Overloading A Washing Machine

[Double Edge]

Hey guys

With reference to the article with the aforementioned title.

to avoid overloading…

you should leave an approximate 10cm gap between the top of the laundry to the top of the door opening for the drum, or a handwidth as a rough guide to ensure that your clothes actually get washed and not just wet and refreshed.

Very clearly states hand width between top of the door opening and top of the laundry. Also includes an image to be extra clear

This works out to just under 60{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} drum occupancy or little over 40{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} dead space.

Can anyone tell me the basis of this recommendation ?

In other places (Ariel) the advice i see is..

don’t overload the machine with too much washing – leave a hands width gap between the wash load and the top of the drum

This works out to about 80{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} occupancy and 20{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} dead space.

Thanks

[Martin]

Overloading A Washing Machine

The wash load needs that “dead space” as you put it in order the load freely moves around and against the drum paddles. Jam the drum 100{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} and the clothes don’t move and no wash action takes place.

Overloading = clothes not washed. 🙁

[Double Edge]

Re: Overloading A Washing Machine

100{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} is ruled out, my question is why is a just under 60{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} load recommended ?

60{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d}load vs 80{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d}load (by volume).

Would 80{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} load be considered overloading as well.

[kwatt]

Re: Overloading A Washing Machine

Percentages are meaningless. I suspect that you may be clutching at straws there.

Freedom of movement is paramount to wash results and to prevent problems beyond that such as destroying the belt, leaking, taking the motor out, stressing the bearings and so on and, every drum/tub will be different.

In any recommendation we’d always err on the side of caution but, in equal measure, we need to give advice that stands across as many machines as possible and be easily understandable to most people.

We assume that people will apply common sense beyond that.

K.

[Double Edge]

Re: Overloading A Washing Machine

Thx Ken, so better washing performance and reduced wear & tear on the machine as well as the clothes are the basis. Prudent, as clothes absorb water at various rates so a lighter starting load is safer long term. This has a direct bearing on what size washer to go for, people want cheap as they can get which means smaller and inevitably end up overloading more often.

As for percentages if one does the math, hands width from the top of the drum works out to 80{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} full and hands width from the top of the door opening is little less than 60{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} full. Visualizing in terms of volume rather than weight is easier. Ariel needs to revise their recommendation for better washing results 😀

If i may, a couple of follow up questions..

– As Ariel makes their dosing recommendation on a full load of 80{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} full and we are using 60{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d}, does it mean one can deduct 25{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} detergent from Ariel’s recommendation for a full normal load and so on for lighter loads. Normal meaning light to medium soiled with soft water. Clothes are a mix of cotton & mixes. No delicates.

– the synthetic prgrams of washers state half load. Does your recommendation of a hands width already mean we are close to the washer makers recommendation or do we need to halve again, meaning 30{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} full instead of 50{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d}.

Thanks

[kwatt]

Re: Overloading A Washing Machine

Not quite.

People often overload large capacity machines as well and even the best can be negatively affected by both overloading and overdosing. It is not at all uncommon for this to be the cause of many day to day issues people have.

You may find it easier to visualise the way that you are doing but since you can’t easily see most of the drum and many people struggle with percentages, for a lot of people it’s just easier to use the hand-width method.

All makers of detergent have one agenda, to sell more.

That can be done through either dose instruction or add ons but, they’re hardly about to tell anybody to use less of what they sell and, in any event, they will err on the side of caution. Therefore you need to treat the instructions as a guide, not as rules cast in tablets of stone.

There are also two other factors to consider besides load size, water hardness and soil level.

Again, with synthetic and delicates half what a normal load is what is recommended as the clothing is more delicate, more susceptible to mechanical damage from the washing action and therefore needs more space so that there’s less danger of that. Also the detergent dose can alter or change completely as, for delicates, you cannot use normal detergent in many cases but that’s on the care label or, should be.

K.

[Martin]

Re: Overloading A Washing Machine

Double Edge wrote:– the synthetic prgrams of washers state half load. Does your recommendation of a hands width already mean we are close to the washer makers recommendation or do we need to halve again, meaning 30{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} full instead of 50{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d}.

At last you have made reference to the washing machine manufacturers “recommendation”. The manufacturers user instruction booklet/leaflet is the best and most complete way of answering your loading issues. With very little exception within their washing guide they itemise fabrics in relation to wash cycle setting. They also give a rough indication on the dry weight of clothes ( i.e Bath Towel 150-250g Tablecloth 400-500g Sheet 400-500g etc) They point out clearly that weight in relation to fabric type is an all important factor.

Try sorting your washing according to fabric and try to establish its weight, then select the appropriate wash programme based on that. Finally, do bear in mind the hands width above the washing tip all the while…..Happy washdays! 😀

[Author]

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