Wash habits: how full is your full load?

[dj-gabriele]

In the past months there was some debate regarding the load capacity of American vs European machines, especially centered in the difference of drum volume vs. weight of clothes that could be processed in one batch.

So I thought, why not posting some photos to get the idea of what a "full standard load" (for each of us) is? And then again, after having washed and dried it, weight it and see if it corresponds to the stated capacity of the machine (if you have a weight, other than volume, indication).

In my machine, rated at 5 kg, this is what constitutes a "normal" load of cottons.

The first photo is with the drum paused

 

[dj-gabriele]

This photo is while the tub is turning.

As you can see there is no water nor suds visible even if the machine is well on with the washing cycle.
It's running cotton 40°C with AVA tablets detergent from Reckitt&Benkiser after the kitchen rags had a prewash and rinse alone with some bleach (yup, chlorine based, as I ran out of conventional one and they were badly stained)

 

[roscoe62]

When I first looked at this it appeared to be over load, but I can see there is room at the top of the door.Practice, as I have been told ,is that if you can put your hands in above the load before you start the cycle the machine has a full load, that is extend your arms to the back of the drum.
Now others have said unless there is an angle on the load as it pauses while washing, and I don't see one there, it is too full.If your clothes is coming clean, your not doing anything wrong.My cousin has a GE profile, she washes 16 pairs of jeans in hers, I asked her who cleaned up the mess after it blew up,apparently nobody it handled it and very well.How long her machine will last loading like that is another story.

 

[mrb627]

Horizontal Axxis

I think the amount of laundry a machine can handle depends on whether the tub is truly horizontal or not.

IMO, A horizontal tub can wash a full load much better than one that is tilted at an angle. A tilted drum seems to promote tangling and the small pool of water sits at the back of the drum.

I also determine a full load based on what I am washing. For instance, permanent press clothing is best to only do a half load to minimize wrinkling. This is generally what most manufacturers recommend in the manual. Gentle/Delicates are more like 1/3.

Malcolm

 

[roscoe62]

@Malcolm

Malcolm does your Speed Queen have a horizontal Tub?
My duet is tilted which explains now why every time I do more than one set of sheets they tangle and bad and with towels I have to limit the number unless I mix the load with hand and face towels.
When I have had to go to a laundromat the front loads were horizontal,interesting to say the least.
Thanks

 

[virabhadrasana]

My machine (Siemens Siwamat XLS 1260) is rates 6 KG (drum capacity 53 L.) and a full load appears like in Dj Gabriele's picture. (Sorry I can't post any picture, I still don't have a digital camera).
Recently machines with the same drum size are quoted for 7 or even 8 KG.... Even MIELEs equipped with the 59.50 L.drum are quoted for 6.50, 7 or 8 Kg, depending on the model... (?) Results must not be the same with 2 more Kgs of laundry..

 

[mrb627]

Speed Queen

Yes, the Speed Queen is a ture HA machine.

Malcolm

 

[3beltwesty]

Bout 1/5 to 1/4 of your image

With my new LG WM2501HVA a wash load is has never been that full; maybe once in the 35 times I have washed since Nov 26th when it arrived. I lost a lot of clothes in Katrina 5 years ago and have less dress clothes. I have more work clothes since I am still involved with rebuilding. I purposely do not wash Sunday white church shirts with dirty blue jeans! Thus I tend to wash about 2 to 3 times a week with the washers stuff separated by color and dirt level. About once or twice I have had my 27" wide washer packed that full, that was before the new washer arrived and I had several weeks stuff to wash.

If I just filled my machine with socks switched every day. it might take 1/4 to 1/2 year for my washer to get that full. Plus I would have to buy 1/2 years worth of socks too.

If I washed both bed sheets, 2 towels, several blue jeans and shirts worn in one week by machine looks about 1/4 full. The issue is does one buy more clothes and strive to fill the washer and have stains washed 1 month later; or just wash small loads. Since stains "set" with time, I try not to let clothes sit for months to fill the washer up.

My machine has a bar/level, load size indictator for fullness, It goes from 1 to 4 bars. The rare loads I did that look as full as your image had 3 bars. Once or twice I have gotten 2 bars. About every wash I do has 1 bar. Unless one pushes the "add extra water button" the water level is below the basket. ie the washer really is showering clothes with the button not pushed in.

If I took all my bedsheets, towels, and all items I use in 2 weeks I could have my machine as full as yours. The real issue is one ruins ones clothes by mixing church white dress shirts with dirt and oil covered bluejeans and bright clothes that bleed. It is sort of do-able if I use all cold water

A machine like mine is probably better for a family of five to 7 folks, that one person. That way the machine can be filled up with "like" items; and one does not have to wait a few months.

 

[launderess]

For Normal Cycles

Front loading washing machines most always do their best when loaded at or near rated capacity. This applies to both cleaning and washer performance.

Under loading can give some front loaders problems especially with balancing, resulting in spins (if the washer will spin at all), that are out of balance. Enough of that goes on long enough it can cause problems.

Over loading is rough on bearing and other parts of the washer as well, and can lead to pre-mature wear and even demise of the washer.

For instance making a habit of shoving 15lbs of "thick and thirsty" bath linen into a 11lb rated washer is just asking for trouble. First there is the wear on bearings and other parts, then what may happen when the machine tries to spin/balance the load, and finally wear on pump/motor as torrents of water overwhelm, and cannot be drained properly.

 

[nrones]

Simple as you..
It depends, I rarely doo half or less than half loads.
When I wash in my 7kg GrandO+ my loads are from 4 to 5-6 kg.

 

[dj-gabriele]

Anybody posting any pictures?

 

[rp2813]

Horizontal vs. Tilted

Interesting comments.  I'm noticing more tangling with my perfectly horizontal Affinity than with the tilted tub of the Duet I used to have, mainly when I've got a set of fleece king sized sheets and pillow cases going in it.   Don't get me started on the companion dryer's handling of those same linens.  It rolls everything into a giant ball because of its skimpy drum size.

 

I don't pack stuff into my machine, but I do often fill the drum loosely.  Most of the time once the items inside are saturated, when the tub pauses to switch rotational direction the contents don't come much more than halfway up the window.

 

 

[mrb627]

Bed Sheet Tangling

Bed sheet tangling is all in the loading. Load in clusters like a unimatic and sheets will fair much better.

Malcolm

 

[ronhic]

I'm with Gabriele.....

 

That's what mine looks like when running a 'full' load...

 

[rp2813]

Thanks Malcom. I'll try clustering next time.

 

[supremewhirlpol]

My daily driver is ...

a 1989 Primus W10 commercial frontload washer. The rated capacity is 10kg(22LB.dry weight) Machine weight is ~425LB. I usually load it until full and have great results. It's better for the machine doing it this way. Being that this machine is rigid base, it has no suspension, thus it is bolted to the concrete floor. If I wash smaller loads the load spins on one side, causes the machine to groan, rock back and forth, shake the concrete floor and its just not good for the bearings.

[this post was last edited: 2/5/2011-08:01]

 

[supremewhirlpol]

The question: "And then again, after having washed and dried it, weight it and see if it corresponds to the stated capacity of the machine (if you have a weight, other than volume, indication)." Well lets see...The Primus W10 is a rigid base machine and the cylinder is non-tilted horizontal.

 

[supremewhirlpol]

Here is my basket

 

[supremewhirlpol]

Here is my scale. It's old, but seems to work fine and does not require electricity.