How Does a Front-Loading Washer Work?

The Basics

• While a front loader is different in several features from top loading washers, the basics are still the same. A front loading washer consists of a drum that spins clothes with the help of an agitator. This setup is surrounded by a metal casing and controlled by a timer that cycles through the various portions of the wash, a regulator that stops the inflow of water and thermostat that regulates the temperature.

The Door

• On top loading washers, the door sits above the action, which allows you to drop in a forgotten sock or fabric softener while the wash is in progress. Front loading washers feature doors that form a sealing wall at the front of the drum and hold in water, clothing and suds during a wash. For adequate sealing, the door in a front loader features a rubbery gasket that forms a water tight barrier.

The Water

• Another difference between front loading washers and top loading washers is the amount of water used. Front loaders need only use enough water to fill the bottom half of the drum. Because the drum is horizontal, all clothes spend time on the bottom of the drum as they tumble. Top loaders, conversely, require enough water to fill the entire drum.

The Spin

• The clothes in a washer all require drying after the end of the cycle, but how much drying depends on the rate of spin the clothes are subjected to during the spin cycle of the wash. Top loading washers feature agitators that spin an average of 650 rpm. This pales in comparison to front loaders which can spin up to 1,000 rpm.

The Detergent

• Perhaps most important to the new purchaser, front loading washers require a high efficiency detergent, rather than the normal detergents used in top loading washers. Because less water is used in a front load washer, normal detergent is often too powerful, creating too many suds for the washer to rinse off during the rinse cycle. The high efficiency detergent creates fewer suds and washes away completely at the end of a wash.