There is great competition for liquid vs powder laundry detergent among those who use front loader washing machines.
But what front loader washing machine means and what are the differences between top loaders?
Although industrial front load washers are popular in the United States, household front load washers, also known as horizontal axis washers, are still a relatively recent addition to the consumer market here.
Front-load washing systems are a bit of a mystery since top load washers with a central agitator have serviced the U.S. for so long.
Can they wash clothing with minimal water, no agitator, and little to no detergent?
- The Operation of a Front-Load Washer
Certainly, top-loading and front-loading washers have certain characteristics.
The similarities stop there; both employ a motor, control system, drain pump, outside washtub, stainless steel inner drum, and rotational spinning to remove water from the clothing.
Front-load washers function by adding a tiny quantity of water to the inner tub's bottom and allowing gravity and the tub's movement to move the clothing through the water.
The rotational movement resembles the tumbling motion of a clothes dryer.
The interior drum's side paddles move the clothing in and out of the water by lifting it.
The mechanical action (scrubbing) required to remove dirt from a cloth is provided by this.
Front-load washers use a lot less water than a typical top loader since this sort of mechanical wash operation does not demand that the garments be submerged in water at all times.
Of course, using less detergent and one designed to generate less froth and bubbles can help you avoid over-sudsing and residue buildup in your clothing when using less water.
- Use of Water
Water use is reduced by front-load washers by roughly 50%.
For each full load, a typical top-loading washer needs roughly 26 gallons of water.
Only around 13 gallons are used by a full-size front-load washer.
That translates into hundreds of gallons of water saved annually for the typical home.
That also translates into less energy being used and lower operating costs.
No matter how many clothes are placed into the washer, front-load washers always fill to the same low water level throughout the wash cycle.
To keep the water level at the predetermined level, extra water is supplied if the load is greater and absorbs a lot of the wash water.
On most models, water is poured into the drum as the garments tumble, quickly soaking the clothes and reducing the amount of water that has to be added.
- Components
Compared to top load washers, front load washers have simpler internal parts.
The drum is often linked to the motor using a pulley wheel and belt.
Comparable to a top load washer, there are no gears or a clutch.
In order to retain the water and the clothing within the drum during the cycles, the machine incorporates a flexible bellows system (often made of rubber).
