Beyond the damage to your things, your washing machine will also sustain much more intense wear and tear if it's consistently overloaded. A heavy drum can strain the electric motor that turns it, ...

If you've started to notice things indicating your washing machine isn't really cleaning your clothes or a funky smell coming from inside the drum, you could be dealing with an overloaded washer.

Overloading your washing machine might seem like a time-saver in the short term, but it can lead to poor cleaning results and long-term damage to your appliance. So before you stuff that extra towel ...