POWDER!! The liquid detetgent made my top loader stink. The powder also goes farther.

I recall reading some long while ago, perhaps in a Consumer Reports review, that powdered detergents are better for "dirt"-type soils and liquids work better on "oil/grease"-type stains. Since it was a while ago, that may no longer be the case.

The general consensus is that powders are less likely to cause 'scum'/residue build-up in the machine. Personally, I can't say, as I've not ever used liquid for a long enough stretch of time to confirm if build-up would occur. My preference is powder, but HE powders are becoming harder to find and liquids more common.

Keep in mind that liquid detergent does also have to dissolve in the wash washer. The trend toward colder washing is also increasing the prevalence of grungy washers. Make it a habit to run a hot wash regularly, every couple weeks or so, which will help keep the machine clean.

The industry still says that powder is better for dirt, and liquid is better for oil and grease. See the link below.

I was just looking at a breathable rain jacket, the "technical" kind used for hiking. The care label specifies powdered detergent only. It seems that liquids leave a water-attracting residue, which may degrade the jacket's performance.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://cleaning101.com/laundry/LaundryFSRev.5-10-25-05.pdf

Any difference? One's wet, one's dry. Try different ones and see which you prefer. If you've been using a particular detergent and it's compatible with your new machine, go ahead and use it. One less variable. There's a lot of hype out there about detergents. See which works best for you. Does it REALLY matter if it's powder or liquid? Or does it matter which works best for you? There's a lot of variables on laundry including detergents, temperatures, water hardness, and more. So when someone screams only use _____, take it with a grain of salt. There's nothing wrong with trying different detergents.

Nobody mentioned this yet, but be sure to use a low-sudsing detergent. And some are going to scream HE too. If your current detergent doesn't suds up too much it'll probably work fine for you. Otherwise your current one might have an HE or HE compatible version available too.

I would suggest you start with minimal detergent in case you weren't rinsing well in the other machine. Overdosing, (which can be done in top loaders or front loaders and with HE as well as HE compatible or non-HE detergents) can cause you some extra sudsing for a while. If you have any suspicion, maybe try a rinse cycle first to check for detergent residue.

Good luck with your new machine and happy laundering. And, uh, don't hesitate to tell us what you got!

If you use regular non H.E brand you avoid the warrany and this has been mention several times you will have to pay out of pocket for damages made to your laundry machine with your cash however that there H.E brands to elevated suds and form low suds instead of over soaping it with double or triple the amount.

a lot of members know how to make laundry detergent that they measure with scooper to save money but can make homemade liquid and use powder and combine the two and you get brightner whites and colors but just need a little bit of detergent

I have a LG and mine says that HE is preferred but doesn't say that you need to use it.