Why The Last Minute Setting On Your Washing Machine Always Takes Much Longer

Perfect timing is often crucial to get through a busy day of chores, which can make that last minute on the washing machine particularly frustrating. Most of us have fallen victim to the lie that our washing machine likes to tell. It says there's 60 seconds to go, so you hang out, ready to toss your clothes in the dryer in a flash and move onto the next task. The minute passes. Then another. Aaaaaand another, and by this point, you're wondering whether the washer's gravitational field is dilating time itself or your machine is playing some sick joke.

Either way, you may ask why there's a timer in the first place if it's just going to make you wait. To understand why washers stretch that final minute, House Digest reached out to YouTube appliance blogger Ben Schlichter for expert answers in an exclusive chat. As Schlichter discussed, washers aim to deliver optimal results rather than meet a deadline.

"Typically, this can be due to the unit failing to spin-dry the clothes to an acceptable level," he explained. "If the unit's balancing system detects excess water in the clothing, it will add additional time to run a lower-RPM spin, increasing the time needed to fully complete the cycle. The unit will stop, work to re-balance the load of clothes so it can achieve high-speed spin, then run again. This is the case for last-minute adjustments that often add 5-15 minutes to the runtime." He noted that changes like these are common throughout the washing process (and they may be something you can influence by loading your laundry the correct way).

The extended last minute on the washing machine is a near-universal irritation. But from the time you press "Start," the appliance actually makes several time adjustments. We often only notice them at the end of the spin cycle because we're waiting at the machine. "Prior to this, there could be auto-detection systems on soil or other situations during the wash that could extend the time," Ben Schlichter stated in his exclusive talk with House Digest. "Also, many newer systems may have an introductory time value that adjusts based on the actual load and composition of clothes that will be adjusted within 5-10 minutes of starting the unit."

For most of us, that means the washer will almost undoubtedly be off by at least a few minutes, regardless of what it says at first. In some lucky circumstances, though, it could lead to a shorter wash instead of a frustratingly extended wait. "Both are possible," Schlichter stated. "We've investigated this and often where it elongates is based on the braking system of the washing machine. The unit may take a longer-than-expected time to come to a full stop that will disengage the lock and result in the 'End of Cycle' notification."

Washing machines base their timing on their normal expected use. Deviations occur when something happens that the appliance didn't expect. In many cases, it's human error. The same mistakes that destroy your washer and dryer without you noticing, like overloading the drum or using too much laundry detergent, can lead to adjusted wash times at different points in the wash. And when it comes to that last minute during the spin cycle, Ben Schlichter recommended watching out for one common culprit.

"Properly balance your clothes when adding them to the washing machine at the start of the cycle as based on manufacturers' use and care guides," he said in his exclusive chat with House Digest. Not only is an unbalanced load a key reason your washing machine is shaking like crazy, but it can also cause many units to not finish when they're supposed to. "Often they will have a specific statement of how clothes should be added, what types, and to what level," Schlichter said. "Improperly balancing the clothes (say, adding three hoodies to one side and 10 pairs of socks to the other) will result in the machine working to adjust these products to ensure that they can wash/spin appropriately. An out-of-balance load will cause many issues."