To understand the difference, all you need is to know all the possible definitions of the words! "Washing" can be used as a noun OR a verb. As a noun "the washing" implies the clothes and or linen that either need to be washed, are being washed or have been washed, but have not yet been put away, and is always referred to in plural, e.g. "some washing", "the washing", "a basket/pile of washing", rarely "washing" but never "a washing". To "do the washing" means "to wash the clothes and or linen that needs to be cleaned". "Washing" is also a regular verb, e.g. "I/you/they/we wash", "he/she/it washes" or "I am washing", "you/they/we are washing", "he/she/it is washing". "Laundry" is a noun only, but has two different meanings. The first is the room in a house where the clothes are cleaned, dried and ironed, etc. The second refers the clothes themselves, as the first definition of washing does, and is referred to in the same way, e.g. "some laundry", "the laundry", "a basket/pile of laundry", sometimes "laundry" but never "a laundry". (If you say "a laundry", you would be referring to the room in the house, not the clothing or linen.) "Do the laundry" has the same meaning as "do the washing", although "laundry" is more commonly used in America, with "washing" being the word used in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. If you want to talk about you washing your clothes, you can say... I'm going to wash/clean my clothes---I'm going to do my/the washing---I'm going to do my/the laundry I am washing/cleaning my clothes---I'm doing my/the washing---I'm doing my/the laundry I've washed/cleaned my clothes---I've done my/the washing---I've done my/the laundry I'm sure that I've given a good enough explanation by now for you to understand, but if you need a few more examples or help, please feel free to message or email me!

I think of "laundry" as American English and "washing" as British English. I always hear/say: Put the washing on. Do you have any dirty washing? Can you bring the washing down? [from upstairs] etc.

Dana: The two terms are generally synonymous. I can say; "I need to get my washing done." I can say; "I need to get my laundry done." Better still; "I need for someone else to do my Washing and my Laundry!" .