<p>Scent free stuff, too many people coming & going from the house, just easier, one of my D’s can’t walk down the soap aisle in the grocery store, allergies. Typically generic one for 2X for that washing machine I don’t like. (Fisher Paykel).</p>
<p>Kirkland Signature (Costco) HE ULTRA free and clear. Love the stuff, works great, no perfume smell and less expensive than TIDE.</p>
<p>Toledo…look at the various brands/bottles…nearly every brand now has an HE type. some can be used in both…just look for the little he icon on the bottle/box.</p>
<p>*Started using oxy-clean spray stain remover a few years ago, pretreating my clothes and then putting them in the washer. *</p>
<p>I like Oxyclean for certain stains…like wine, ketchup, blood, etc. I also really like the new Spray n Wash with Resolve power (green bottle).</p>
<p>I’m an All Free & Clear fan. Tried Tide when D & S were small, but S got a rash so I switched. Can’t stand scented detergents and NEVER use a fabric softener. BUT, what’s really jumping out at me on this thread is the talk about HE detergents? What is that and do I need it for a front loader? We’re moving to a new place in the very near future and it has a front loader. It never occurred to me that I’d need a different detergent.</p>
<p>I love the smell of Oxydol but it’s harder than heck to find. I have a normal extra large size top loader and bought HE detergent by mistake once and it didn’t clean very well. I use Brite White with the white t-shirts and general whites and my oldest called me from college because he wanted to know how I got the t-shirts so white…his were getting that dingy look – Brite White seems to work better than the Oxy clean products.</p>
<p>CBBB-I thought all front loaders required HE detergent, but I could be wrong. You should probably look up the model/mfg. and check its requirements for the new machine.</p>
<p>We have had our LG now for almost a year. We are really amazed at how much cleaner the clothes are and the incredibly tiny amount of soap it uses–2 T for a normal load. What’s also amazing is it does this with a tinsy amount of water. That would be a real plus for people paying for water and sewer (we have well and septic).</p>
<p>Check the specific model but I believe all front loading models use HE. It’s designed to work with less water.</p>
<p>What is HE? Is there a SHE (for female laundry?) :)</p>
<p>We use the cheapest available soap powder – Arm & Hammer perfume-free – works great. </p>
<p>I’m wondering – skin irritation – maybe it’s also because of fabric softener sheets? </p>
<p>H’s complaint is that so many detergents in our area are only available in liquid form (so you’re paying for water). We go out of our way to stock up on powder.</p>
<p>^ 
lol HE = High Efficiency</p>
<p>I use Kirkland brand (Costco) or Tide depending on what’s on sale. We have an HE machine but it’s on its way out and I don’t know that I’ll get another one. I sometimes have to wash loads three times.</p>
<p>HE Washers remind me of the early lo-flow toilets. Good in theory, but not to good in functioning.</p>
<p>Another vote for All Free and Clear. I try to use “for sensitive skin” soaps and detergents when possible. All Free and Clear is a HE detergent, but I can also use it in a normal dryer. Sadly, it doesn’t work as well on white clothing/towels.</p>
<p>Funny that when we were married, H always insisted on tide. After a while, the kids started complaining about the scent, so I switched to unscented ALL & no one has any issues any more. Problem solved! H even came to admit that Tide DID have a pretty strong scent & it set many of us off! ;)</p>
<p>Thank you, HImom, you came the closest to addressing my point, that is, that Tide imparts a malodorous something to the clothes.</p>
<p>Other posters have gone on and on about sensitive skin reactions and all manner of unrelated subjects to my main point. Why, I ask myself, can’t a simple question elicit an apposite answer? Why is it that posters feel this question gives them free rein to gollywobble all over the topic at hand? Frankly, I am suprised that the subject didn’t launch one or more totally irrelevant detours, like how ‘we met and romanced at the laudromat’, or ‘the damaging psychological implications of exporting only our worst laundry soaps to third-world countries’. </p>
<p>I must conclude that the insight I have gained from this charade speaks volumes about our human nature…the particulars of which need not be enumerated. </p>
<p>I’ll step off my soapbox now and leave the continuation of this…er… soap opera for others to take up. I’ve washed my hands of it!</p>
<p>leanid, to answer your original post…YES! I thought it was just me. I have used Tide for years but in the last few months it seems as if they have reformulated the detergent as the scent is very, very strong. I have wondered if this was the result P & G switching to the concentrated formula. I recently bought the Tide (I think it is scent free) in the white bottle. Very different coming out of the bottle as the liquid was very thin. Not sure I liked it though. I also have some Cheer which I don’t mind, but it can be very difficult to find. Tide certainly owns the market here as far as detergent goes. I used to really like Tide; it cleaned well and the scent was very subtle. I may try the Kirkland brand and see how I like that, or try and find All, as you suggested and see if that isn’t offensive to my sense of smell!!!</p>
<p>Okay, I got the Tide HE with bleach. I have a load of whites in now. I’ll report back later with the results (I know everyone will be waiting anxiously!! 
).</p>
<p>We have had our LG now for almost a year. We are really amazed at how much cleaner the clothes are and the incredibly tiny amount of soap it uses–2 T for a normal load. What’s also amazing is it does this with a tinsy amount of water. That would be a real plus for people paying for water and sewer (we have well and septic)</p>
<p>I agree…I have the LG Steamwasher and LOVE it, LOVE it. For a very unusually dirty situation you can use the steam feature, do a pre-wash cycle, do a stain cycle (adds extra time), etc…you even have the option of using more water if you think that is needed. </p>
<p>I love the Allergiene cycle to wash pet bedding, our linens, etc.</p>
<p>*BUT, what’s really jumping out at me on this thread is the talk about HE detergents? What is that and do I need it for a front loader? *</p>
<p>Yes…front loaders use less water, so they need a lower-sudsing formula. However, many brands today have a version or two…look for the HE icon on a box/bottle.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.tide.com/en-US/product/tide-he.jspx?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=he%2Bdetergent&utm_campaign=P&G_Tide_Search_Brand+Category_HE_01.2010[/url]”>http://www.tide.com/en-US/product/tide-he.jspx?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=he%2Bdetergent&utm_campaign=P&G_Tide_Search_Brand+Category_HE_01.2010</a></p>
<p>see the little HE icon on the bottle…you’ll see a similar icon on detergent that can be used in HE washers.</p>
<p>I really like Tide HE and have used it for years in my HE top loader (Maytag Bravos). My kids used to have very sensitive skin as youngsters and it seemed like I had to use dreft and double rinse the clothes for many years longer than I should have but now that everyone is “grown” we have no issues with Tide HE. I love the scent (it smells clean to me). I cannot use fabric softener dryer sheets though, they severly irritate my kid’s skin. Downey in the wash however, is no problem.</p>
<p>I also have a Maytag front-loader. At the moment using Purex After the Rain HE which works fine but just bought Tide Pure & Gentle HE in the white container on sale. Before getting this machine, I alway used the Arm & Hammer non-liquid and thought it did a great job.</p>
<p>I think the funky smell from my HE machine comes from leaving the washed clothes in the machine too long. With my old top loader, I could throw a load in, go to work and unload when I got home 7 hours later. I can’t do that with the HE front loader. And when I do unload, I have to leave the door open for awhile to get rid of the condensation on the door.</p>