Need more information.

How much laundry are you putting into each load? What does a typical load consist of? What cycles are you using? What temp are you using to wash your clothes? How much Detergent are you using for each load? When was the last time you ran the Cleaning cycle? If you used Liquid Tide with Bleach and Era--both being non HE, then you would have probably had to have reduced the amount so greatly to control the suds that the loads would not be coming clean as liquids are higher sudsing than powders.

Laundryman: I am not using large loads: the most recent load was 1 pr. jeans, 1 shirt, 1 lightweight cotton sweater, 1 tee shirt, 3 pr. men's jockeys, 2 pr. socks and 2 handkerchiefs, 1 pr P.Js. This was probably 1 pr pants lighter than normal load. I use the normal/casual cycle using hot/cold for whites and warm/cold for darks. Occasionally I use the sanitary cycle for towels and sheets, but I really watch the load size. I fill the detergent receptacle until the level reaches 1/2 way up to the max fill line for liquid detergent. I fill the fabric softner to about 2/3 to the max level and add some water to reach the max. I have no idea what the "cleaning cycle" is, so I guess that means I probably haven't done it, unless it is the same thing as using the sanitary cycle, which I use about 1 time a week, maybe 2. I don't notice suds when I look through the window. The clothes don't have excessive soiling or grease. I appreciate your response, and hope you have some ideas. In the meantime I will find my manual and see about the "cleaning cycle" you referred to.. I am willing to change detergents and fabric softners...whatever it takes. I'm hoping it doesn't take a new washer....when we bought this one I had such high expections/hopes that it would be "the one!" Also, as I said, we do have a water softner. We live in an area that has good water.

To get the "cleaning cycle", select "drain/spin". Set the spin speed option to "no Spin" then ( and you will hear beeps when you start pushing it so don't be alarmed) Push prewash 4 times. The cleanlng cycle will begin. As far as your detergent. I would suggest, you buy and HE detergent and start with the reccommended amount and adjust from there, either up or down depending on your water conditions and the soil of your clothes. What you might consider not very soiled might be heavily soiled to me or someone else. Once you have this amount figured out then you can consider moving to a Non HE detergent. I personally have an HE3 (no T) and I do switch back and forth from HE detergents to regular detergents, put you have to know what your doing and the soil level of our clothes and water conditions. Others will tell you this is bad, but after 3yrs and changing water conditions, I think I have it down pretty well.

You may also want to consider using a good powder detergent instead of using only liquids. I go back and forth between liquids and powders, but I tend to use powders more often. Detergent powders I've found acceptable include Tide HE, Tide w/ Bleach powder, Gain w/Bleach powder and Sears Ultra Plus HE. I find myself using many of the good European imports as well, but they can end up being quite expensive. Good Amercian liquid detergents include Tide HE Liquid, Cheer HE liquid and Gain HE liquid. In fact, I've heard through the grapevine that Gain HE rated pretty well with Consumer Reports last time. Wisk HE also does a good job for me.

I have found some other non-HE detergents to work quite well, but you do have to be careful, and I always tend to use additional additives such as STPP and/or Oxygen Bleach when using non-HE detergents. Also in my experience, I've found that non-HE liquids do not work very well for me, as they suds up too much, thus preventing the wash action and providing less than stellar results.

Tex

Do the clothes seem "not clean" or do they just not have that "laundry smell". Someone mentioned in another thread a couple of days ago that his FL does such a good job of rinsing out detergent that he thinks that's why they smell "plain", even though they're actually very clean.

So many good suggestions; I'm very appreciative. A cleaning cycle is running right now. The manual made no mention of this...we have some genius minds here! The clothes seem to have a light-colored residue/film on them and they smell stale and look dull. The whites are dingy. The towels are never fluffy, and I usually wash about 6 bath-sized towels and washclothes/load. The cottons knits don't feel soft. The clothes that go into the washer don't actually look soiled when they go through cycle...just worn that day, then in they go. Occasionally we have true muddy paw prints on a throw rug in front of our dog door, but it gets washed by itself with bleach. I was thinking of soaking a washed article in water to see what settles out. Where should I start first? Should I first try some HE powdered detergent and just skip the fabric softner to eliminate the variables? I'm wondering if I have been using too much fabric softner. I just recently cut it back in desperation. Maybe the film is from that. You'd think if that were the case the clothes would, at least, be soft.

Tide HE
Gain HE
Cheer HE
Wisk HE
All HE
Purex HE
Arm Hammer HE
Sears HE
Quixtar/Amway HE

clc08:

So, was just wondering how things are going. any improvement??--just wanted to know

Sears HE Laundry Detergent is on sale, currently, 12/21/2006. I picked up a huge bucket of it for $19.99 in paint department.

We use 2 scoops per load in our front-loader. Laundry seems to be plenty fresh.

Sometimes, we add bleach and run it through a Sanitary cycle. This seems to help.

Good luck and Happy Holidays

Blue

I know that my front loader collects water in the round seal by the door. They recommend that you not shut the door in order to let that water dry out. Sometimes I will take a paper towel and dry most of that pooled water. There was a point that I noticed a slight mildewy smell in the wash from that pooled up area.