It’s no secret that I don’t care for the laundromat, or doing laundry in a machine. If I can just be honest with you I feel as if it’s too much work for no real reason. If the load isn’t bulky ( like bedding, or blankets) and it’s just your everyday wear, it’s something everyone can do. If you’ve been curious about washing your clothes or just want to know how I hand wash clothes I’ll show you how.
Why I hand wash my clothes.
I honestly like the process of washing my clothes. I think my clothes smell fresher and any stains that I had on my clothes came out better. I’m able to focus more on the pieces and if there’s anything wrong I can catch it before it’s fried in with the dryer. I also don’t care for the dyer, don’t get me wrong I like toasty clothes but if I left it in the basket a bit too long or just got tied up in some tights it becomes so wrinkled. So at the end of the day, I like to hand wash my clothes I can do my laundry quicker, my clothes smell fresher, and it uses less water and energy than a machine.
READ: Laundry Alternative Wash Wonder Review
My Loads
I keep my loads fairly small, I like to do maybe 3 outfits at a time and do it like once a week just to keep the loads low and use less water and dry time. I also re-wear a lot of my clothing to help keep my loads low to.
The Process.
I rinse out my tub first because I literally use it for everything. Then I check my clothes and pretreat any stains that I have or spots that I need extra attention. After that fill up the tub with water just about an inch or inch and a half and add my detergent and swish it around so it’s bubbly then add my clothes and fill up with more water to cover the clothes. Then I stir the clothes around and add more detergent if necessary. I let the clothes sit for about 15 minutes or so then I go drain the water. Afterward, I fill the tub back up, stir, and drain again. I do this about twice until the water is clear.
Drying.
Once the water is clear I take each piece, yes each piece, and wring them out until there’s little to no water left. Then I hang it on my drying rack and wait. It doesn’t take too long to dry but it does depend on what the fabric is and the temp in the house. I used to sit my clothes out on my balcony but after a while, it was just too much and I got downstairs neighbors and I didn’t want my laundry water on their patio furniture. So I sit it in my tub and wait for it to stop drip drying and then sit it out on the floor. After a few hours, my clothes are dry and ready to wear!
FAQ about Hand Washing
How much time do you spend washing your clothes?
About 45 minutes of wash time and dry time sometimes overnight sometimes only a few minutes it all depends on how I do it.
Is this more ecofriendly than traditional washing?
Yes because if you use less water than a washing machine and if you use cold water you’re also not using any additional energy to heat up the water.
Does Hand Washing Really Work?
Yes it does work. You really are doing the same thing as a washer just manually. It also keeps your clothes looking fresher longer.
Do You Need special detergent?
No, although as a personal preference I like liquid detergent better, but you don’t need a special soap for it.