How To Hand Wash Clothes

Inside: Don't skip buying that sweater. Learn how to hand wash clothes at home. It's simple to do and washing clothes by hand doesn't take all day.

We've all been there. You find the perfect sweater at the perfect price. You are all ready to get it when you realize it's hand wash only. Suddenly you're not so sure it's the perfect sweater anymore. Washing clothes in the washing machine just makes life easier. You spend a minute or two putting the laundry in the wash and then you don't have to think about it again until it's time to move the clothes to the dryer. It would be great if everything could be washed in the machine, but unfortunately, from time to time we all have things we need to hand wash.

Over the years I have bought more and more clothes and accessories that needs to be washed by hand. This year I even bought a silk pillowcase that needs to be washed by hand. I am never going to love hand washing clothes, but I have found a few tips that make hand washing clothes easier. If you want to learn some easy tips check out how to hand wash clothes.

To start, I recommend using a gentle detergent when you are hand washing clothes. I usually use Woolite delicates detergent. It helps protect against fiber damage and shape loss when washing clothes. This is especially important when you are hand washing clothes. You don't want your sweaters to come out a funky shape.

Fill up a small sink or bucket with water. Use whatever temperature is recommended on the fabric. Then add the detergent and mix it up well. Finally, add in the clothes that you are hand washing. Swish them around in the water for a minute or two and then let them soak in the water for about 5-10 minutes. After they have soaked go back and swish them around again for another minute.

If there are any stains on the fabric you can gently rub or blot at the stains and let them soak for another 10-15 minutes.

Once you have everything washed and the spots out then you can drain your sink or bucket. Rinse the clothes using the correct temperature. You can either rinse them by running water over them in the sink or just fill back up the bucket with fresh clean water. You will want to rinse the clothes until the water is clear and all the soap is out.

After you have all the soap out then you can gently squeeze the excess water from the clothes. Then lay the clothes on a towel or flat surface to dry. By laying them flat instead of hanging them you make sure that they maintain their shape. It's easy to wash your clothes once you know how to hand wash clothes. So next time you see the perfect clothes that are hand wash only you can go ahead and buy it.

Dealing with stains? Check out how to get out almost any stain. Never have a stain ruin your favorite clothes again.

How To Hand Wash Clothes

detergent for hand washing
bucket or sink
water

Fill up a small sink or bucket with water with correct temperature. Then add the detergent and mix it up well. Finally, add in the clothes that you are hand washing. Swish them around in the water for a minute or two and then let them soak in the water for about 5-10 minutes. After they have soaked go back and swish them around again for another minute.

Once you have everything washed and the spots out then you can drain your sink or bucket. Rinse the clothes using the correct temperature until the water is clear. Gently squeeze the excess water from the clothes. Then lay the clothes on a towel or flat surface to dry.