There are so many symbols that appear on our laundry detergent and sometimes they’re so much of a big deal that not knowing what they mean could translate to a very dreadful mistake in laundry. One popular symbol is the HE symbol that appears on most modern laundry detergents. What is it and what does it mean? What is the implication of knowing what it means but not acting with that?
Let’s learn all these in this article.
What Does HE Mean On Laundry Detergent?
The HE on your laundry detergent actually means “high efficiency”. And the explanation for this is that the specific detergent is formulated to be used in a high efficiency washing machine.
I know this brings up the question: “what are high-efficiency washing machines”? And how do they differ from regular washing machines?
Don’t worry, we’ll tackle these questions as we progress with the article.
Why are HE Machines Created? And What are HE Detergents?
High efficiency machines are laundry workhorses created to improve efficiency when it comes to washing.
Efficiency, in terms of the washer, doesn’t just stop with cleaning clothes perfectly, the process and all that it entails before we arrived at that clean clothes also counts. How much of power is the entire cleaning consuming? How much water is it using? How much energy is used for the heating of that water? How much energy saving are we forcing the dryer to consume, by feeding it half baked clothes from spinning?
So all these count to make something, in this cases, laundry machine, efficient!
So let’s look at why laundry machines were created and the problems they solve.
Energy consumption
One of the biggest problems of traditional laundry machines is that they consume a lot of energy. High-efficiency machines are created to help tackle this problem. Today, high-efficiency machines are able to save up to 30% energy consumption compared to traditional washers, all thanks to their build up.
One of the biggest problems of traditional laundry machines is that they consume a lot of energy. High-efficiency machines are created to help tackle this problem. Today, high-efficiency machines are able to save up to 30% energy consumption compared to traditional washers, all thanks to their build up.
Save Money
Despite the fact that they’re expensive at first, high-efficiency machines help save more money in the long run compared to traditional washing machines. They are able to do this by cutting the amount of water needed for washing thereby reducing the energy expended in heating the water for hot water wash cycles. They also require smaller amounts of detergents which means you get to save on detergents too.
Save water consumption
According to a popular research, heating of water makes up most of the energy consumed in Laundry. As a result, being able to tackle water wastage would be a great step towards reducing the total energy using laundry machines.
This is exactly what high-efficiency washing machines do. High-efficiency washing machines are able to save up to 80% on water, and by doing so, the energy channeled towards heating up water for hot water cycles is greatly reduced!
Clothes dryer
Based on how they are created, high efficiency washing machines are able to remove most of the water from clothes during the spin cycle, and as a result, clothes do not take longer in the dryer. This also contributes greatly to energy savings.
Which brings us to the last part, which is directly tied to the question. HE detergents?
The fact that we are using less water in a high-efficiency washing machine now calls for the use of a much different detergent than the normal laundry detergent.
You see, normal laundry detergent creates so many suds, which is because manufactures believed the production of too many suds was associated with better cleaning.
Not until recently, manufacturers discovered how untrue that was, and that efficient laundry could actually be done in little quantities of water that have little suds in it.
That discovery led to the birth of machines that saved a lot in terms of laundry resources like energy and water.
And because of this discovery, there was also a need to use a much different kind of detergent than normal one. One that produces less suds compared to them. And that was when HE detergents started hitting the shelves!
These detergents were specially formulated to work in low quantities of water and produce little suds. Because of the little suds produced, they do not leave streaks on clothes and make them look unclean.
Nowadays you can have HE laundry detergent that clean just as good as normal laundry detergent.
How Do You Know If Your Detergent Is HE?
It’s quite easy to tell when you have a high efficiency laundry detergent. Look for the HE symbol, separated by an orange dot in their middle. Both letters are literally circled. That’s the indication that that detergent is high-efficiency washing machine compatible.
Can You Use A HE Detergent In A Top Loader?
High efficiency laundry detergents are specifically formulated to be used in a high efficiency washing machine. They will not produce too many suds in there which can persist on clothes even after the rinse cycle.
But that’s a high-efficiency washing machine, how about a top loading machine that operates quite differently from a HE machine.
Because top loaders are designed to use a great volume of water during washing and also rinsing, the traditional ones, you’ll find yourself needing to use more quantities of HE detergent to produce the right amount of suds necessary for cleaning.
Many sources state that you should never go above 1/4 cup HE detergent in a top loading machine. And even with that amount, you will not necessarily have an impressive sud formation, but you definitely have a good and efficient cleaning.
Can You Use A HE Detergent In A Front Loader?
Front loaders typically operate like high-efficiency machines in that they use less amount of water and are designed to conserve laundry resources like energy and detergents. Because of this fact, you can use high efficiency laundry detergent in a front loader with no problems. Simply add the same quantity as you would in a high-efficiency washing machine.
Can You Use Normal Detergents In A HE Washer?
High efficiency detergents are perfectly okay to use in a top loader or front loader. But it’s not the case that normal detergent can be used in a high-efficiency laundry machine.
There are many problems you can run into when you decide to do this. Let’s take the first case of streaking. High-efficiency washing machines are designed to use very little quantities of water. Using normal laundry detergent in them will produce so many suds that will end up overpowering the entire space, and as a result, will persist on clothes even after the rinse cycle (because the rinse cycle also uses small quantities of water). Who likes their favorite black T-shirt with murderous mounts of streaks on them?
Another problem you’ll have is a really smelly machine. Because you’re producing too many suds, these will end up hiding in the nooks and crannies of the machine, and eventually serve as breeding ground for bacteria and other pathogens that would make it smell. Let’s not forget about the ability for them to make us sick too.
Are pods HE?
Pods from brands like Tide and Persil are typically high efficiency machine compatible. However, some brands offer detergents that are not compatible with your high efficiency washer, and so you want to make sure to check the product packaging or manufacturers website for confirmation.
Final Thoughts
The “he” symbol on your laundry detergents indicate that the product is compatible with a high efficiency washing machine. But don’t get it wrong however, you can actually use these detergents in a normal washer without running into any problems. Just make sure you don’t use a normal detergent in a high efficiency washer, because it can wreak havoc in there.