How many sheets do you put in the washing machine?

[Ijustknowitstimetogo]

How many sheets/ duvet covers do you put in at once? And how much space are you leaving between the top and the drum?

@Ijustknowitstimetogo

Bloody hell 11kg I didn’t know that even exists.

I’ve been doing one at a time as I always worry there’s not enough space for them to move properly. I think I’m over worrying. I do think I need to upgrade my 6kg one though.

You mean you wash one sheet at a time or one beds worth of bedding per load?

I put as much as fits whilst still being able to fit a fist in the top.

I only do 1 bed set at a time as I don't have anywhere to hang multiple sets and I don't have a tumble dryer. I make up the load with other clothes or towels. You should be able to fit your fist on top of the washing to allow space for clothes to move in the machine

I can do either my bed (super king sheet, king duvet cover, 4-6 pillow cases) or both DDs beds (2 double sheets, 2 single duvets, 4 pillow cases).

You're meant to be able to put a hand at the top in between the clothes and the machine

We’ve got a 12 kilo load so absolutely loads, but I was always told to load the machine and to make sure I had room to hold my hand sideways between the top of the load and the roof of the drum if that makes sense? So top of thumb to little finger space?

I leave a handwidth at the top of the load to leave room for the water to get round. No matter what size the machine is. I always do a full king size set on its own.

@DementedPanda

I've a 11kg machine. Tend to get king size duvet set and two kids single sets in with loads of room.

Same! Including the undersheets

Definitely overthinking it. I put my horse blanket in there at the end ofyhe winter. 7kg machine. I can just about squeeze the door shut eventually . It always comes out reasonably clean
As long as there's some room for it to move you'll be fine.

Thank you Onyx

You mean you wash one sheet at a time or one beds worth of bedding per load?

I put as much as fits whilst still being able to fit a fist in the top.

Yes I’ve been doing just one sheet or cover at a time because someone told me a while ago that you’re supposed to only fill the drum 2/3 and leave the top 1/3 empty. But I’ve realised it’s using so much energy and soap etc it’s basically doubling everything. So I started to question what I was doing.

1, but only so there is space for them to dry

I usually fill the machine two-thirds, so there’s a space at the top. Not sure how many sheets as such.

I have an 8 kg machine and I'll do a set of bedding (double) plus a bath sheet, or if no bath sheet then a pile of pants (it all goes on a hot wash).

If I'm washing cold, I will keep the load smaller because more movement will be needed.

One double beds worth the whole lot and I'll make it up to a full load with teatowels and similar small bits if they're needing washed.

I have ocd so I'm quite funny how I do it all.

It's the agitation with other items that cleans it as much as the hot water and detergent apparently. In the absence of hands scrubbing this is necessary.

Put what you think fits in.

I do worry that all these people are probably washing too much whilst pretending to care about environment.

My machine automatically weighs the load and adjusts the time. A full length, full weight wash is 3.5hours, I've done a super king bed set (Inc sheets and pillow cases) and 2 kids singles sets in 1 load and it's not taken more than 3hours. It's a 10kg machine.

You need to read the instructions for your own machine. Overloading is the commonest cause of machines breaking down. Machine capacity is highly variable.

Ours is 9kg and I fit a complete Superking set (duvet cover, fitted sheet and 4 pillowcases). Generally don’t load it more than that though.
Ours will beep at you if it’s too heavy though (it’s a bossy bastard).

I do our king-size bedding in 2 separate loads (pillow cases & fitted sheet in one, duvet cover in the second). Just because we’ve got a combined washer / dryer and it takes forever to dry if there’s too much in it.

@LaurieSchafferIsAllBitterNow I split it up, cos I am sad and don't like to think of it swelching about in its own filth
Blimey! How dirty does your bed get? What are you doing/wearing in there?
Plus doesn’t your washer drain and replace the water anyway?

It's the agitation with other items that cleans it as much as the hot water and detergent apparently. In the absence of hands scrubbing this is necessary.

Makes sense.

Thanks for responses everyone.

[quote cardibach]@LaurieSchafferIsAllBitterNow I split it up, cos I am sad and don't like to think of it swelching about in its own filth
Blimey! How dirty does your bed get? What are you doing/wearing in there?
Plus doesn’t your washer drain and replace the water anyway?[/quote]
well, there's dh and the yellow for a start, and two cats, and the dog who is not really allowed on the bed.

but no filthier than anyone else's bed linen ...I just like it to have a proper go round at 60degrees too

It's a bit like when you have a bath with a glittery novelty soap and you find glitter everywhere for weeks, in the bed, in the laundry basket, in the drawers.. ..it'd all be down the plughole if you were in the shower with more space!

As others have indicated, not all machines have the same size drum. In general terms, l tend to wash one kingsized duvet cover, one fitted sheet, 4 pillowcases and a few extra small bits (knickers, stockings, tights, socks) in one load..

What you can fit in & what you should fit in are two very different things!

It sounds like you're chronically under filling your machine though. It's definitely not necessary to wash 1 sheet at a time!

Mine is a 7kg. Summer weight double size duvet cover, both sheets & 4-8 pillow cases in. Winter weight king size duvet cover & plow case, sheets go in a separate wash with any odd little bits (my socks etc)

Singles, one full set summer & winter.

8 Kg washer, I put in one king size duvet cover on its own, then another load of a valanced under sheet and 4 pillow cases.

My understanding was that a full load generally washes better than a half load because of the friction from the clothes/ items rubbing against each other activating the detergent and loosening stains etc. I don’t know if that is true but I was always told that if you only put a handful of items in there’s nothing for them to rub against so they’re not being cleaned in the same way. For that reason I try and always fill the drum, not to the point I have to force anything in but so that there isn’t any obvious space left. I would wash all of the bedding from my double bed in one load and certainly have room for some other items as well.