Laundry & linen / Wash loads
Plan washer loads
Use dry weight and the usable machine limit for this wash programme.
Service plan
Wash loads
Enter dry weight kilograms.
How it works
Put in your numbers
Use your own rates, times and measurements.
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What it covers: Turn dry weight and machine capacity into a load count.
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How to work out how many washer loads you need
Overloading a washer gives poor results, while underloading wastes time, water and energy. This planner takes the dry laundry weight and the usable capacity for the wash type and works out the number of loads and the average weight per load. Add cycle time and machines to estimate the time.
- Sort the laundry by fabric, colour and care requirements first. Plan each wash type separately.
- Weigh the laundry dry and enter the dry laundry weight in kilograms.
- Enter the usable washer capacity for this fabric and cycle. For delicate items this may be well under the machine's maximum.
- If you want a time estimate, add the minutes per cycle, covering wash and dry time for one load.
- Enter the machines running at once.
- Read the wash loads and the average weight per load. If you entered a cycle time, you also see the machine time and how many rounds the machines run.
Tips and common mistakes
- Weigh laundry dry. Wet laundry weighs much more and will give too many loads.
- Check the care labels and the machine's guidance for the right load size for each cycle.
- If the average per load is well under capacity, you may be able to combine items with the same care needs.
- Allow for loading, unloading and gaps between cycles when planning a shift.
Questions
How many kilograms of laundry fit in a washing machine?
Use the usable capacity for the fabric and cycle, which is often less than the maximum the machine is rated for. Check the machine's guidance and the care labels for that wash type.
How do I work out the number of washer loads?
Divide the dry laundry weight by the usable washer capacity and round up to whole loads. As an illustration, 50 kg of dry laundry at 12 kg per load needs 5 loads.
Should I weigh laundry wet or dry?
Weigh it dry. Washer capacities are based on dry weight, so using wet weight would overstate the number of loads.
How long will it take to wash all the laundry?
Divide the loads by the machines running at once and round up, then multiply by the minutes per cycle. Add time for loading, unloading and any waiting between cycles.
Why sort laundry by fabric and colour?
Different fabrics need different temperatures, cycles and load sizes, and colours can run. Sorting first protects the items and lets you use the right capacity for each load.
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