The story, as I remember it, is that liquid detergent contains a wax that can ruin the drum. Powder does not contain this wax an is better for the machine.

Doesn't Consumer Reports rate the liquids as cleaning better?

In any case, I'm a powder person. I just don't like dealing with the goopy liquid. I did have an old Maytag FL that I ran for nine years that the bearings were going out. BUT, I never had a mold or smell problem. And I never ran cleaning cycles. Just wore out another machine.

The new Samsung (about 6 months old) I haven't had an issue with smells. I don't run cleaning cycles, but I do leave the door open. The old FL had a light, so it wasn't left open. But that machine went constantly.

I have also seen posts linking the liquid to tub residue. But possibly if you run sanitize cycles periodically you would not have that problem.

Maybe because mine is the starter set, but the manual that came with the units really doesn't say anything about periodic cleaning. The only thing was to clean out the little door filter in front.

I had a neptunr for 8 years before this an always used liquid but I ran it everyday maybe people have more mold issues if they only run once in awhile?

Mom1234, it could also be where you live and water temperatures. My Neptune wasn't an issue, but my neighbor went through two units before throwing in the towel and getting a Whirlpool. Her machines had computer board problems, pump problems, and the last one started leaking. But I don't think she had any mold issues. She has since added a utility room upstairs and now also has the LG's.

mine was perfect untill it suddenly dies after 8 years I never left a door open or anythign it was a great machine for me .

I read somewhere (probably here) that powder detergent is better for laundry with dirt, while liquid detergent is better for laundry with oil/grease. It also seems to me that hot (at least very warm) water would be needed to get out oil/grease.

Liquid detergent does seem to dissolve better in cold/cool wash temperatures, whereas powder detergent seems to require at least a warm water temp to dissolve completely.

I use both powder and liquid detergents (all HE formulas) in my Maytag Bravos TL HE washer, and I haven't had any problems at all. No odors, no mold, no mildew, nothing.

I do use warm (sometimes hot, depending on what I'm washing) water when I use powder detergent.

I also mix vinegar half-and-half with fabric softener, as fabric softener has also been identified as a culprit in causing odors/mold/etc. in FL's.

I only use vinegar in the final rinse when I wash towels and wash/dishcloths, as FS leaves a film on them which greatly reduces their absorbency. I did the same when I washed cloth diapers, years ago.

Hope this helps.

This is all confusing to me. I just learned on the Cleaning Tips Forum that to keep you shower/bath free of scum, use only liquid bath soap. Therefore, I figured the same would be true of washing machines and the clothes that are in it. Why wouldn't powdered detergents leave more of a scum in the machine and on the clothes? I'm not getting something here.

Bar bath soaps are *very* different from powdered laundry detergent. Bath soap bars are made with (mostly animal) fats that combine with minerals from the water to make that icky soap scum. (AFAIK no one in the US sells animal fat-based soaps for laundry anymore.)

"Castille" (olive and coconut oil-based) bath soap bars don't make the heavy soap scum that tallow-based soap bars do. I like castille bath soap best.

Wow. cryptandrus, that is exactly what I wanted to know. Thank you very much.

I think the softness or hardness of water must have something to do with soap scum in showers. My family members use both liquid and bar soap, and we don't have soap scum in our shower stalls. Our water is medium -- not soft nor hard.

We have VERY hard water in our town. At our old house where we didn't have a water softener, we had to change the heating elements in our hot water heater every 6 months. Went thru 3 motors in the dishwasher in 9 years. Dove was the only soap we could use (unless we could find "Vel" - very rare) every other soap just crudded up, no lather at all. Bathroom/kitchen fixtures got a white calcium buildup that was difficult to get off. Had to use TONS of Tide or whatever detergent. We built this house 11 years ago and put in a water softener. WORLDS of difference. We only have to use about 1/4 the amt of soap/detergent recommended. Fixtures still look like new, shower doors stay clean/clear. Have had the same dishwasher - no repairs! for 11 years!! No repairs to the hot water heater either. That is the difference between hard and soft water. It has EVERYTHING to do with soap scum in the showers.