You've probably heard that one of the best ways to use your washing machine efficiently is to only wash full loads of laundry.
It’s true—your machine will use about the same amount of power and water to wash a full load of laundry as it will for a smaller or half-full load. By waiting until you’ve got enough dirty clothes for a full load, you’ll find yourself doing fewer washes, saving energy and money.
If you have a top-loading washing machine, you’ll probably find a maximum fill level line. This line indicates how full the machine should be while your clothes are dry.
If your washing machine loads in the front, it might be harder to determine what a full load is. As a general rule of thumb, fill the machine about three-quarters full, or make sure there’s enough space for the palm of your hand to fit between the top of your pile of clothes and the top of the machine.
You don’t want to underfill your machine, but overfilling can make it hard for clothes to move freely, resulting in poor cleaning or wrinkly clothes. Frequent overloading can also wear on your machine.
To make your machine even more efficient, try washing your clothes in cold water, and consider buying an Energy Star-certified unit when it’s time to replace yours.