How does a washing machine work?

We’re sure there are a ton of you who believe that laundry is one of the most, if not the most, tedious chores ever. It naturally follows then, that you also believe washing machines are one of the greatest time-savers ever built. You take dirty clothes, toss them into the machine, add a bit of detergent, press start, wait 30-40 minutes, and voila! Your clothes are washed and all you have to do is dry them. 

Now, it may seem like magic, but it really isn’t. There’s some advanced engineering involved in getting a washing machine to do its thing, and what it does in those 30-40 minutes where you’re twiddling your thumbs, catching up on work, or gaming. 

Basics of washing machine operations

At a basic level, every washing machine does the following:

1. Agitation / pulsation

2. Rinsing

3. Spin-cycle

4. Rinse and repeat

1. Agitation / pulsation

After filling up with water and soaking the clothes, the washing machine starts agitating the clothes by oscillating its drum. Whether front-load or top-load, all washing machines do this, it’s just that front loaders tend to be a bit more efficient at agitating clothes as gravity also provides some assistance. Agitating the clothes in this manner in the presence of detergent helps dislodge most of the superficial dirt. Friction between the fabrics as they’re being agitated works to loosen most of the rest of the dirt.

ALSO READ: What are the types of washing machines and how to choose the best one for you

Washing machine brands usually differ in the pattern of agitation involved, and the method in which water is used to aid in this agitation process. Some machines will be more vigorous while others will be milder. Some will have vanes to help better agitate the clothes, some might lather up the water or generate steam to help with removal of dirt. 

Whatever the case, these patterns of agitation are determined by the designers of the washing machines and can vary significantly between different brands and price brackets. Obviously, heating elements, steam generators and the like do cost more.

2. Rinsing

This process is similar to agitation except that the soapy and dirty water is first drained and replaced by fresh water. The purpose of this step is to remove all traces of soap and dirt, and can take some time depending on the agitation cycle used. The water might be flushed several times during this process.

3. Spin-cycle

In this step, the drum spins really fast for an extended period of time. This forces the water out of the clothes via centrifugal force. This is usually the very last step in a wash cycle as clothes are drained of water to the best of the washing machine’s ability. However, some machines can run a spin-cycle in the middle of a wash to ensure a more thorough cleaning.

4. Rinse and repeat

Depending on the cleaning mode selected, either by you or automatically by the machine, the above steps are likely to be repeated 2-3 times in an order, again, determined by the engineers who designed that washing machine. More cycles lead to a cleaner wash, but also to more power consumption and water use.

Other features inside a washing machine that aid in washing could include heating elements to heat the water, app control for remote access and monitoring, and various types of filters and attachments that help when you want to use different types of detergents, fabric softeners, etc. during various stages of the wash cycle.

ALSO READ: Choosing the best washing machine for your home

A washing machine seems like a simple enough contraption on the surface, but this is an appliance that has been refined over decades by some very smart people to deliver the best and most effective wash possible, and I find that very impressive in its own way. There’s a science to their operation that is far deeper than it might at first seem.