# Laundry Weight Calculator | Launderwise

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# Laundry Weight Calculator

Build a load, check what fits your machine, or count how many of one item fits — all from sourced dry weights.

[← All launderwise tools](/tools/index.md)

This is an interactive tool — enable JavaScript to build a load, size a machine and more. The full per-item weight table is just below.

Choosing a machine rather than weighing a load? Take the [washing machine size quiz](/tools/washing-machine-size/index.md).

## Load sizes at a glance

What a typical mixed wash looks like, from Tide's load-size guidance. Counts are illustrative — fabric, brand and size all vary.

Medium \~2.7 kg · 6 lb

6 t-shirts, 1 pair of socks, 2 skirts, 1 women’s sweater, 1 men’s sweater, 3 pairs of trousers, 3 pairs of underwear.

Large \~5 kg · 11 lb

12 t-shirts, 6 pairs of socks, 3 skirts, 1 women’s sweater, 1 men’s sweater, 5 pairs of trousers, 4 pairs of underwear.

Extra-large \~9.5 kg · 21 lb

12 t-shirts, 12 pairs of socks, 6 skirts, 8 women’s sweaters, 7 men’s sweaters, 6 pairs of trousers, 6 pairs of underwear.

## How to weigh a whole load

For a quick figure without the calculator, stand on a bathroom scale holding the laundry basket, note the number, then subtract your own weight. The result is the load's **dry** weight — the figure your machine's kg rating refers to under EU Regulation 2019/2023. Wet laundry weighs more, and a bulky duvet can fill the drum before it reaches the weight limit, so size bedding by the room it needs, not its mass.

The full background — why capacity is a dry-weight figure, dry vs wet, and machine sizing by household — is in [How Much Does Laundry Weigh?](/blog/how-much-does-laundry-weigh/index.md)

## Per-item dry weight reference

Approximate dry-weight estimates from inthewash.co.uk (a secondary UK reference) — estimates, not certified specifications. Also available as a machine-readable dataset — [JSON](/data/laundry-weight.json) or [CSV](/data/laundry-weight.csv).

### Clothing

Approximate dry weight of common clothes (children / women / men)

| Item            | Children           | Women's             | Men's              |
| --------------- | ------------------ | ------------------- | ------------------ |
| T-shirt         | \~80 g (\~3 oz)    | \~150 g (\~5 oz)    | \~250 g (\~9 oz)   |
| Cotton jumper   | \~500 g (\~1.1 lb) | \~500 g (\~1.1 lb)  | \~900 g (\~2.0 lb) |
| Jeans           | \~200 g (\~7 oz)   | \~500 g (\~1.1 lb)  | \~700 g (\~1.5 lb) |
| Smart trousers  | \~250 g (\~9 oz)   | \~400 g (\~0.9 lb)  | \~650 g (\~1.4 lb) |
| Shorts          | \~200 g (\~7 oz)   | \~350 g (\~12 oz)   | \~400 g (\~0.9 lb) |
| Light jacket    | \~1 kg (\~2.2 lb)  | \~1.2 kg (\~2.6 lb) | \~2 kg (\~4.4 lb)  |
| Socks (pair)    | \~30 g (\~1 oz)    | \~60 g (\~2 oz)     | \~70 g (\~2 oz)    |
| Trainers (pair) | \~400 g (\~0.9 lb) | \~600 g (\~1.3 lb)  | \~900 g (\~2.0 lb) |

### Household linen

Approximate dry weight of common household linen

| Item               | Dry weight         | Notes                       |
| ------------------ | ------------------ | --------------------------- |
| Cotton bath towel  | \~700 g (\~1.5 lb) | a standard cotton towel     |
| Double quilt cover | \~700 g (\~1.5 lb) | cover only                  |
| Cotton tea towel   | \~300 g (\~11 oz)  | a standard cotton tea towel |
| Cotton pillowcase  | \~250 g (\~9 oz)   | varies by thread count      |

## Quick questions

- Is this dry or wet weight?

  Dry. A washing machine's kg rating is the maximum mass of **dry** textiles (EU Regulation 2019/2023), so load and weigh laundry before the wash — wet laundry weighs noticeably more.

- How accurate are the item weights?

  They're approximate dry estimates (inthewash.co.uk) — actual weight varies with fabric, cut and size. Use them as a guide, or weigh a real load on a bathroom scale.

- Does the machine size work for any washer?

  The recommendation matches your load to a machine's rated dry capacity. Leave a little room and load loosely so clothes can tumble — Tide suggests filling to about three-quarters for a large load.

- What about a duvet or bulky bedding?

  Bulky items fill the drum by volume before they reach the weight limit, so size them by the room they need, not their mass. See [How to Wash Bed Sheets](/blog/how-to-wash-bed-sheets/index.md) and the full [laundry weight guide](/blog/how-much-does-laundry-weigh/index.md).