But how do you know how much laundry makes a full load?

There are a couple of easy options.

Low-capacity top-loaders may accommodate only 6 pounds of clothing to be full.

full load of laundry

The Spruce / Ana Cadena

Medium-capacity top-loading washing machines can usually tolerate 78 pounds.

The highest capacity top-loaders might do well with as much as 1215 pounds.

Front-loading washing machines often can hold as much as 18 pounds of clothing.

How Much Does Clothing Weigh?

So how many items are in 1 poundor one loadof clothing, or can you weigh it?

Either approach works, and it’s possible for you to choose whichever you prefer.

To weigh a load of laundry, put the entire load into a laundry basket.

First, weigh yourself on a scale without holding the laundry basket.

Then, weigh yourself while holding the basket.

The other approach is to estimate the weight based on the total clothing items in the load.

The best load of laundry is one that mixes items of varying sizes.

This allows clothing to move fluidly in the washing machine and helps ensure complete washing and rinsing.

Overloading also can lead to clothing damage, especially in old-style top-loading machines with tall agitators.

The packed-in clothes get pulled and twisted more when there’s not enough room to move.

Determining what’s too big for your machine is up to your judgment.

If so, wash the item in a high-capacity machine in a laundromat.

Fortunately, the largest items are usually comforters and bedspreads, and those need onlyperiodic washing.