r/laundry • u/CPTAC3 • 5h ago

Looking for top loader best practices

This sub has fully converted me to most of the methods preached here. Now using F&G tide odor refresh liquid, febu, and citric acid in the fabric softener dispenser and loving the results. Problem is, that recipe worked flawlessly in my parents lg front loader, but isn’t performing the same in our brand new ge top loader at our new house. This machine is brand new, literally delivered two days ago so I’m not dealing with scrud or any former tenants’ bad habits. Even still, the results are not the same. It seems to be oversudsing and having a hard time rinsing the detergent even if I only fill to line 1 for a medium size load. I’m not noticing any of the nice effects from the febu or citric acid either, our clothes used to smell perfectly like nothing, just CLEAN, but now seem different idk.
This is my first time using a top loader with agitator ever so hoping the experts here can point me in the right direction and bring back the joy I felt when I first converted to all the methods suggested here!!! TIA.

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1

u/jtfolden US | Top-Load 5h ago

What model do you have?

1

u/CPTAC3 5h ago

GE Model #: GTW325ASWWW

1

u/jtfolden US | Top-Load 4h ago

Are you using precise fill or are you manually setting the water level? Keep in mind that this top loader uses more water and is less efficient at cleaning than the front loader. So you will have to use more detergent than you were in the LG.

1

u/CPTAC3 4h ago

Manually setting the water level not precise fill. Weird, when I used more detergent it left detergent white streaks on my clothes 😭

1

u/jtfolden US | Top-Load 4h ago

I can’t imagine the Tide is leaving white streaks. I’d come more thinking that’s citric acid or Febu if it isn’t being washed out properly. How much of each were you using in the LG?

1

u/CPTAC3 4h ago

One scoop febu and one teaspoon citric acid in fabric softener dispenser in the front loader.
Same in the top loader but it’s just not working the same 😭

1

u/jtfolden US | Top-Load 4h ago

You say your clothes seem different after washing now. Different how? Do they not smell clean?

1

u/CPTAC3 4h ago

They don’t smell as clean or have the wonderful soft feel from the citric acid after drying. I was able to stop using dryer sheets bc it seemed the citric acid worked so well, now all clothes feel rough and less clean overall.
I am new to using the fabric softener spot in the middle of agitator so I’m not sure what the right ratio of citric acid to water is for that?

1

u/jtfolden US | Top-Load 3h ago

Try using 1-2 tablespoons citric acid in the rinse.

You might be able to google and get your water hardness in ppm too.

1

u/KornInc 5h ago

Fill less and go from there.

1

u/CPTAC3 5h ago

Less detergent or less clothes?

2

u/Millie005 Australia 🇦🇺/ New Zealand 🇳🇿 - Front Load 4h ago

Check your water hardness at the new place compared to your parents. You might need less detergent if the water is softer where you are now.

1

u/CPTAC3 4h ago

The water is very hard, probably more so than at my parents although I didn’t test theirs. So I thought more detergent would make sense but there were so many bubbles and foam when I filled to line 2.