What does soil mean on a washer? The soil level setting on a washing machine is often overlooked, but it can greatly impact the cleaning results and time taken to wash a load. This setting allows you to adjust the level of dirt or stains on your laundry, which can affect the time and intensity of the wash cycle. If youre looking to improve the outcome of your laundry, consider using this setting. However, if youre satisfied with the current results, it may not be necessary to make this adjustment. what does soil level mean on washing machine