What Is HE Laundry Detergent

Walk down the laundry detergent aisle in any store, and almost every single bottle, box, and the bag has a little symbol on the label: the letters “h” and “e” separated by a red dot on a field of blue surrounded by a white circle swirl. The HE stands for high-efficiency laundry detergent.

Any laundry detergent or laundry product like stain removers, boosters, and fabric softeners with the HE symbol are formulated to be used in high-efficiency washing machines like front load washers as well as top load washers. High-efficiency washers use much less water than an older standard washer. The HE detergents are developed as low-sudsing and quick-dispersing cleaners for use in low water volume machines. The HE detergents are formulated to hold soil in suspension in that lower volume of water, so it is not re-deposited onto clean clothes.

Most Americans grew up using a standard washer that pulled nearly 40 gallons of water through a load of laundry during the wash and rinse cycles. The detergents that were used produced lots of bubbles because manufacturers thought that lots of suds meant the clothes were getting clean. Fortunately, the washer used enough water to rinse away all those suds. Even the newer standard top load washers use around 27 gallons of water to handle detergent/soil residue. However, high-efficiency washers use only 11 to 14 gallons of water.