Overloading a washing machine can potentially lead to functional problems with your appliance and affect the quality of the wash your clothes receive. Depending on the type of laundry, the level of soiling, and the washing programme desired it is always advisable to follow your manual's capacity recommendation as it will vary from model to model. The drum should be filled so that you can fit your hand in at the top and then be able to turn your hand 90°.It’s best to leave some room for clothes to move; the agitation caused by the different clothes rubbing against each other is part of the washing process. If your washing machine drum is overfilled, your laundry will move around in one large mass, preventing the detergent from circulating and dissolving properly and resulting in less-than-perfect washing performance.