Getting Better Cleaning Results Three forms of energy are necessary to remove and suspend soils from fabric in an automatic washer: mechanical, chemical and thermal. Mechanical energy is supplied by the washer's wash action; chemical by detergent, bleach and other additives; and thermal by warm or hot water. To improve results when using bleach, know which type of bleach it is. Do not mix chlorine and all-fabric bleach products. When these two types are mixed they cancel each other out and neither works effectively.