What the Soil Level on Your Washing Machine Means—and How to Properly Set It

You might have used your washer for years, only to one day find yourself staring blankly at the buttons, realizing that you don’t actually know what it all means. For instance, tucked somewhere between the temperature and spin settings is the soil level. Not sure what this means when it comes to your washing machine? You’re certainly not alone, but you shouldn’t sleep on these settings much longer.

Learning how to properly use your washer’s soil level setting can elevate your laundry game, helping you better address the individual care of your garments.

What Does Soil Mean on a Washer?

Your washing machine’s control panel or buttons may include a soil level setting. Essentially, it’s a way for you to tell your machine just how dirty your clothes are. “The more stained, smelly, or worn your clothes are, the higher soil level setting you should choose,” explains cleaning professional Dawn Arias-Spinelli, owner of Kleaner Image. By adjusting it, you affect either, or a combination of, two things: the duration of the wash cycle and the intensity of the agitation. 

A sweaty gym outfit, muddy gardening pants, and a worn-once pajama set all call for different levels of attention, and the soil setting allows your washing machine to properly address them.

Why It Matters

By customizing your wash cycle, you’re more likely to remove dirt, oil, and bacteria the first time around. This is especially important with clothing items that hang onto odor and heavily stained pieces, and it avoids unnecessary wear to your clothes. Overwashing (as well as too much agitation or excessively long cycles) can fade colors, stretch fabrics, and shorten the lifespan of more delicate garments. 

The soil level function also helps you match your machine’s power to the actual need. If you’re washing lightly worn items on a heavy soil setting, you’re wasting water, electricity, and time—three things all worth saving!

How to Use the Soil Setting

While individual machines operate differently, using the soil level function on your washing machine is simple: Once you’ve loaded the washer and added your detergent, select the soil level that best matches your laundry’s condition. Then, choose your desired wash temperature and wash cycle, and run the machine as normal.

Usually, the soil setting is optional on washing machines. So if you don’t choose anything, the washer will default to a normal soil level.

Typical Soil Levels

While varying appliance brands might word things a little differently, most machines include three standard soil level options: Light (sometimes labelled "low," or "lightly soiled"), normal, and heavy (sometimes labelled "high," or "heavily soiled").

• Light: The lightly soiled setting is the gentlest option, ideal for garments that have only briefly been worn and those made from delicate fabrics. This setting uses a shorter cycle and light agitation.
• Normal: This is your default, explains Arias-Spinelli. "It's perfect for everyday items and normal odor buildup." It offers a balanced wash: long enough to clean thoroughly, but won't over-agitate fabrics.
• Heavy: As for the heavily soiled setting, "this longer cycle means more soak time and a rougher wash," says Arias-Spinelli. Your weekly load of towels and sweaty soccer uniforms is meant for this option.
  

Clothes that come out intact, clean, and fresh—the first time? Who knew how much rode on that unassuming soil setting!