How to Hand Wash Clothing

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

02 Feb 2008 02:42 PM

Wondering what is the best method to hand wash items? Are there times when you should dry clean them instead? Here is a quick guide on how to hand wash clothing.

Check your clothing labels. Have you been machine washing items that really should be hand washed? Do you avoid buying anything that needs to be hand washed because you don't want to go through the trouble or you aren't sure how to do it?

I used to dread items that have hand washing instructions, but now I have the method pretty much down pat. This is good, since my daughter just got a bunch of fancy dresses for Christmas from her grandparents. I also picked up a great deal on two new sweaters for myself that are made with 80 percent cashmere wool. Both types of these items need to be hand washed. While the cashmere sweaters could be dry cleaned, the process is harsher than hand washing and could ruin the sweaters or decrease their life.

The first thing to do is to get a basin or sink for your items. I actually use the bathtub. Start filling the tub with tepid water. Add in a little bit of gentle detergent. I like to use Woolight.

Add your item or items and gently swoosh them around in the water. Let the clothes soak for five minutes, swooshing every so often. Drain the basin and fill it again with clean rinse water. Keep rinsing until the water stays clean.

Gently press the item with your hands to remove some of the water. Be careful not to wring it out or twist it. Lay it on a clean towel and roll the towel up with the clothing inside. The towel will absorb most of the water.

Unroll the towel and lay the item out on another clean towel or on a mesh sweater rack. Do not hang it unless the label says "Hang to dry."

To further protect any delicate items, hand wash them in a mesh lingerie or sweater bag.

Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.

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Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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