What does laundry weigh? Rules of thumb
The "8 kg" always refers to dry laundry. These approximate weights help you estimate your load quickly:
| Item | approx. weight |
|---|---|
| T-shirt | 150–200 g |
| Jeans | 600–800 g |
| Jumper | 400–700 g |
| Bath towel | 500–700 g |
| Duvet cover | 600–900 g |
| Bed sheet | 400–600 g |
Values vary with fabric and size. If you want to know exactly, put your laundry bag on the bathroom scales at home once: weigh yourself holding the bag, then without it, and the difference is your load. After two or three wash days you will have a feel for how full the bag can be for an 8 kg washing machine.
By the way, wet laundry is much heavier than dry. So estimate your load before washing, not afterwards when you move it into the dryer.
The rule of thumb for the drum
Put the laundry in loosely and don't press it down. Leave a hand's width of space at the top. Only then does the laundry move around in the water and come out clean everywhere. An overfull machine washes worse, a half-empty one wastes money.
A simple test at the laundromat Ludwigsburg: if your flat hand still fits between the laundry and the top of the drum, the amount is right. If you have to push the door shut with your knee, it is too much. Then simply add a second machine; there are 11 machines with 8 kg ready for you.
- Cotton, jeans, towels: drum loosely full
- Shirts, blouses, mixed fabrics: about two thirds
- Delicates and wool: half full at most
When the large washing machine is better
The laundromat Ludwigsburg has 11 machines with 8 kg and 3 large XXL machines with 18 kg. The large one pays off when a single item needs lots of room, such as a duvet, a sleeping bag or heavy curtains. For lots of ordinary laundry, two 8 kg machines are often cheaper than one 18 kg machine (2 × €5.00 instead of €13.50) and run at the same time.
The large washing machine really shows its strength with bulky items: a duvet may weigh only 2 kg, but it needs so much room that it would be squashed in the 8 kg drum. In the XXL washing machine with 18 kg it lies loosely and gets evenly wet. How to wash duvets step by step is explained under Washing duvets at the laundromat.
Three tips before you load
- Sort: separate lights and darks, empty pockets, close zips.
- Rather two loads: if it gets tight, split it across two machines instead of stuffing.
- Detergent by amount: with a full drum, don't overdo the dose for "heavily soiled"; too much detergent rinses out worse.
Example loads for an 8 kg washing machine
An 8 kg machine holds roughly one person's laundry for a week, or half a week's laundry for a couple. Each of these combinations fits into one drum:
- Everyday laundry: around 15 T-shirts, 3 pairs of jeans, plus underwear and socks for a week
- Bed linen day: two sets of duvet cover, pillowcase and sheet plus a few towels
- Towel load: about 10 bath towels, ideal for a hot 60 °C wash
- Jumpers and shirts: better only two thirds full so nothing creases
Whatever doesn't fit goes into the next machine. Because several machines run at the same time at the laundromat Ludwigsburg, a second load hardly costs you any extra time.
Common loading mistakes
- Stuffing the drum to save money: the laundry doesn't get properly clean, and in the end you wash items twice.
- Mixing wet towels with delicates: heavy terry cloth rubs and roughens sensitive fabrics.
- Leaving duvet covers open: socks and small items disappear inside. Close buttons and zips beforehand.
- One single jacket in the large machine: for one item the 8 kg machine is usually enough; the XXL drum only pays off for volume.
Keep these points in mind and you get the best out of every wash at the self-service laundry: clean, gentle and without unnecessary costs.