Why clothes do not get clean in an overfilled machine
Short answer: Clothes get clean by moving in the water. If the machine is packed to the brim, the clothes cannot move, and both dirt and detergent stay in the fibres.
Movement does the work
Detergent loosens the dirt, but it is movement that rinses it out. As the drum turns, the clothes are lifted and fall back into the water, which pushes water through the fabric. Without space this does not happen. The clothes turn as one lump, and the water never properly reaches the middle.
The rule of thumb
When the drum is loaded, there should be room for a hand on top of the clothes. If there is not, there is too much in. The rule applies to dry clothes lying loosely in the drum, not clothes you have pressed down. It is a simple test that takes two seconds before you close the door.
Residue causes odour
Detergent that is not rinsed out binds to the fibres. So do sweat and skin oil that were never loosened. When you get warm, the smell is released again, even though the clothes are freshly washed. Many people wash hotter, but often the answer is simply fewer clothes per load. See smell in clothes that will not go away.
Residue causes itching
The same residue sits against your skin all day and is a common cause of itching, especially in underwear and t-shirts. The skin is not reacting to the fabric, but to what is left in it. If freshly washed clothes itch, try a half load with an extra rinse. Read more about clothes without itching.
Wear and pilling
Packed clothes rub against each other throughout the programme. That constant friction raises small fibres on the surface and causes pilling sooner, especially under the arms and along the sides. Zips and buttons in a full drum also wear on the soft items. More on the causes in pilling on clothes.
Two smaller loads
Two half loads wash better than one overloaded machine and do not use twice the water, because many machines adjust the water to the weight. It pays off in cleaner clothes that last longer. If you lack time for two loads, wash heavy items separately from thin clothing.
Heavy and light items
Towels and jeans soak up a lot of water and become heavy in the drum. Mixed with thin bamboo viscose items, they drag the light clothes around and wear them down. So wash towels and heavy clothing together, and underwear, tops and t-shirts in a load of their own. Each then gets the right treatment.
Spinning
An overloaded machine also spins less well. The clothes are unevenly spread, the machine shakes, and many machines then lower the speed by themselves. The result is wetter clothes that dry more slowly and therefore start to smell more easily. With room in the drum, the load spreads evenly and the water is spun out properly.
General washing
Bamboo viscose is washed at 40 degrees on a gentle programme, without fabric softener and with a moderate amount of detergent. These rules apply however full the machine is, but they only work when the clothes have room. The rest of the rules for bamboo viscose are collected in the washing guide.
In short
Load the machine so there is room for a hand above the clothes. Wash heavy and light items separately. Dose for the amount of laundry, not out of habit. Follow these three pieces of advice and your clothes get cleaner, smell less and last longer, without changing detergent or programme.
Frequently asked questions
How full can the machine be?
There should be room for a hand on top of the clothes when they lie loosely in the drum. If your hand will not fit, there is too much in and the clothes will not get properly clean.
Do I save water by filling the machine completely?
Only on paper. The clothes are washed less well, and you often end up washing them again. Two half loads give cleaner clothes and do not use twice as much water.
Does more detergent help?
No. More detergent in a full machine just leaves more residue in the fibres, because there is no room to rinse it out. It is better to take some clothes out of the drum.
You can find the full range at Bamboo-Clothing.com.
