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How To Hand Wash Your Laundry
Here is a short guide to hand washing your laundry. Find out some handy hints, and have your clothes sparkling by the time you've watched the video. Hand Wash Your Laundry with added expertise.
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Step 1:
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You will need:
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Step 2:
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Why wash by hand
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Handwashing is a complicated business. The variety of fabrics and fabric mixes widens every day. Washing by hand is tough work. But it is worth it to see your clothes washed with care. They look better, and last longer.
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Step 3:
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Check the label
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The only material you shouldn't wash is leather. For every thing else, check the label.
It is vital to heed the instructions of any care label.
Only try to hand wash garments where the label indicates that they can be machine washed or hand washed.
If you try to wash dry clean only clothing yourself, you risk ruining the colour or shape of the clothes.
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Step 4:
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Fill the basin with water
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Fill the basin with water. Pay attention to the care label when it comes to the temperature of the water. Clothes that are marked with a hand wash symbol should be washed at 35 degrees or less. This will feel lukewarm to the touch. Some clothes will need cold water.
As a general guide line, synthetic fabrics that have elastic properties can lose their elasticity at hot temperatures. Wool can shrink from heat and from the tumbling in a washing machine or dryer. -
Handy Hint
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Wash your gym clothes soon after use. Perspiration will stain Lycra and elastane within 48 hours. Finish off your workout with a little hand washing and the stain will come out more easily.
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Step 5:
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Separate your clothes
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If you've got a few things to wash group similar items together. Organise them first by colour, so the whites, colours and dark are separated. Then divide the piles in to the water temperature that they need.
Wash each group separately. You will be changing the water in between, but there can be residue of the dye left in the basin, so it's safer to do whites first, then colours, and finally darks.
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Step 6:
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Test delicate items
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The dye in delicate items like silks and woollens can run and ruin the garment and anything else that they are being washed with, so test a little piece first. Dip an inconspicuous piece of the garment in cold or tepid water. Put a piece of white cotton over the damp material and press a warm iron on top. If dye has transferred to the cotton, other than a faint trace, then you shouldn't wash it yourself.
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Step 7:
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Pre treat clothes
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If anything is stained, you should put on a little spot cleaner or suitable stain remover before washing.
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Step 8:
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Put on gloves
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Put on some rubber gloves to protect your hands from the chemicals, they will also help if the water is hot.
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Step 9:
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Add the detergent
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Put a little laundry detergent in the water and move it around so that it's fully dissolved. Use a gentle detergent. The items you are washing are probably delicate.
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Warning
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Never use chlorine bleach on cashmere or white wool, it will damage the cashmere, and make the white wool yellow.
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Step 10:
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Soak
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Put your first batch of washing in the soapy water and leave them to soak for a few minutes. They are much easier to clean if they are fully drenched through.
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Step 11:
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Agitate
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Knead the clothes to get the detergent and water right through the fabric, and draw out the dirt.
Be careful as loosely woven items and silks can become misshapen if you pull them too much, so very gently rub them so the soap can do its work.
Pay particular attention to areas where you might have perspired or that have become dirty, like the under arms, cuffs and collars.
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Step 12:
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Rinse
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When you are satisfied that the clothing is nice and clean, empty out the soapy water. Press down on the clothes so that as much of the water as possible is gone.
Fill the basin with fresh water, and agitate the clothes a little, and empty out the water again. Repeat this several times until the water runs clear.
You can add a little fabric softener to the first rinse, to condition the fabrics -
Handy Hint
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To give silk a nice sheen, add a small amount of white vinegar to the water for the final rinse. This will also help to keep it bright and stop it yellowing.
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Step 13:
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Wring them out
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Wring items gently and roll in a towel to soak up more moisture.
Silk shouldn't be wrung as it will become misshapen.
When you have soaked up as much of the water as you can, remove from the towel.
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Step 14:
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Leave to dry
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Most laundry can be left to dry on a line or clothes horse. However, if you are drying wool or heavy materials they should be left to dry flat. If these materials are hung to dry, the water can pull them out of shape.
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