A method for washing laundry during a washing cycle in a laundry washing machine (1; 300) comprising: - a washing drum adapted to receive laundry; - a washing tub external to said washing drum; - a water supply unit to supply water into said washing tub from an external supply line; - an automatic dosing device to supply detergent into said washing tub comprising a compartment suitable for receiving an amount of detergent sufficient for a plurality of washing cycles; - a device suited to sense the liquid level inside said washing tub; - a control unit for controlling functioning of said laundry washing machine (1; 300); the method comprising an initial phase of introducing water and detergent for washing said laundry and a successive main washing phase during which laundry is subjected to a washing mechanical action by means of drum rotations and to a cleaning action by means of said water and detergent; characterized in that said initial phase comprises the steps of: - a) loading water into said washing tub; - b) rotating the washing drum; - c) monitoring the variation of the water level sensed by said device for determining when the laundry is saturated, said variation being due to the water supplied into said washing tub in step a) and due to the water absorbed by the laundry in step b) wherein said laundry is saturated when the variation of said water level sensed by said device in step c) is below a determined range; - repeating at least one time steps a) to c); - operating said automatic dosing device for introducing a quantity of detergent into said washing tub based on the amount of water (Wt) introduced in said steps a), said amount of water (Wt) being the water introduced in said steps a) for getting the laundry saturated. - a washing drum adapted to receive laundry; - a washing tub external to said washing drum; - a water supply unit to supply water into said washing tub from an external supply line; - an automatic dosing device to supply detergent into said washing tub comprising a compartment suitable for receiving an amount of detergent sufficient for a plurality of washing cycles; - a device suited to sense the liquid level inside said washing tub; - a control unit for controlling functioning of said laundry washing machine (1; 300); the method comprising an initial phase of introducing water and detergent for washing said laundry and a successive main washing phase during which laundry is subjected to a washing mechanical action by means of drum rotations and to a cleaning action by means of said water and detergent; characterized in that said initial phase comprises the steps of: - a) loading water into said washing tub; - b) rotating the washing drum; - c) monitoring the variation of the water level sensed by said device for determining when the laundry is saturated, said variation being due to the water supplied into said washing tub in step a) and due to the water absorbed by the laundry in step b) wherein said laundry is saturated when the variation of said water level sensed by said device in step c) is below a determined range; - repeating at least one time steps a) to c); - operating said automatic dosing device for introducing a quantity of detergent into said washing tub based on the amount of water (Wt) introduced in said steps a), said amount of water (Wt) being the water introduced in said steps a) for getting the laundry saturated. - a) loading water into said washing tub; - b) rotating the washing drum; - c) monitoring the variation of the water level sensed by said device for determining when the laundry is saturated, said variation being due to the water supplied into said washing tub in step a) and due to the water absorbed by the laundry in step b) wherein said laundry is saturated when the variation of said water level sensed by said device in step c) is below a determined range; - repeating at least one time steps a) to c); - operating said automatic dosing device for introducing a quantity of detergent into said washing tub based on the amount of water (Wt) introduced in said steps a), said amount of water (Wt) being the water introduced in said steps a) for getting the laundry saturated.