“Just because you CAN fill it, doesn’t mean you should. Hope this helps!” This bit of information can be applied to a lot of scenarios in life. Like when you’re at an all-you-can eat buffet, or trying to squeeze as much gas as you can into your vehicle while on a road trip.
It’s also advice shared in a caption for a viral TikTok uploaded by TA Appliances @taappliances when it comes to your washer and dryer. A rep for the company explains in a clip that’s accrued over 36,000 views why overfilling is a bad idea.
However, there were some folks who responded to his clip who said they’re taking the suggestion with a grain of salt.
Leave a bit of room
The TikToker begins his video walking towards a wall of washers and dryers stacked on top of each other. Next, he breaks down a bit of appliance knowledge to his viewers when it comes to packing in clothes.
“Here’s something I didn’t know until I started working at an appliance store,” he says. “I always used to just load up my washer and dryer as full as they could go.”
However, he reveals that this isn’t the best way to ensure your clothes are being thoroughly washed and dried out. “But it turns out especially with front loads, you really wanna have them only about halfway full,” he states.
The appliance expert details why this is the case—and it’s all about leaving a little bit of extra space. “That’s gonna give the clothes lots of room to move around,” he says. “And when you’re washing it, that means more water contact and when you’re drying it, that’s just more aeration.”
He concludes his washer and dryer PSA by stating, “Meaning that your clothes are gonna get drier faster. Who knew?”
Others agree: overloading is bad
Anecdotal commentary from Redditors in this post appears to corroborate what the TA Appliances rep stated in his clip. One user stated that filling all of their clothes into a washing machine left always looking wrinkled.
Another remarked that overloading machines tend to make them “shake violently” and make “strange noises.” Additionally, cleaning cycles take longer as the machine works “harder to clean all of the clothes.”
This concern was reverberated by another Reddit use who stated that the additional wear and tear could lead to premature damage, specifically to the “drain pump, motor, and control assembly.” Not to mention, the clothes won’t get as clean as less water is getting “spun out of them” because they’re packed tightly together.
Southern Living echoes these concerns. The outlet warns, “your washing machine will also sustain much more intense wear and tear if it’s consistently overloaded.” That’s because the drum is filled with soaked clothing. In turn, it becomes heavier with more items, which causes greater “strain [on] the electric motor that turns it.” Consequently, this heightened stress “shortens the lifespan of your appliance.”
But one’s clothing can also be damaged by being overloaded into a washer or dryer.
If you have items with velcro or zippers, they could be more easily snagged onto other clothes in a packed machine. This could create tears in clothing that could’ve otherwise have been saved if they were given more room to spin around. Sears Home Services also reported similar consequences for overloading washers and dryers.
@taappliances just because you CAN fill it, doesn’t mean you should. hope this helps! #appliances #homeappliances #laundry #thingsididntknow ♬ original sound – taappliances
TikTokers were split
While there were some commenters who thanked the TA Appliances rep for his insight, some were on the fence.
One user thought that while overloading dryers is a no-no, the same doesn’t apply to washing machines. “Partly agree. The dryer def needs it, clothes need to tumble around in there,” they said. “With washers, water will fully saturate any load. Just don’t stuff too hard to avoid wrinkled and mind the weight.”
Another argued that room is created in washers because the clothing becomes more compressed when wet, anyway. “I have found that I can stuff it full, then when the clothes get wet they only take about 2/3 of the space and have ample room to tumble,” they wrote.
Someone else said, “Hey I get an 11kg machine it’s getting 11kg in it.”
“I disagree, in the front load washer you want more fabric because the agitation the recieve is due to the fabrics touching each other. It would be true in a top load agitator style,” another user on the app wrote.
According to this TikToker, some machines are just better equipped than others when it comes to handling laundry piles. “My speed queen gets totally loaded. Works great,” they said.
And one user shared this bit of advice. “Fill them up enough that you can fit your hand on top, the clothes shrink down when wet, the clothes rub against each other to clean, this is gently on your clothes but a longer wash cycle generally,” they advised.
The Daily Dot has reached out to TA Appliances via email for further information.
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