Winner, do you want to learn how to hand wash laundry?
Then you’re in luck.
Because in this post I share with you the quickest, most effortless way to ensure your laundry gets from dirty to clean in no time.
Whether it’s your clothes. Or your linens. You can definitely get them clean using you own hands.
But, don’t worry.
We’re not so archaic as to yell, ‘DON’T BUY A WASHING MACHINE!’.
Remember these 20 frugal living mistakes to avoid? Well, here are two mistakes very relevant to this post: 1. Refusing to spend money AND 2. Not being smart about DIYs.
So, if you’re not much of a DIYer, then it’s OK to splurge on an affordable washing machine.
Amazon has amazing variety for you.
Why you should hand wash your laundry?
Reason#1: It saves you money
A washing machine may be handy to have. But if you choose to forgo buying it. And instead hand wash laundry, you can save a LOT of money.
Here in my part of the world, we hand wash laundry.
Reason#2: It saves you time
Hear this from someone who’s been hand washing laundry all her life.
You think your washing machine is pretty fast?
Well, you’ll be surprised to learn that you can beat the record time of your washing machine by learning a few simple hacks. One of which is soaking your laundry before hand washing it.
A few days of soaking white shirts, for example, will have the dirt leaving your shirts before your hands even touch them.
Reason #3: It’s a great way to exercise
Want to work your arms and hands a little but feeling lazy to dedicate some time to doing it?
Well, you’re in luck because hand washing laundry is your perfect solution.
Now you can kiss your chiseled biceps without really having to consciously put any thought into it.
But guess what? It’s not only your arms that benefit when you hand wash laundry, even your legs can too!
For larger loads of laundry, especially blankets, just stomp on the blankets (in the tub) with your feet to squeeze out the dirt.
Reason #4: It helps the durability of your laundry
Your hands are gentler on your laundry than a machine. (So that’s a definite plus.)
When you hand wash a shirt for example, you know which parts of the shirt to be delicate with.
And this is where soaking is most important. Because soaking takes care of most of the dirt removal without even using your hands.
10 steps to hand wash laundry
Step 1: Fill at least 2 tubs with fresh water
The size of your tub will depend on the size of your laundry load. The bigger your laundry load, the bigger your tub should be.
But when you fill your tub with water, ensure that you leave room for the clothes to fit into the tub without creating any spillage.
Step 2: Add some detergent to one tub
This is the tub you’ll be starting your clothes in.
Remember to leave the water in the other tub(s) clear, i.e. without any detergent. Because you’ll use the tub(s) for rinsing the clothes.
Some brands of detergent foam faster and longer than others. Allowing you to use less detergent per load. Thereby saving you money in the long run.
But don’t get caught up in the price. Because your brand choice will also depend on your taste.
So, add your detergent to the water gradually, rather than dumping it in.
Additionally, most brands will offer detergents for both hand washing and machine washing.
So, be on the lookout for that distinction when you’re shopping for your detergent.
Step 3: Mix the detergent thoroughly into the water
Gradually adding the detergent into the water will help you assess the soapiness of your water. To determine just the right amount.
Too soapy and your fingers will just glide over the fabrics without really working on them. Plus the foam will get in the way of you seeing your progress.
And not soapy enough and the detergent will have you working extra hard to get that dirt off.
Step 4: Sort by color before you hand wash laundry
If you want your individual laundry items to maintain their original color (and I’m sure you do),
then group similar colors together.
For example, white can go with mustards, yellows, light blues etc.
Blacks can go in with navy blues.
But do so only as long as none of your laundry items bleeds.
Because in that case, you’ll have to separate the bleeding item from the rest of your laundry.
Step 5: Read the label on each laundry item
This is the label attached somewhere on the inside of your clothes, that tells you the handling specifications for that fabric.
Some items require only a cold wash. Some are strictly no dry cleaning.
Knowing this information will help you preserve your items as you wash them the proper way.
Step 6: Start by soaking lighter colors first
Lighter colors should always be the first to go into your clean water.
But of course, you can always do this step at least a day before your laundry day, just so the dirt can be easier to work on.
In fact, you can do this with all of your laundry.
But if you find yourself pressed for time, you can soak your laundry for just a few hours before washing them.
Can you include darker colors with lighter colors when you hand wash laundry?
YES! As long as your darker item has very little dirt. And does not bleed.
For example, because my black brassiere rarely gets too dirty, I wash it with my lighter colors.
Step 7: Squeeze the dirt out of clothes
You can use your fingers. Or knead your clothes (like you knead dough).
And like I mentioned above, you can also stomp on your laundry with your feet.
Remember to turn your clothes inside and out in order to get rid of the dirt on both side.
If you’re trying to preserve your colors, especially black ones, you can wash your clothes inside out.
A great tip!
Here’s a hack to save time between soaking your laundry and hanging it to dry:
Wash one batch of laundry, e. g your whites, entirely. And transfer it to fresh non-soapy water ready for rinsing.
But before you start rinsing that batch, add another dirty batch of laundry, say darker colors, into your soapy water so it can soak while you’re rinsing and hanging the first batch.
Step 8: Wring every laundry item and transfer it to a tub of fresh non-soapy water
Wringing thoroughly will help you preserve the freshness of the water in your other tubs.
This way, you can rinse as much of your laundry as possible before needing to switch to another tub of fresh water.
But be careful in this step. Because some fabrics will stretch if you wring them. In that case, you’ll just gently squeeze the water out of them.
That’s why its important to read the handling specifications of each item.
Step 9: Rinse laundry
In this step, I use at most 3 tubs of water. But to save water, I use one tub at a time, and move to the next tub only after the water in the first tub has turned soapy from rinsing the items.
I also use as little water as possible per tub.
This way, I’m able to give all my items a thorough rinse. Without using all that much water.
Step 10: Hang laundry to dry after you hand wash laundry
Find a sunny spot to hang your laundry.
You can drape your laundry over surfaces. Or even better, make a clothes line.
But too much sun exposure can fade your clothes over time.
So, to preserve the color of your items, hang them in a shaded area. Or start in a sunny area until excess water has drained. And then move your clothes to a shady area for the rest of the drying phase.
In this case, make sure you do your laundry well in advance so you’re not in a rush to use the items.
Summary
If you’ve chosen to hand wash laundry then great! Because hand washing laundry can save you both money and time, as well as engage your body for a great workout while maintaining the durability of your clothes. The 10 easy steps in this post will help you hand wash laundry like a pro for amazing results.
I hope you found this post helpful.
In that case, please share your feedback with us by commenting: what did you think of this post?