How To Hand Wash Clothes
Knowing how to hand wash clothes is beneficial, as it's the best way to clean clothing without a washing machine. We always hand wash bras, bathing suits, and delicate underwear. We prefer to hand wash delicates, woolens, lace, and embellished items. Most durable delicates can be washed on the delicate or hand wash cycle in a mesh bag but if the item seems sensitive or very delicate, hand wash it.
How to Wash Clothes By Hand
The best method of handwashing clothes, underwear, and other delicates, consists of these simple steps:
To dry delicate clothes as quickly as possible, place the item on top of a towel, making sure it's flat and in its original shape then roll up the item in the towel (like a sleeping bag) to remove excess water. For faster drying when handwashing laundry, use more than one towel and repeat several times. Don't put delicate items in the dryer, instead lay flat or hang to dry.
What kind of detergent or soap should I use? Select the appropriate product based on the fabric of the item you're washing. It's important to always check your garment's tag before laundering. We love our Delicate Wash for items like eveningwear and lingerie, and Wool & Cashmere Shampoo for sweaters and woolens. What if the water in my wash basin becomes colored? Don't panic. This is normal and it is simply the fabric dye releasing color. Typically, this does not mean you will notice any color loss in the item after washing. Can I hand wash more than one item at a time? Yes, it's okay to wash like items together. They should be the same color and made from the same fiber content.
Handwashing is the most gentle way to clean and maintain all clothes, especially delicate fabrics tagged hand wash only and dry clean on the care label. Examples of items that may be tagged hand wash only or dry clean are lingerie, delicates, wool, cashmere, and lace. Hand washing is also a great way to protect fabrics with straps such as bras and bathing suits or stretch such as activewear and loungewear or intricate detailing such as embroidery, or embellishments. The reason why hand washing is the most effective and gentle way to launder is the fact that it cleanses fabrics without the agitation or spin of the washing machine, which can lead to wear and tear and changes in fabric texture and appearance. Additionally, the nature of washing machines means that certain items—like those with buttons, embellishments, or embroidery—can snag or become twisted on the inside of the washing machine or on other items. When hand washing, you have complete control over water temperature, there’s virtually no agitation, and there’s nothing for fabrics to snag on. Hand washing also allows you to wash just a few articles of clothing at a time without having to do a full load in the washing machine. "Good To Knows" About Hand Washing Clothes
If you are worried about handwashing items labeled "dry clean", test your garment by dropping a tiny amount of water in an inconspicuous area and blotting with a cloth. If no color comes off and it doesn’t leave a water spot, then the item should be safe to hand wash. We do not recommend hand laundering items tagged "dry clean only". Be sure whatever you’re washing in is clean, so scrub with a few capfuls of a multi-purpose cleaning solution and water before beginning the hand washing process. The best way to hand wash clothes is to submerge the item in water mixed with detergent. Use your hands to gently wash garments, swishing the water by hand. Then soak items for up to 30 minutes. Do not wring or scrub the garment.Test First
Start With A Clean Slate
Use Gentle Methods
Stains: Prior to hand washing, it’s important to use a delicate stain remover to treat both visible and invisible stains on susceptible areas. This can also be used for oil-based stains on underarm areas, waistbands, and straps to remove buildup. Apply a small amount to the affected areas, then work in with a Stain Brush until stains have lifted. Next, fill your hand wash bucket, bath tub, or sink with cool to warm water and soak the item for up to 30 minutes to allow the stain remover to penetrate into the fabric. Drain, then proceed to the next step.
Hand Washing: First sort your clothes by fabric type and color. We suggest breaking clothing into these groupings and washing separately: Colors, whites, delicates, and woolens like wool and cashmere. Fill your wash bucket, bath tub or sink with cool to warm water: Durable fabrics like cotton, linen and polyester can tolerate warm to hot water, whereas delicate fabrics, lace, and woolens should be washed with cool water. Now add a capful or squirt of liquid laundry detergent and distribute the soap in the water. Submerge your clothes and allow items to soak for up to 30 minutes. For knits and woolens, use Wool & Cashmere Shampoo, and for delicates use Delicate Wash. Be sure not to soak these fabrics for longer than 30 minutes, as too much water exposure can begin to break down or warp these items. Always use cold water for delicate items, and always rinse hands after handwashing.
Hand Soap & Powder Detergents For Laundry: If you’re wondering: can I wash my clothes with hand soap? We do not recommend doing laundry or hand washing clothes with hand soap. Most hand soap does not have the same type or level of surfactants that laundry detergents do, so they will not effectively clean or release oily stains and residue from fabrics. They can also be very drying to fabrics, leaving them hardened and crunchy. Powder detergent does not dissolve as quickly as liquid detergents when hand washing, especially without the agitation of the washing machine. We suggest a liquid detergent when hand washing, like Delicate Wash.
Rinsing & Drying Clothes: After soaking, drain the water, remove the clothes, then add fresh water to rinse clothes of suds. You’ll know they’re done when the rinse water rinses clear of any soap. Instead of wringing, which can stretch or alter the shape of fabrics, press out excess water with your hands or against the surface of your bin or basin. Air dry by placing items on a clean, flat surface over a dry towel or place on a drying rack. Delicates and woolens should be air dried away from heat sources like sunlight and radiators. If needed, more durable hand wash items can be dried in the dryer (use Wool Dryer Balls to help cut down on static and making drying more efficient), but delicate and dry clean tagged items should always be air dried. In between hand washes, mist delicates and woolens with a fabric spray to dewrinkle and add fragrance. We love to enhance the scent of our handwashing detergents by misting with Delicate Spray or Wool & Cashmere Spray between washes.
