High Efficiency Explained

If you want to save water and energy every time you do your laundry, high efficiency machines
are a great solution.

Sunlight^® offers a powerful lineup of detergents for HE machines. They’ve been specially
designed to work in HE washers. Our low-sudsing formula works in the low water conditions of
your HE washer to get your clothes clean and fresh. Our HE detergents will not leave behind
unwanted suds on your clothes or in your washer.

Get the Most Out Of Your HE Washer
Follow these 10 tips for best results.

Running a full load of laundry each time is the most time and water efficient way to get the job done. Be sure, however, to adjust your washer load setting if you are doing smaller loads. This will ensure that your machine is conserving water.

With their efficient moisture extraction, High Efficiency Front Loading washing machines will allow you to use a clothesline or indoor drying line to air dry your laundry, helping you save energy and extend the life of your clothing.

It's good preventive maintenance to check the washer's water-fill hoses on a regular basis for any sign of wear or weakness. Over time, the water hoses that came with your washing machine may leak or burst causing extensive water damage.

Don't over fill as this may lead to dispensing your detergent too early in the wash cycle and don't mix powders and liquids in the same dispenser in the same load. This will lead to clumping and caking in the dispenser. Carefully read and follow the manufacturer's instructions for cleaning the product dispensers.

As your washer draws water from the hot water tank there is heat loss as it travels through the pipes leading to the machine. Putting your machine closer to the heater and insulating these pipes will reduce heat loss and lessen energy consumption.

Keeping your High Efficiency Front Loading washing machine working well is the only way to benefit from its efficiencies in the long term. Run occasional maintenance cycles to clean excess dirt, mould and bacteria that create unpleasant odours. (Check your use and care guide for instructions.) Regularly clean all surfaces with a damp cloth and some non-abrasive cleaner. Be sure to clean excess lint collected during the wash cycle.

Use small amounts of your Sunlight HE detergent to treat and remove stains from clothing before laundering to avoid the need for multiple washes.

Most High Efficiency Front Loading washing machines feature temperature controls. Make it a habit to wash and rinse clothing in cold water. For most clothing, cold washing and cold rinsing are just as effective as hot wash and warm rinse. Save the hot water settings for very dirty clothing, this will help you realize the greatest energy savings.

To get great results from your High Efficiency (HE) Front Loading washing machine, try Sunlight HE detergent. Your HE washer is designed for water and energy efficiency and can wash the same and often larger loads in much less water making regular detergents unsuitable. HE detergents dissolve easily and are formulated with more suds-suppressing agents that make them low foaming while they clean.

How HE Washers Really Work

HE (or High Efficiency) Front Loading washers are becoming more and more popular as people are looking for appliances that help conserve energy and help save them money.

Unlike traditional washers that use agitators, most HE Front Loading washers use a tumbler system - a considerable improvement. In conventional top-loaders, the washtub has to be almost completely full in order to keep the clothes submerged while the agitator twists them clean.

With front-loading HE Front Loading washers, however, the tub itself rotates and tumbles the clothes in the water. This method of washing allows clothes to be cleaned more thoroughly while using considerably less water.

How does this help save money? The majority (80-90%) of energy consumed by washers is due to water heating, so using less water increases energy efficiency, which in turn lowers your energy bill.

TOP LOADING HE WASHERS
Top loading HE machines appear and work like traditional washers. These machines however have a much shorter center post and use a gentle wash action to do the laundry using spinning, and rotating motions. These HE machines are much more efficient with water and energy than regular top-loaders and feature higher spin speeds that also reduce drying time.

FRONT LOADING HE WASHERS
Front Loading HE machines or front loaders use a tumble wash action to clean clothing. These machines are similar in appearance to traditional dryers and have a loading door that swings open at the front. In this model the entire tub rotates in a back and forth repetitive motion that mixes the detergent, water and clothing as it washes. Front Loading HE machines boast the same efficiencies as top loading HE machines.

What to Look For in an HE Washer
Tips to remember when choosing the right HE Washer for your home:

Choose a machine with the capacity that meets your household needs. You should know that every manufacturer has a different definition of high capacity. A washer with a suitable size will reduce the amount of loads you have to do making laundry more efficient.

Consider a washer with controls that are easy to read and use. Most feature knob and dial controls and some have easy-to-use push buttons.

Look for the Energy Star and EnerGuide labels when buying your new washer. These symbols mean the appliance uses less energy than conventional washers. Ask about special energy-efficient offers, cash rebates, and other incentive programs that may be available from local utility and governments in your area.

Look for washers that come with extras such as bleach, detergent and fabric softener-dispensers, a hand-wash cycle, and automatic temperature controls. Other extras may include sound reduction, sanitization features, delay start and a time remaining indicator.

Evaluate the function and features and select those that you will find most useful. Consider a machine with additional features that will allow you to save even more energy such as water level control and cold wash and rinse options.

High Efficiency (HE) Front Loading washing machines require leaning over to load and unload, if this is an issue you may want to consider top loading HE washers or stacking models.

Consider a machine with an automatic load sensor. This will be helpful in the long term by ensuring the machine adjusts the water level and cycle to the size and type of load you are washing.

Shopping around is still the best way to find the best deal on your new High Efficiency Front Loading washing machine. With a growing number of products on the market, getting a machine with the capacity and features you are looking for is easier than ever.

Consider the size of the washer. Measure the space where you plan to install your new appliance. Bear in mind what will work best in your space for easy laundry transfer from one machine to the other.

Choose a washing machine with faster spin speeds. This will improve water extraction and reducing drying time saving you laundry time and energy costs.

Look out for retailers that offer a great product warranty and after purchase servicing to keep your new washer working in top form.

The design of home appliance has come a long way. Today's High Efficiency Front Loading washing machines feature sleek, modern designs, and a full range of colours to complement your decor.

HE Questions & Answers

No. HE washers are also available in the more common top-load design. Like front-loaders, these washers offer better washing performance and capacity than conventional top-loaders, they also use less water and have higher spin speeds.

Yes. High Efficiency (HE) Front Loading washing machines are widely available at appliance retailers in Canada and the U.S. HE washers are also becoming more and more popular with consumers because of the money and energy they save.

Yes. Because they have either a shorter center agitator or none at all, High Efficiency (HE) Front Loading washing machines can accommodate significantly larger loads as well as bulkier loads than traditional agitator washers. Some can even wash rugs. It is always recommended to consult your HE washing machine's use and care guide for loading capacity instructions.

Yes. High Efficiency Front Loading washing machines feature wash and rinse cycles that are comparable to those of conventional agitator washers.

Yes. Even though High Efficiency (HE) Front Loading washing machines use much less water, they perform multiple rinse cycles that ensure your laundry is free of detergent. To get the best results from your new HE washer it is recommended you use right amount of HE detergent for each load.

High Efficiency (HE) Front Loading washing machines do require slightly more time to complete a wash cycle. The finished loads, however, have less moisture and that means less drying time. Overall the combined time to wash and dry is less with a HE Front Loading washing machine.

The upfront purchase price of a High Efficiency (HE) Front Loading washing machine is typically higher than that of traditional agitator machines. HE Front Loading washing machines, however, are far more efficient to operate resulting in considerable energy and water savings over the life span of the washer.

Yes. Sorting is recommended for High Efficiency Front Loading washing machines as with conventional washers. It is important to sort by color, fabric type, soil levels, etc.

Yes. Be sure to follow the instructions on the product package and adjust the detergent amount for specific load conditions. As an example, heavily soiled loads will require more detergent than smaller less soiled laundry loads.

Keeping your High Efficiency (HE) Front Loading washing machine working well is the only way to benefit from its efficiencies in the long term. Here are some specific things you can do to maintain it:
Use only HE detergent, like Sunlight HE^®, in your HE washer.
Run occasional ‘maintenance' (check your use and care guide) cycles to clean excess dirt, mould and bacteria that create unpleasant odours.
Regularly clean all surfaces with a damp cloth and some non-abrasive cleaner.
Clean excess lint collected during the wash cycle.
It is also good preventive maintenance to check the washer's water-fill hoses on a regular basis for any sign of wear or weakness. Over time, the water hoses that came with your washing machine may leak or burst causing extensive water damage.

Since High Efficiency Front Loading washing machines are considerably less costly to operate consumers can expect significant yearly savings in water, energy and detergent costs over the conventional machines.

No. Sunlight^® HE detergent is specially formulated to work with your High Efficiency Front Loading washing machine as a complete energy and water saving system. Using a lesser amount of regular detergent will not alleviate the problem of too many suds.

No. While High Efficiency (HE) Front Loading washing machines do use noticeably less water than conventional agitator washers, it still important to use the right amount of detergent. Use the recommended amount of Sunlight^® HE detergent based on your load size.
Remember the amount of detergent needed depends on the size and how dirty the laundry load is, not on the amount of water the machine uses.

Due to their energy-saving design, most High Efficiency Front Loading washing machines remove more water from your laundry load. The most energy-efficient way to dry your laundry is to set your dryer on the auto-dry setting that automatically shuts off when the laundry is dry. You may also consider air-drying some or all of your laundry for even further energy savings.

Most of the energy consumed by a washing machine is for heating water. High Efficiency (HE) Front Loading washing machines use considerably less water for each wash cycle and therefore require less energy to heat it.
HE Front Loading washing machines also have faster spin cycles than conventional top-loaders which draw more moisture from each load; this means less drying time and even more energy cost savings in the dryer.

High Efficiency (HE) Front Loading washing machines achieve great washing results while minimizing energy and water usage. HE detergents, like Sunlight^® HE detergent, are specially formulated with suds suppressing agents to ensure the best results at these lowered water levels.
Regular detergents can create too many suds that may not be completely rinsed out of the laundry and the washer itself. This can lead to residue build-up and unpleasant odours. These excess suds can also interfere with the washer's ability to do its job - namely cleaning dirt and stains from clothing. Excess suds may also cause the washer to add more water to the cycle resulting in reduced water and energy efficiency.