If you're ready to get your laundry done as quickly as possible, it can seem easy to toss in just a few more items than you are "supposed" to. However, even though it might not seem like a big deal to pile the clothes into your washer, it really is best not to overload the machine. Here's why.

1. Your Clothes Probably Won't Come Clean

For one thing, you should know that if there is too much clothing in your machine at one time, there's a good chance that your clothes won't even come clean in the first place. This is because an overloaded machine won't be able to agitate and move the clothes around properly, making it hard for you to get rid of dirt and grime. If you overload your washing machine, you could find that you simply have to rewash clothing later because it did not come clean the first time around, so you won't really be saving time at all by washing bigger loads.

2. Clothing Could Become Damaged

Another thing that you have to worry about when overloading your washing machine is the fact that your clothing could become damaged. Zippers and buttons can become attached to other clothing in the machine, and shirt sleeves could become stretched out. In some cases, the damage might even be permanent, so you could find that you have to replace clothing more frequently if you make your loads too big.

3. It Might Damage Your Machine

Not only do you have to worry about how your clothing could be affected by washing too-big loads at one time, but you also have to think about how your machine could be affected. Loads that are too big can be too heavy and can put too much of a strain on your washing machine and its belts and other moving parts. Even though one overloaded load might not seem like a big deal, getting in the habit of overloading your machine too frequently can cause it to wear out a lot more quickly, which can lead to you having to have it repaired or replaced.

As you can see, even though it can be tempting to toss just a few extra items into the washing machine when running the wash cycle, it's best not to. Instead, make sure that you do not overload your machine when you're washing clothes. Then, you can help avoid these three problems and more.