Key Questions and Answers

Are certain cycles better for specific detergent types (e.g., high-efficiency vs. traditional)?

High-efficiency ("HE") detergents work best with low-water, high-efficiency cycles, providing better cleaning and rinsing. Traditional detergents cause oversudsing and poor rinsing in HE machines, reducing efficiency.

How do I respond when a customer says their current washer “works fine” and they don’t need the extra cycles?

Premium cycles enhance cleaning, fabric care, and efficiency, cutting energy use by up to 40% and water by 50% (EPA). Most people only appreciate the benefits once they experience them.

What’s the difference between steam-enhanced cycles and standard hot water cycles?

Steam-enhanced cycles penetrate fabrics, loosen stains, and sanitize better than hot water alone by breaking down dirt and bacteria more effectively.

How do high-speed spin cycles impact drying time, and when should they be avoided?

High-speed spins cut drying time by up to 30% by extracting more moisture but should be avoided with delicate fabrics due to potential damage.

What’s the most effective way to position premium washing machines with advanced cycles against budget models?

Premium models offer better efficiency, fabric protection, and cleaning performance. Features like automatic dispensers boost detergent efficiency by 30% (Consumer Reports).

If a customer washes everything in cold water, how does that impact the effectiveness of their machine’s cycles?

Cold water is less effective on oils and heavy stains but works well with enzyme-based detergents. It also saves up to 90% of energy per load (Department of Energy).

Why do some machines have a drum cleaning cycle, and how important is it for maintenance?

Drum cleaning cycles prevent mold, bacteria, and detergent buildup. Monthly use is essential for front-load washers to maintain performance and avoid odors.

Do fabric softeners or pods work differently depending on the cycle used?

Fabric softeners work best during rinse cycles. Pods are most effective in heavy-duty cycles but may not dissolve well in cold washes.

How do I handle customers who think manual settings (e.g., adjusting temp and spin) are better than preset cycles?

Preset cycles optimize cleaning by adjusting temperature, spin, and duration for specific loads. Manual settings often result in poor cleaning and higher energy use.

Question of the Week

When a customer says, “Why would I pay more for all those cycles? Normal works just fine.”—how do YOU change their mind?

[Some of the responses below have been lightly edited for clarity.]

Elijah Harris: I let them know that the cycles are catered to the fabrics, and are designed to pull dirt and grime out of certain fabrics more effectively while also not being too rough on the materials being washed. This leads to longer lasting colors and fabrics; no need to replace clothes as often!

Dallas Patrick: That is a great question "why should I get these cycles?" is a common response from my customers. I really try to relate to the customer personal/family needs, and relay to them to the cycle that will address their needs. If they have teens/kids, have very small babies, if they have certain hobbies like woodwork,painting or gardening or like working on cars, baking, etc, so the types of activities that would generate dirty or stained clothes, or even if the customer has a job/careeres that would have certain laundry needs, like professional executives with office-type clothes, or construction/trade workers with heavier fabrics, etc. I quite like to make a small joke about how clumsy a certain family member is at dinnertime (it's usually me LOL) and this allows me to better relate to the customer. In this way, this then allows the customer to relax a bit and thus maybe feel more comfortable to share about certain events in their family where spills/stains/accidents have occurred on their fabrics or maybe had a family pet(s) do some "things" to their fabrics, and it can lead to me then share why a certain cycle like a Soak cycle, Extra Rinse, Steam cycle would help to alleviate these stains from their clothes. This then permits the customer themselves to maybe then realize that maybe yes, these certain cycles WOULD be handy for our family, and it almost allows the customer to then be more focused in on cycles that will actually help to address their family's laundry needs better, and NOT feel overwhelmed with the myriad of cycle choices on some machines:). Yes the customer will likely not use all the cycles offered by the machine(s) they select, but maybe it has 2 or 3 special cycles (besides normal cycle) that really make a difference in their family's laundry needs.

Eric Rosenow: Technology has improved the knowledge of how fabrics react to different wash cycles. It has shown that when the proper cycle is chosen it extends the life of the garment.

Chad Vaith: Price of Clothes and importance of preserving the fabric.

Anonymous user 1: Ask as many questions as possible to understand the majority of what they're washing now and then inform and explain the differences and benefit's of each cycle.

Anonymous user 2: I usually bring up examples of laundry types like grass and oil stains, sports equipment, blankets, towels, pets. Things that require more than normal setting.