How to properly load laundry into a washing machine

If you don't know how to properly load laundry into the washing machine, you can run into a lot of trouble. At best, the washing machine will stall at the very beginning of the cycle, and at worst, it won't finish the wash during the spin cycle and display an error message. This can happen if you load too few items into the drum, or, conversely, if you overload the machine. However, it's best not to experiment; instead, learn the proper loading procedures for your washing machine drum beforehand.

Getting things ready

Proper loading of laundry into the drum begins with storing, inspecting and sorting dirty items. Not everyone knows that soiled and stale clothes can only be stored in containers with ventilation holes, and that they should not get wet or be stored for long periods of time. If you ignore these rules, mold and odors will develop, and stubborn stains will be difficult to remove. However, don't just remove dirty items from the basket and throw them straight into the bin. It's important to remember the following steps.

Plan the conditions of the upcoming wash – temperature, spin force.
Divide your existing clothes into batches depending on the type of linen (synthetics, cotton, delicate fabrics).
Set white and light-colored items aside from colored and black ones.
Assess the degree of soiling of items, as heavily soiled items will require pre-washing.
Turn pillowcases, duvet covers, knitted and terry items inside out.
Collect hair and animal fur from things.

A mandatory step is checking pockets and folds. Sharp, hard, heavy, or small objects, such as keys or coins, falling into the drum or tub will cause mechanical damage, jamming of the spindle, or clogging of the drainage system. Therefore, zippers and buttons should always be fastened, and underwear, scarves, and children's socks should be placed in special mesh bags.

How much stuff should I load?

Once your laundry is sorted, you can begin loading it. But don't rush – it's important to remember the maximum dry laundry load for your specific model. It's listed on the machine body or in the technical data sheet.

It's important to understand that the 6 or 4 kg quoted applies to cotton items. Other types of fabric may be slightly heavier or bulkier. For example, a wool shawl will weigh more when wet than a cotton suit with a similar dry weight. The same applies to volume: 1 kg of organza or voile will take up more space than 1 kg of coarse work clothes.

The machine will detect overload or underload during spinning, and if the deviation from the norm is too great, it will stop working for safety reasons.

How many things can be loaded? Therefore, manufacturers recommend not to waste time and effort on constant weighing, but to focus on the fullness of the drum. The maximum load assumes a full tank without compaction, so it is enough to load the items into the machine, leaving a small space as a reserve. The exception is synthetic and woolen fabrics, which should occupy no more than ½ of the drum in the former case and 1/3 in the latter. Another option is to weigh the laundry and calculate 10 liters of water per kilogram.

Failure to monitor the weight of your load will have disastrous consequences. Overloading can lead to internal mechanical damage due to an overly heavy drum, while underloading will result in strong vibrations, microcracks, and imbalance. While many modern models offer a half-load option, most budget washing machines have a strict limit of at least 1-1.5 kg of dry laundry.

Let's calculate the loading rate

Let's reiterate that each washing machine has its own load capacity, and the maximum weight is always indicated in the accompanying documentation when purchasing the model in-store. The maximum capacity depends on the design, dimensions, and type of machine. Typical capacities for washing machines are as follows:

compact or portable (usually tabletop) – from 1.5 to 3 kg of dry items per cycle;
narrow machines with a depth of up to 80 cm – 3-6 kg of laundry;
Full-size ones with a depth of 85-90 cm are designed for washing 5 to 10 kg at a time.

The larger the capacity of the machine, the more expensive its maintenance.

Most often, customers choose "universal" capacity machines with a maximum load weight of 5-7 kg. This range allows for long-term storage of laundry and allows for quick cleaning of accumulated items in just a couple of cycles. Knowing the exact capacity of your machine allows you to roughly calculate the weight of the items ready for loading. A list of the average weights of popular fabric items can help:

three-piece bed linen set – 1.4 kg (sheet – 500 g, duvet cover – 700 g, pillowcase – no more than 200 g);
bath towel – 700-800 g;
waffle towel – about 150 g;
tablecloth 2*2 m – about 500 g;
men's shirt - 350 g;
women's blouse - 70-100 g;
children's T-shirt - 100 g;
socks 1 pair – 50-60 g;
jeans – 600-700 g;
handkerchief – about 20 g;
flannel blanket or plaid – over 1 kg.

With some simple mathematical calculations, you can divide the accumulated laundry into several washes that are safe in weight. If an error has been made, the machine will report the under/overload by freezing or suddenly stopping the program in the middle of the cycle. To correct the imbalance, turn off the machine, wait for the door to unlock, open the drum, and straighten out any lumps, removing some items or adding more if needed. Then, close the door tightly and restart the cycle from the beginning.

Before loading your laundry, consider its weight and the machine's capabilities. This will ensure the wash cycle finishes on time and without unnecessary hassle.