Can all washers use high-efficiency detergent?

You may notice when you buy your energy-efficient washer that it recommends a high- efficiency (HE) detergent. This is a specially formulated cleaner that allows it to work with less water than a traditional detergent. HE detergents are manufactured to create fewer suds, so using a regular detergent in your HE washer can prevent the clothes from rinsing properly -- turning you into a sudsy mess the next time you're caught in the rain. What's worse, regular detergent can even trigger error codes on that high-tech machine of yours. And buildup from excess suds may lead to a visit from your local repairman. Take it from our personal experiences -- it's an expensive call to make.

Most top-loaders, as we all know, work by filling a water-tight basket full of water and twisting and turning your clothes until they're clean. They're generally less energy-efficient than the front loaders, but there are some HE models available that load at the top. In any case, using HE detergent in a top load washer is just fine. Even the non-HE models will work with the HE detergent. Since it's based on a low-suds formula though, you may not be thrilled with the level of fragrance. But since it's a more efficient concentrate that will save you some money, it's worth it to give the HE detergent a try in your regular washer. Just remember the law of the wash -- HE detergent is fine for both, but only HE detergents can used in the HE machines.