# Washing machine Heavy Duty cycle -- why not always use? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 4, 2020, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machine-heavy-duty-cycle-why-not-always-use/927169 "2020-12-04T03:17:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machine-heavy-duty-cycle-why-not-always-use/927169/21 "2020-12-07T20:24:42Z")
Even the most ethical detergent makers like to sell more product, so the suggested amount on the package is more than you need to get your clothes clean. Back it down to 1/4 as much per load, and see if you’re still getting stuff clean. If so, cut it back even more. You can save some money. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machine-heavy-duty-cycle-why-not-always-use/927169/22 "2020-12-07T21:08:09Z")
The same applies to lots more than laundry soap. I use about 1/10th as much toothpaste as the luxurious two-and-a-half brush lengths the TV ad lovingly sculpts onto the brush like a fine pastry chef topping off a towering wedding cake with a flourish. ---
**Author:** ![jjakucyk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3d9bf3/32.png) [@jjakucyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjakucyk)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machine-heavy-duty-cycle-why-not-always-use/927169/23 "2020-12-07T23:12:26Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > I use about 1/10th as much toothpaste as the luxurious two-and-a-half brush lengths the TV ad lovingly sculpts onto the brush like a fine pastry chef topping off a towering wedding cake with a flourish. Best thing I’ve read all day. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2020, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machine-heavy-duty-cycle-why-not-always-use/927169/24 "2020-12-10T14:31:19Z")
One other downside I haven’t seen anyone mention; at least with my machine it takes longer. Much longer. A regular cycle might be 45 minutes while heavy duty takes a few hours. I don’t want to wait that long to get a load done if I can help it. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2020, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machine-heavy-duty-cycle-why-not-always-use/927169/25 "2020-12-11T16:44:40Z")
I wonder which country you’re in and what sort of machine you have? IME in a traditional USA agitator machine, the heavy duty cycle might be 30-50% longer, but it isn’t going to be vastly longer. On my current modern HE frontloader the heavy duty cycle is a little over 2 hours, while the generic permanent press “ordinary clothes” cycle is a hair over 1 hour. My limited experience with the mini units common in Asia is that cycles are very long. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@Earl\_Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Grey)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2020, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machine-heavy-duty-cycle-why-not-always-use/927169/26 "2020-12-12T07:16:26Z")
If you look at the actual directions, the directions in the drug facts for a tube of toothpaste, it directs to use a pea-sized amount. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2020, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machine-heavy-duty-cycle-why-not-always-use/927169/27 "2020-12-12T17:35:27Z")
Speaking of encouraging overuse, I have read that the three most profitable words in the history of packaging are, “Lather, rinse, repeat.” Short of losing a tug-of-war, nobody ever needs to wash the hair twice. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2020, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machine-heavy-duty-cycle-why-not-always-use/927169/28 "2020-12-13T18:23:15Z")
That’s not true. Perhaps no one needs to wash their hair twice routinely, but as a greasy person by nature, I will tell you that if it’s been 2 days since I washed my hair, one wash will leave it still oily. Now, you can argue back that a little oily doesn’t smell and isn’t really unhygienic, but I like the way it looks better when it’s washed clean clean. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-machine-heavy-duty-cycle-why-not-always-use/927169.md?page=1)