The setting references the degree of dirtiness of the items being laundered. It instructs the appliance to adjust the wash cycle’s intensity, duration, and water usage. For instance, selecting ‘heavy’ increases wash time and water volume to effectively remove significant soiling, while ‘light’ uses a shorter cycle and less water for lightly soiled garments.
Appropriate calibration of the wash promotes effective cleaning while preventing unnecessary wear and tear on fabrics. Correct setting selection also contributes to water and energy conservation. Historically, this functionality emerged as washing machines evolved to handle diverse fabric types and degrees of soiling, reflecting a growing awareness of resource efficiency and textile care.