Extend the life of the special items in your closet with these tips on how to hand wash clothes.
If you’re unsure how to hand wash clothes, we’ve got you covered.
Someunique fabrics require special care.
Credit:BHG / Laura Wheatley
However, what products should you use, and how long should you soak an item?
In many cases, when hand-washing, you don’t need touse a detergentspecified for delicates.
Baby shampoo or a mild dish detergent will work fine.
Credit:BHG / Laura Wheatley
Step 1: Read the label.
Alwayscheck the care labelfor directions.
If the label says “dry-clean only,” avoid washing it at home.
Credit: Laura Moss
If the labelsimply says “dry-clean,” you might want to try hand-washing the item.
Before you hand-wash the garment, check a small, inconspicuous area first to ensure the fabric is colorfast.
Step 2: Fill a tub with water.
Hanging clothes to dry rather than tossing them in the dryer can prevent shrinking, fading, and other damage caused by heat.Credit: Jay Wilde
Filla small tub or sinkwith water at the temperature recommended on the care label.
If no care label exists, choose cool to lukewarm water.
Add about ateaspoon of detergent.
You might need more detergent if you hand-wash a large item or multiple items.
Step 3: Submerge and soak the item.
Submerge the garment in soapy water and soak.
Use gentle movements to swish the item through the sudsy water.
Avoid scrubbing or twisting actions that can stretch or damage the fabric.
Gently swish the garment through the sudsy water until it is clean.
Step 4: Rinse and repeat.
Drain the sink or tub, and refill it with cool rinse water.
Push the garment up and down in the water until all soap is removed.
If you’re unsure, sniff the garment to see to it it is no longer scented.
Repeat the process with clean water if necessary.
Step 1: Soak the bra.
Fill a sink or bowl with lukewarm water.
Add a mild, alcohol-free hand-washing detergent and mix in with the water.
Carefully place the bra in the solution and let soak for 15 minutes.
With your hands, work the suds into the bra.
Step 2: Rinse away soap.
Remove the bra from the water.
Be sure to rinse until the bra no longer releases any suds.
Step 3: Dry the bra.
Always hang bras to dry.
How to Hand-Wash Tights
Delicate hosiery and tights require careful laundering to prevent snags and tears.
Here’s how to wash tights by hand.
Step 1: Prep hand-washing detergent.
Fill a sink with lukewarm water and add half a cup of mild laundry detergent to wash your tights.
Any detergent will do, but you might also look for detergent specially made for delicate clothes.
Step 2: Submerge the tights.
First, turn your tights inside-out.
Gently place the tights in the water mixture and begin to scrub.
Let your tights soak for about 10 minutes or so.
Step 3: Rinse and dry.
Once done soaking, remove the tights from the water.
Rinse them under a sink faucet with cold water.
Rinse until no more suds leave the tights.
Tighten into a ball and squeeze out excess water.
Place tights on top of a towel and roll up to dry any remaining spots.
Lay flat to dry on a lint-free towel.
How to Hand-Wash Sweaters
Check the label of your sweater before washing.
Many sweater materials,including cashmereand wool, require hand-washing.
Here’s how to successfully remove stains and odors from sweaters.
To neutralize perspiration odor, add 3/4 cup of white vinegar.
Step 2: Soak and rinse the sweater.
Turn the sweater inside-out.
Immerse the sweater in the water, and swish gently, taking care not to stretch it.
Let soak for 10 minutes.
Next, run cold water over the sweater until no more soapy residue runs from the garment.
Step 3: Dry the sweater.
Once done soaking, press the sweater against the wall of the bin to remove any excess water.
Gently roll the towel and sweater together to remove extra water.
Dry the sweater on a flat, moisture-resistant surface, preferably mesh, which lets air circulate.
Keep it away from sun and heat.
Learn how to hand-wash a hat with our easy tutorial.
Step 1: Pre-treat stains.
First, determine whether your baseball cap has a cardboard bill.
Instead, simply spot-treat vintage hats and baseball caps with cardboard bills.
Let the solution soak in according to the manufacturer’s instructions before washing.
Step 2: Fill a sink and wash the hat.
Fill a sink or container with enough cool water to fully submerge the hat.
Add a few drops of liquid laundry detergent and agitate water until bubbles form.
Soak hat for about 10-15 minutes.
Step 3: Rinse and dry the hat.
Rinse the hat with cool water and gently squeeze to remove suds, avoiding the bill.
Pat dry with a clean towel, then air-dry over a small bowl or container to maintain the shape.
How to Dry Hand-Washed Clothing
Step 1: Squeeze out excess water.
Gently squeeze the excess water from the garment.
Do not twist or wring the item as it could stretch the fibers and ruin the fabric.
Step 2: Lay the item on a towel.
Lay the just-washed garment on the towel, patting it into shape.
Roll up the towel, encasing the garment in the towel.
Gently press on the rolled-up towel to encourage water absorption.
Repeat with another clean, dry towel if the first one becomes saturated.
Step 3: Let hand-washed clothes air dry.
Air-dry delicate lingerie on a drying rack.
If no care label exists, test in an inconspicuous area before pressing.
Hang orfold clothingas soon as it’s dry to avoid wrinkles.
Also, while hand-washing will do in a pinch, heavy-dutyitems like towelsshould be machine-washed.
When awashing machine sanitizes clothes, it does so with high-temperature water (often 140F or hotter).
Water that hot would be too hot for hand-washing.
So, to sanitize hand-washed clothing, try steaming or ironing your pieces when they are dry.
It depends on the throw in of fabric and the temperature in your home.
Wool and synthetics dry quickly,but cotton takes much longer.
The drying process could take a few hours, or if it’s cold out, all day long.
Hand washing actually uses less water than a washing machine.
confirm to use fresh, clean water on each item.
you could alsouse vinegarto act as a fabric softener.
