How Long Does a Washing Machine Take to Wash & Dry Clothes?

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You’re not alone if doing the laundry isn’t your favorite chore. Even if it only takes an hour, there are times when it feels like it takes all day and is so tedious that the pile of clothes just doesn’t seem to get any smaller. If so, let’s talk about a few topics you might be interested in, such as how long a wash cycle typically lasts.

Table of Contents

When Does a Normal Wash Cycle End?

The washing, drying, and/or folding of textiles such as clothing is referred to as laundry. The time it takes to do your laundry each week can range from zero minutes to hours, depending on your living situation, access to machines, and financial situation. Here is a basic breakdown of the laundry process, assuming that the typical laundry schedule is two loads per week:

Laundry Prep Time

Laundry would be finished much faster if all it took was to throw your dirty clothes in the washer. Your favorite t-shirt must be placed in a hamper or bag before being cleaned. It can take some time to gather your towels and bedding. It can occasionally take a while to organize everything in the laundry room. 30 minutes a week in total.

Washing

It all depends on how filthy your clothing is. The typical run time for a modern washing machine is 40 minutes, but if there is a lot of soil, the time could go up to an hour. 80 minutes weekly in total.

Drying

It takes 30 to 45 minutes to complete a load of laundry on average. Towels, jeans, and other items can take longer to dry. — most items are dry in about 40 minutes. 80 minutes per week in total.

Folding

Many people believe that this step is the most difficult in the laundry process. The last thing you want to do is sort through and neatly fold your clothes once they are out of the dryer and smelling good. Folding clothes takes an average of 20 minutes per load of laundry. Depending on the size of the load and how quickly you can fold, this may change. 40 minutes per week in total.

Putting Away

You’ve finished doing the laundry, and everything is neatly folded. False! You need to put those stacked, folded piles of clothing back in the closet or drawer where they originally belonged, not out on display. This annoying process typically only takes a few minutes, but over time, it adds up. Total: 10 minutes per week.

How Long Does a Quick Wash Cycle Last?

If you’re sick of waiting for the laundry, the good news is that many modern washing machines offer a fast or quick wash function. It’s important to keep in mind that some programs are only suitable for very small loads—a few kilograms, or at most a handful of items—and only if they’re lightly soiled. Some quick wash programs start up and finish in less than 15 minutes, making them ideal if you’re in a hurry.

When conducting its tests, Consumer Reports uses the Normal cycle and the heavy soil setting to wash the test subjects’ clothing. Here’s their breakdown:

Front loaders: 70-120 minutes

High efficiency top loaders: 60-85 minutes

Agitator top loaders: 35-80 minutes

If you spill some juice on a professional shirt, the fast program is for you. However, don’t count on it to remove grease from a week’s worth of mechanic’s overalls; you’ll need a more intensive program (and probably a pre-soaker) for that.

Numerous high-end and midrange washers come with a quick cycle that can usually wash your clothes in 30 minutes or less. These cycles are best used with small, lightly soiled loads. They don’t clean as thoroughly as a full wash cycle, so they’re not the best option for your stinky gym clothes or your muddy gardening pants.

To get the best performance out of your washer, use the Quick Wash cycle exactly as directed.

Reducing cycle times has become a bigger priority for some brands. One such instance is LG’s TurboWash360 technology (the 3.0 version of the previous Even with a full-sized load, the TurboWash3D 2.0 design reduces cycle times by combining several features. In order to shorten wash times without sacrificing cleaning effectiveness, TurboWash combines the rinsing, spinning, and draining phases of the cycle. Similar is Samsung’s Super Speed option.

What Is the Duration of a Delicate Wash Cycle?

Depending on the brand and model, delicate wash cycles can take between 45–80 minutes to gently clean items like sweaters, blouses, lingerie or sheer fabrics. Typically, a washing machine will have several settings, such as a quick cycle and a delicate cycle. The size of the load, the water temperature, and the cycle type you select will all affect how long it takes to wash your clothes in a washing machine. On a regular cycle, it typically takes 40 minutes to wash a full load of laundry. It will take longer to wash your clothes on a delicate cycle because the machine is operating more slowly to prevent damage to your clothes. It can take up to an hour and a half to wash a load of delicates in its entirety.

How Many Kilograms Does A Washing Machine Weigh?

The average washing machine usually weighs around 60-90 kg. The most popular models typically weigh about 70 kg.

Depending on the capacity of the machine’s drum and whether or not they contain concrete, some washers can actually weigh more than 110 kg. You’ll see measurements like 7 kg, 8 kg, and 9 kg when you purchase a washing machine. Instead of the washing machine’s actual weight, this is referring to the load capacity or the weight of dry clothes that can be placed inside.

How Long Does a Cycle of the Sanitize Washer Last?

A Sanitize cycle can take between 90–120 minutes to complete. The quick cycle is an option if you need to wash your clothes quickly and are pressed for time. A full load of laundry will take about 20 minutes to wash. It’s important to remember that not all clothing is designed to be washed on the quick cycle; delicate fabrics like silk should never be washed on this setting.

Examining the care label is the best way to find out how long it will take to wash your clothes. How to wash the item of clothing, as well as the appropriate cycle and water temperature, are all specified on the care label. You can make sure your clothing is being washed properly and in a way that won’t harm it by adhering to the care label.

When Will Your Clothes Dry and Be Fully Washed?

Because a drying cycle can take up to 45 minutes, your total time spent in the laundry room throughout the day might easily exceed an hour. While delicates might only need about 15 minutes to dry, heavy-duty towels can take up to three hours. The amount of moisture in your clothing and the temperature of the washer rinse will determine how long it takes for your clothes to dry.

Having said that, you should plan on the entire washing and drying process taking anywhere between a little under an hour and five hours. For instance, if you wash some delicates quickly, you might be able to finish getting your clothes ready to wear in less than an hour.

On the other hand, if you’re sanitizing some bulky or filthy items, plan for your appliances to work on them for a while.

What Causes Long Washing Machine Cycles?

If you’ve ever impatiently waited hours for your clothes to finish washing, you may have wondered why washing machines these days take so long. It all comes down to how water-efficient modern machines are, especially front loaders.

As a result, less water is used overall and less energy is required to heat the wash water, which is good for the environment (and your wallet). However, washing your clothes takes longer when less water is used. Top loaders use more water than front loaders, which is another factor in their quicker cycle times.

If cycle time isn’t a concern for you or you prefer to wash during off-peak hours, the lengthening programs shouldn’t be too much of a worry; however, if you prefer to complete tasks in one sitting, it might be worthwhile to look into top loaders or to bite the bullet and alter your laundry routine.

How Can I Save Time Doing the Laundry?

Immediately take care of stains.

Treat stains before they form so they’ll be simpler to get out of the wash and you won’t have to wash and rewash as often. Before putting the clothing in the dryer, make sure the stain is completely removed because the heat can set the stain and make it more difficult to get out.

Do full loads.

This will save time and energy while also reducing the amount of laundry you have to do. You can find load size recommendations in your washer’s manual. When looking for a new washer, consider your family’s needs when selecting the size by looking at the capacities in our washing machine ratings.

For the task, use the quickest cycle.

According to our testers, the normal-wash/normal-soil setting should be suitable for the majority of loads and is frequently quicker than the heavy-soil setting. (According to the normal-wash/heavy-soil setting, the cycle times in our washing machine ratings are calculated.) Try the light-soil setting if your clothes aren’t really that dirty, or use the quick-wash cycle if the load is small and lightly soiled.

Try different washing options.

Some washers offer options to shorten the cycle time. The Accela Wash, TurboWash, and Super Speed options from Kenmore, LG, and Samsung all accomplish this. Furthermore, front-loaders reduced the amount of time our loads needed to be washed by 15 to 20 minutes in CR’s tests without sacrificing cleaning effectiveness.

Use the proper dosage of HE detergent.

If there is too much, the washer may need to rinse more frequently, increasing wash time and wasting water. Follow the directions on the detergent label for the type of load you’re doing, then, to avoid any problems.

Slow down the drum’s rotation.

In order to reduce drying time and remove more water from the clothes, use this feature, if it is available. Just keep in mind that doing this might be too harsh for delicates. The same is true for waterproof items in HE top-loaders as water could get trapped in the clothing and tip the load off balance, causing excessive shaking.

If you have other problems with washing machines, welcome to check the following guides!