question about detergent in a front loader

[vacuumfreeeke]

My front load washer (yes, the forbidden Edgestar combo that I'm NOT hating) does an interesting thing. When it washes, I do not see suds during the wash cycle. I only see suds in the during the rinse cycle. That seems weird because the washer DOES flush the detergent dispenser during the wash cycle. Right after that, the wash section of the dispenser doesn't have anymore detergent in it... however, no suds are visible through the porthole until the rinse cycle begins. Where does it go in the meanwhile? I'm not sure it matters, but I use All or Cheer Free and Clear usually... not specifically HE detergent, but I only use a tablespoon or two per load. Any clues as to what's going on inside my machine?

Thanks!

 

[appnut]

You're really not supposed to see suds during the wash cycle. And if you're seeing suds in the rinse cycle, you're using too much detergent, or it's not rinsing out properly. Also, intially after you begin using a front loader, there is still quite a bit of detergent residue in your garments so not much is needed. Liquids also are more difficult to rinse. Second, start using an HE detergent.

 

[dj-gabriele]

During the rinse phase the machine could be using a higher water level and this makes you to see the suds.
Also if you have soft water or a ion-exchange softner like I do, wather might make a little foam even without detergent at all in some conditons

 

[toggleswitch]

Many machines (especially of Euro design) add bleach to the first rinse.

With my own FridGeMore front-loader (which does this) I have taken to adding cheap watery (not waxy) softener to the first rinse via the bleach dinspenser. This helps get rid of suds. Subsequent rinses remove the softener.

 

[MrX]

European machines generally don't have bleach dispensers. We don't generally use bleach at all. I don't think you can even buy chlorine-based laundry bleach here!! They only have oxygen based bleaches.

 

[toggleswitch]

Many American machines (especially of Euro design) add bleach to the first rinse.

Better? *LOL*

 

[liberator1509]

Euro machines and bleach

MRX is is correct in that most EU machines don't have bleach dispensers (expect AEG, which have a fourth slot for liquid additives like ACE or Vanish 'safe bleach'). The US versions of EU machines usually have modified dispensers to include bleach.

Powder detergents in the British Isles usually contain some form of bleach - most often an 'oxygen' bleach i.e. some form of hydrogen peroxide such as sodium perborate, so seperate liquid bleach is not commonly added to washing machines. Chlorine bleach is widely available - Parazone (what a brand name to conjure with) etc, but is associated with bathroom cleaning rather than laundry (though read the label on the back to find instructions for laundry usage). With the introduction of liquid detergents (which don't contain bleach in the UK at least) and the reduction of wash temperatures to warm (40c) and cool (30c), additives are now very common - so we have Ace and the astoundingly popular Vanish used to boost performance. Not sure if this a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul - we save the planet by lowering water levels and wash temperatures, but trade off by using more chemicals...hmm

Happily for the manfucaturers of such additives, this is a big money-spinner -Reckitt Benckiser's fabric care net revenues grew 8% in 2006 to £1,194m, largely due to the increased popularity of its Vanish Oxi Action Crystal White and Vanish Oxi Action Multi products in Europe....