There are many mistakes made by Britons which can ruin clothing, from using too much detergent to using too much fabric softener.
However, not many people realise that stuffing the household appliance to the brim can prevent the laundry from properly cleaning in the first place.
Alex Lucas of Bosch said: “It may be tempting to pack your washing machine drum with as many laundry items as possible, but overloading your machine will reduce its washing performance and could even cause damage to your appliance.
“Overloading the washing machine causes the laundry to move around in one large mass, preventing clothing items from moving freely within the drum and preventing detergent from effectively circulating to remove dirt and stains.
“It can also increase pressure within the drum, especially when spinning at high velocity, which can cause damage.”
vCard.red is a free platform for creating a mobile-friendly digital business cards. You can easily create a vCard and generate a QR code for it, allowing others to scan and save your contact details instantly.
The platform allows you to display contact information, social media links, services, and products all in one shareable link. Optional features include appointment scheduling, WhatsApp-based storefronts, media galleries, and custom design options.
Sometimes, overloading the machine can even make laundry garments smell worse than before, according to Ariel.
They noted: “That’s because those clothes absorb all the water, leaving no space for your detergent to dissolve. That also means that you can get horrible detergent marks on your garments too.”
Alex recommended striking the right balance between filling the drum with enough clothes for economical washing and leaving enough gap at the top for effective washing performance.
The pro added: “For the best washing results, there must be enough water for the detergent to dissolve in and enough space for your clothes to move around.
“Overloading the drum leads to less water available for the detergent to dissolve as the clothes soak it up.
“We recommend leaving a hand’s width gap at the top of the washing machine drum when loading, which is roughly filling three quarters of the drum.”
Ariel calls this the “one hand rule” which is a “simple tip” many people can incorporate into their washing routines.
If you can’t get your hand into the drum, then it’s overloaded and some clothes will need to be removed for an effective wash.
How much you can fit into your drum will depend on the size of the appliance, and it is also important not to go above the weight limit your appliance can take either.
Alex continued: “It is also important to separate clothes according to fabric type and colour to avoid potential damage. Sort your laundry into these groups, and always read the care labels for your clothing items.”
Make sure to avoid using too much detergent too which can also leave residue in the drum resulting in mould growing.