Imagine buying a new LG washer just to realize you do not know what cycle to use or how long to wait. If that’s the case, here are the most typical LG washing machine cycles explained.
You’ll learn when to use each LG washing machine cycle, how long to wait, and what wash/rinse temperature and spin speed setting to use. In that case, matching your laundry with the correct cycle becomes easy.
You will likely find a long list of wash cycles when you visit the LG website. For example, we’ve standard cycles, downloadable cycles, and other ‘options.’ Our emphasis, however, is on the standard cycles, where I’ll discuss all 20 options.
After that, we’ll look at other related issues and their fixes. So, let’s dive in!
In a hurry? Consider the LG washing machine cycle guide below:
LG Washing Machine Cycles Explained – Quick Guide
| – | Cycle | Estimated Time | Best for |
| 1. | Speed Wash | 15 minutes | Lightly soiled clothing and smaller loads |
| 2. | Rinse + Spin | 20 minutes | Thorough rinsing and deep cleaning |
| 3. | Drain + Spin | 20 minutes | Dripping wet laundry |
| 4. | Steam Fresh | 20 minutes | Clothes that need light freshening and not a full wash |
| 5. | Permanent Press | 34 minutes | Wrinkle-free clothes, dress clothing, tablecloth, and cotton blends |
| 6. | Hand Wash/Wool | 34 minutes | Hand-washable and wool machine-washable clothes |
| 7. | Delicates | 42 minutes | Blouses, shirts, sheers, lacy garments, and nylon fabric |
| 8. | Small Load | 50 minutes | Smaller loads of sheets, shirts, linen, cotton, and towels |
| 9. | Normal | 57 minutes | Work attire, shirts, jeans, and mixed fabric |
| 10. | Cotton/Normal | 58 minutes | Cotton, mixed loads, jeans, towels, shirts, and shirts |
| 11. | Cotton/Towels | 58 minutes | Cotton, towels, shirts, sheets, and linens |
| 12. | Tub Clean | 60 minutes | Regular washer maintenance |
| 13. | Cold Care | 63 minutes | Smaller loads of sheets, cotton, linen, towels, jeans, and mixed loads |
| 14. | Towels | 73 minutes | Towels and cotton |
| 15. | Bright White | 75 minutes | White fabrics |
| 16. | Heavy Duty | 100 minutes | Heavily soiled cotton items |
| 17. | Sanitary | 105 minutes | Heavily soiled articles, cloth diapers, work attire, and undergarments |
| 18. | Bulky/Large | 105 minutes | More oversized items like duvets and blankets |
| 19. | Allergiene | 113 minutes | Allergen-contaminated clothing |
| 20. | Baby Wear | 120 minutes | Lightly soiled baby clothes |
What Are the Cycles On A LG Washing Machine?
LG washing machines have different wash cycles, which may vary from model. Below are 20 standard options:
1. Speed Wash (Estimated Time – 15 Minutes)
The Speed Wash cycle is the shortest standard cycle on an LG washing machine. This cycle takes roughly 15 minutes and is generally best for lightly soiled clothing and smaller loads.
Speed Wash works best with either a hot wash/rinse temperature (1220F) or cold wash/rinse temperature (770F), and you can select it alongside an extra high spin speed.
2. Rinse + Spin (Estimated Time – 20 Minutes)
Rinse + Spin is ideal for thorough rinsing and deep cleaning of clothes. The cycle takes 20 minutes, making it one of the fastest LG washing machine cycles. For the best result, you can pair this cycle with a high spin speed setting and cold wash/rinse temperature.
3. Drain + Spin (Estimated Time – 20 Minutes)
If wet laundry needs you to spin out the excess water, consider the Drain + Spin cycle. Like its counterpart above, this cycle takes 20 minutes and can run at any spin speed.
4. Steam Fresh (Estimated Time – 20 Minutes)
Steam Fresh suits clothes that need light freshening and not a full wash. The cycle generally takes 20 minutes.
5. Permanent Press (Estimated Time – 34 Minutes)
If you want to wash wrinkle-free clothes, dress clothing, table cloth, or cotton blends, no cycle is better than the permanent press. This cycle takes 34 minutes, which is still a short duration.
You can pair the cycle with a low spin speed not to damage the fabric, and consider using cold wash/rinse temperature.
6. Hand Wash/Wool Cycle (Estimated Time – 34 Minutes)
The Hand Wash/Wool Cycle suits those clothes that come with the hand-washable label or woolen options with the machine-washable labels. This cycle takes an average of 34 minutes, just like Permanent Press, and works best with cold wash/rinse temperature and a low spin speed.
7. Delicates Cycle (Estimated Time – 42 Minutes)
Laundry options like blouses, shirts, sheers, lacy garments, and nylon fabric require a gentler cycle, and that’s where the Delicates Cycle comes in. This wash cycle averages 42 minutes and works best with cold wash/rinse temperature, medium spin speed, and Normal soil level.
8. Small Load (Estimated Time – 50 Minutes)
As the name suggests, Small Load is best for washing smaller loads of laundry. That includes sheets, shirts, linen, cotton, and towels.
Overall, the cycle averages 50 minutes and works best at warm wash/rinse temperature, high spin speed setting, and Normal soil level.
9. Normal Cycle (Estimated Time – 57 Minutes)
Undeniably the most used wash cycle, the Normal Cycle averages 57 minutes (roughly an hour) and is generally best for work attire, shirts, jeans, and mixed fabric.
For the best results, use a warm wash/rinse temperature and a high spin speed when running the Normal Cycle. And as for the soil level, you can settle for the Normal setting.
10. Cotton/Normal Cycle (Estimated Time – 58 Minutes)
Now, if you have cotton, mixed loads, jeans, towels, shirts, and shirts that you want to wash fast and effectively, you can’t go wrong with the Cotton/Normal Cycle.
This wash cycle averages 58 minutes and works best with a warm wash/rinse temperature and a high spin speed setting. Moreover, you should set the soil level to ‘Normal.’
11. Tub Clean (Estimated Time – 60 Minutes)
LG washing machine requires regular tub cleaning at least once a month. You can do that easily using the Tub Clean cycle, which averages 60 minutes.
This regular washer maintenance practice helps to get rid of dirt all across the tub and mold around the gasket, and in the end, it gives your tub a fresh smell.
12. Cold Care (Estimated Time – 63 Minutes)
Consider using the Cold Care cycle if you have smaller loads of sheets, cotton, linen, towels, jeans, and mixed loads requiring cold wash/rinse temperature. In addition to needing cold wash/rinse temperature, this cycle requires a high spin speed and Normal soil level.
The Cold Care cycle averages 63 minutes, more like an hour, but the time could vary depending on the load size and filthiness.
13. Towels Cycle (Estimated Time – 73 Minutes)
As the name suggests, the Towels Cycle is for cleaning your towels. But still, you can run any cotton fabric through it, and it takes about 73 minutes.
The Towels Cycle works best with a warm wash/rinse temperature, medium spin speed, and a Normal soil level.
14. Bright White (Estimated Time – 75 Minutes)
If you’ve extra white clothes, you wouldn’t want to take their shine away. One way to ensure that is by using the Bright White Cycle. This cycle averages 75 minutes and can work with either hot or cold wash/rinse temperature and a high spin speed.
15. Heavy Duty (Estimated – 100 Minutes)
The Heavy Duty cycle is for cleaning heavily soiled items. This cycle averages 100 minutes and requires warm or cold wash/rinse temperature, extra high spin speed, and Heavy soil level.
16. Sanitary Cycle (Estimated Time – 105 Minutes)
Consider using the Sanitary Cycle when washing heavily soiled articles, cloth diapers, work attire, and undergarments. Given the filthiness of the articles, the cycle takes up to 105 minutes and works best with an extra hot wash/rinse temperature and an extra high spin speed.
17. Bulky/Large (Estimated Time – 105 Minutes)
As the name hints, the Bulky/Large cycle is best for bulky or larger items like duvets and blankets. This cycle takes up to 105 minutes or longer and works best with a warm or cold wash/rinse temperature, a low spin speed, and a Normal soil level.
18. Allergiene (Estimated Time – 113 Minutes)
If you’ve items contaminated with allergens like pet dander, mold, or dust mites, you can eliminate the allergen and leave your clothes spotless using the Allergiene cycle. That includes bedding, underwear, and baby wear.
The cycle averages 113 minutes and works best with a high spin speed.
19. Baby Wear (Estimated Time – 120 Minutes)
Lastly, the baby Wear cycle is for washing your baby’s laundry. It’s, however, best for lightly soiled baby clothes, and you can use extra hot or cold wash/rinse temperature and a high spin speed.
My LG Washing Machine Takes 3 Hours to Wash
From the above guide, several cycles average 100-120 minutes, but no cycle takes more than 2 hours. So, it’s clear that something must be wrong if your LG washer cycle averages 3 hours.
In most cases, it could be one of these issues:
- Excess laundry
- Unstable washer
- Detergent overuse
- Slower spin setting
- Inadequate water pressure
Solution
Now that you know what causes the longer wash cycle, here’s how to reduce time in LG washing machine:
- Keep the drum ¾ full – not more than that
- Steady the washer if it’s shaky
- Use the recommended detergent – and the correct amount
- Adjust the spin setting – perhaps something slightly faster
- Raise the washer’s water pressure to at least 20psi
LG Washing Machine Cotton Plus
Some LG washing machines have the Cotton Plus cycle, which averages an hour. This cycle works best for large cotton loads with a warm or cold wash/rinse temperature.
LG Washing Machine Mode for Curtains
If you are looking for an LG wash cycle for curtains, you can consider the Curtain Wash, Hand Wash/Wool, or Delicates depending on how thick, large, and soiled the curtains are.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How Long Is a Normal Cycle On LG Washer?
A Normal Cycle takes roughly 1 hour on an LG washer. This cycle is best for jeans, shirts, work wear, and mixed loads. The cycle works best with a warm rinse/wash temperature, where you can wash averagely soiled clothes.
2. What Is Download Cycle in LG Washing Machine?
A download cycle on an LG washing machine is a cycle you can download on LG’s ThinQ app and access the instructions on the go. That’s unlike standard cycles, which evolve alongside the laundry.
3. How Long Does LG Washing Machine Speed Wash Cycle Take?
The LG Speed Wash cycle takes roughly 15 minutes, making it the shortest LG washing machine cycle. Overall, this cycle is best for lightly soiled clothes and smaller loads and works best with hot or cold water and an extra-high spin speed.
Closing Thought:
Above are standard LG washing machine cycles explained. You can thus use the guide to pick a wash cycle that matches your laundry. Not only will it ensure you know how long to wait, but you’ll also have the promise of better washing results.
But still, you can visit the LG website to check out Downloadable Cycles and other options, just in case what you are looking for is not in my top 20 list.
Also Read: