Abstract: The method for checking the degree of microbial loading of laundry after a wash cycle is characterized in that a defined amount of living microorganisms are washed together with the laundry, in that the number of microorganisms still living after the end of the wash process is determined and in that the effectiveness or quality of the wash process is determined from the difference between the original amount of living microorganisms and the amount of microorganisms which still remain alive after the wash process. A device for carrying out this method comprises inter alia a container (90) in which the microorganisms are held so that the wash liquid can enter this container (90) but the microorganisms cannot leave this container.