Miele 3164 and suds on the final rinse.

Hi. I probably know the answer but here goes. Miele W3164 111 edition, replacing a 15 year old Bosch. Normal cotton load of washing (say a full whack of towels), 60deg C selected, not the shorter pre programmed wash. Recommended amount of non bio powder (Fairy) quantity as instructed by machine and powder maker (soft water area) and I set off the over foam alarm (F63, loads of foam). Many rinses to get rid of the suds. 40degC I have to cut back as well. The pre programmed washes are a mare to gauge, but I usually avoid them and never bothered on the old machine. 60 or 40 or wool. No conditioners used but the other half like to use “ Vanish”oxysommit or another on occasion, I do not.

Trial and error I am now down to 15ml or less of powder to avoid over foam and a clear rinse at the end with no suds on the spin (depending on load but really 7-10ml is a reality). I have found the user programable function to increase the “water plus” and use that.

Email questions to Miele customer help resulted in them sending an engineer (they insisted), who enabled the soft water function and verified the machine was OK in itself but I am unable to find out what that soft water software switch actually does though the times have increased (I think) so assume it is more rinses or longer rinses? It is a few months old so still in warranty.

A liquid tab seems to give a better response but no good on a reduced load though one test and I had a slimy mess in a sleeve, yuck. This liquid tab was part of the trail and error as was trying another powder brand, Persil non bio. This other powder brand recommended a lower typical dose for soft water but no real improvement even with the powder reduce in comparison.

Upshot is, as my old machine would use 80ml of non bio (depending on load but on a full, then 80ml). This new Miele uses a heck of a lot lot less, even a heaped table spoon will result in too much soap at the end, trial and error for the sweet spot. If that is the way of things then I am happy as I will be using an obscenely low amount powder and saving loads and the wash appears to be clean, makeup stains removed OK.

What I am not sure of is this low amount of powder if it is the norm for soft water and this machine or should I be expecting more in the rinse department? In the 15 years since I last bought a machine, are they now all like this?

I should add that I do not have a calibrated scoop and I am trying measuring scoops for cakes etc to keep constant. Or rather once I realise the big scoop was getting difficult for the small amounts, I shifted to a smaller scoop with a 15, 10, and a 5 etc

Another observation is initially there will not be much indication of suds in the water yet it appears later in the wash before the first rinse, this is on the much reduced quantity. This machine has become the new TV.