks for helping me avoid a disaster! I'll return it to target tomorrow.
posted by pintapicasso at 9:38 PM on December 28, 2014
posted by pintapicasso at 9:38 PM on December 28, 2014
Take the towel and press to wring out the water, by pressing it or walking on it.
Or you could just run it through the washing machine on spin-only.
Or you could just do a load of laundry with no detergent at all.
posted by flabdablet at 10:17 PM on December 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
Or you could just run it through the washing machine on spin-only.
Or you could just do a load of laundry with no detergent at all.
posted by flabdablet at 10:17 PM on December 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
It's worth considering that there's enough detergent residue in a washing machine to clean your clothes. I do a load without detergent once in a while and it comes out clean.
I wouldn't do it all the time, and I wouldn't do it with super dirty or just greasy clothes, but you'll probably be happily surprised as a one-off.
posted by kadia_a at 11:17 PM on December 28, 2014 [5 favorites]
I wouldn't do it all the time, and I wouldn't do it with super dirty or just greasy clothes, but you'll probably be happily surprised as a one-off.
posted by kadia_a at 11:17 PM on December 28, 2014 [5 favorites]
I'm glad you made the decision to return it, because in the long run that is the best thing to do with an unopened container. Now you will have the proper detergent for the washer.
For future reference though, in a pinch, I have used regular detergent in an HE machine every once in a while (particularly if we are talking about liquid, not powder). I just used 1/4 of the amount that you would use of HE detergent. The machine was not a wall of suds and the clothes got clean enough. So, for your machine that calls for 2 Tablespoons of HE detergent, that would be 1 1/2 teaspoons of regular detergent (or for a small machine and a small load, I might just use 1 teaspoon). Also, putting a bit of white distilled vinegar in the rinse cycle in place of fabric softener keeps down the suds.
posted by gudrun at 5:54 AM on December 29, 2014
For future reference though, in a pinch, I have used regular detergent in an HE machine every once in a while (particularly if we are talking about liquid, not powder). I just used 1/4 of the amount that you would use of HE detergent. The machine was not a wall of suds and the clothes got clean enough. So, for your machine that calls for 2 Tablespoons of HE detergent, that would be 1 1/2 teaspoons of regular detergent (or for a small machine and a small load, I might just use 1 teaspoon). Also, putting a bit of white distilled vinegar in the rinse cycle in place of fabric softener keeps down the suds.
posted by gudrun at 5:54 AM on December 29, 2014
Costs cash doing it in the machines that are community units. Towels and water the OP has. Also might be a more memorable reminder experience to grab the right detergent in the future ;).Take the towel and press to wring out the water, by pressing it or walking on it.Or you could just run it through the washing machine on spin-only.
Or you could just do a load of laundry with no detergent at all.
posted by Buttons Bellbottom at 8:06 AM on December 29, 2014
A repair guy once did a maintenance call on my HE front loader and warned that the suds weren't just a nuisance, they also can get into the bearings for the rotating drum and dissolve the grease in them, with predictable results.
posted by sapere aude at 12:22 PM on December 29, 2014
posted by sapere aude at 12:22 PM on December 29, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by pH Indicating Socks at 5:33 PM on December 28, 2014 [11 favorites]