Washing Machine Load Capacity Guide

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Knowing how much (or how little) to put in your washing machine is tricky. Especially when everyone seems to have a different opinion.

Today, we’re going to clear up all the myths and give you straightforward answers with our ultimate washing machine capacity guide!

Put simply, understanding the drum capacity of your washer is key. This way, you can simply weigh your laundry items and fill it up to the limit every time.

But this isn’t an easy feat. Imagine weighing each sock? Who’s got that much time? Don’t worry, there are faster methods.

Let’s have a closer look.

Is Overloading a Washing Machine Actually Bad?

As soon as you saw this article, you might well have thought “but is it seriously bad to overload my washing machine?”.

Let’s get this out of the way first as it’s a pretty fair (and common) question. After all, you want to use up all its space!

We can’t deny that it’s tempting to fill your washer’s drum to the brim. However, this isn’t such a good idea.

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Firstly, your clothes won’t be cleaned properly. When you pack it full, the fabric can’t move around the drum.

This results in poorly washed clothes and possibly even more stains if one pair of muddied shorts rubs onto a t-shirt for the whole cycle.

Secondly, it might cause drainage problems. How? Because if there are loads of clothes blocking the channels, the water won’t be able to drain.

This can even lead to floods which are not fun.

The most important reason, however, is because it could cause harm to your machine (which will cost you a lot of money to fix).

When you put all your items in, it might not feel very heavy. But, when they’re sopping wet, everything becomes extremely heavy.

This results in an unbalance and will greatly impact your machine’s performance.

Interestingly, Underfilling Can Be Bad Too

When it comes to washing machines, ensuring the load is “just right” is essential. Yup, they’re basically Goldilocks and can be rather temperamental.

Underfilling can be just as much of a problem as overfilling. Why? Let’s find out.

When you put a small load in your washer, it creates an imbalance in the spin cycle.

In this case, all your clothes will clump together on one side of the drum. This is where that loud, irritating sound comes from.

Depending on the washing machine you have, underfilling it may cause it to simply not spin.

Finally, there’s the cost factor. You are paying a load of money every time you underfill your washing machines.

Not to mention that you’ve wasted your time, detergent, and energy too. The trick is to simply wait until you have enough items to fill the drum correctly.

How Do I Determine the Capacity of My Washing Machine?

Alright, now we’re getting into the nitty-gritty. If you’re good at maths, you’ll probably love this section as we’re going to be calculating the volume.

Sorry to all you lovely folk who think pie is just something you eat (we wish it was)!

The Formula

The formula for calculating your washing machine’s capacity is as follows:

(pi) (r i annen) (D)

The values for each of these are:

• Pi = 3.14
• r = diameter divided by 2 (we’re going to look at how to measure this on your washer in a moment)
• D = depth (i.e. the height of the cylinder)

How to Calculate the Capacity Using the Formula

Quick note: Make sure you measure everything in feet. Right, let’s get straight into the step-by-step.

Step One: Find the Radius of The Drum

Measure straight across the front of the drum. This will be the diameter. Then, divide that measurement by 2, and hey, presto, you’ve found the radius!

Step Two: Square the Radius

All you have to do here is to multiply the radius by the radius.

Step Three: Multiply by Pi

Now, take the radius squared and multiply it by pi. You could get really specific with this but there’s no need. Just multiply it by 3.14.

Step Four: Multiply by the Depth

To find the depth of your drum, just measure the height of the cylinder. Then, multiply step three’s answer by the depth. This is the volume capacity of your washing machine in cubic feet.

How Many Clothes Can Go In a 7-kg Washer?

We could spend ages trying to explain just how many clothes can go in a 7-kg washer. But, we don’t want to bore you.

So, instead, we’ll make a handy-dandy quick-glance table that you can easily refer to when you’re about to throw stuff in the washing machine.

For those of you who don’t have a 7-kg washer (i.e. the standard size), you’ll benefit from this table too as we’re going to look at 6-kg to 10-kg drums.

Det er viktig å huske at lastekapasiteten måles ved vekten av tørre klær. Så i stedet for bare å følge det maksimale antallet varer her.

Du må være mer oppmerksom på antall spesifikke elementer du kan legge inn på en gang.

Ok, så hvor mange håndklær kan jeg vaske i en mengde?

Det korte svaret på dette spørsmålet er «ta en titt på bordet». Det ville imidlertid ikke vært den ultimate guiden hvis vi ikke snakket om hvordan du beregner tøymengden selv.

Slik beregner du tøymengden selv

Det er veldig vanskelig å gjøre dette siden du må veie hvert plagg for å være 100 % nøyaktig. Juksearket nedenfor er hvordan vi foreslår at du beregner belastningen din:

• En ekstra stor skjorte med knapper = 0,5 lbs (0,23 kg)
• En genser = 1 lb (0,5 kg)
• Et helt sengetøy = 0,6 kg (1,3 lbs)
• Et stort håndkle eller jeans (middels størrelse) = 1,6 lbs (0,7 kg)

Dette er egentlig bare for de av dere som ønsker å være litt mer spesifikke enn den raske oversikten vi viste dere tidligere!

Hvilken størrelse vaskemaskin trenger du for å vaske en king-size dyne?

For å vaske en king-size dyne trenger du en 9 kg vaskemaskin. Men husk at dette passer til en medium king-size dyne.

Hvis din er en tungvektsversjon, må du kjøpe (eller bruke) en 10 kg vaskemaskin.

Hvis du har en vaskemaskin på 8 kg, kan du bare passe en dyne i queen-størrelse.

På samme måte vil en dyne i dobbel størrelse passe i en 7-kg vaskemaskin!

Familiestørrelsen din kontra vaskemaskinen din

Familiestørrelse er en av de viktigste faktorene som spiller inn (eller bør spille inn) når man skal finne ut hvilken vaskemaskinstørrelse man trenger.

Som du kanskje allerede forestiller deg, jo større familie, jo større vaskemaskin.

La oss komme inn på detaljene, skal vi?

Hvilken størrelse vaskemaskin trenger jeg for en familie på 3?

Hvis du er en familie på 3, bør du satse på å kjøpe en 7 kg vaskemaskin. Dette er standardstørrelsen, så det vil ikke være vanskelig å finne.

Det er mange modeller å velge mellom også, så ha det gøy med å finne den perfekte for deg!

Hvilken størrelse vaskemaskin trenger jeg for en familie på 4?

For en familie på 4 bør en vaskemaskin på 7 til 8 kg være tilstrekkelig. Det avhenger imidlertid av gjenstandene du planlegger å vaske regelmessig.

Hvorfor? For jo tyngre klærne eller lakenet er, desto større må trommelkapasiteten din være.

Hvilken størrelse vaskemaskin trenger jeg for en familie på 7?

Som en familie på 7 vil du bli klassifisert som en «veldig stor familie» i vaskemaskinverdenen.

På grunn av dette må du kjøpe enten en 11- eller 12-kg vaskemaskin.

Selvfølgelig vil dette koste mer men det vil faktisk ende opp med å spare penger for deg i det lange løp.

Bruk denne tabellen som en generell veiledning

Der har du det!

Du kan kalle deg ekspert på vaskemaskinkapasitet nå! Du vil misunne alle vennene dine, vi kan garantere det.