Washing by hand will save you both electricity, water and money. Find out how you should do it to keep your clothes clean and in good condition.
General tips
- First of all, you should always check the label on each garment. This way you will know at what temperature you can wash the clothes and whether they are suitable for any type of cleaning.
- Some types of clothes even require hand washing, so don’t put the following into the washing machine: sweaters, delicate underwear, lace and silk clothes or those that dye a lot.
- Washing powder, liquid and gel should be selected individually for each fabric. Especially wool and silk, being more delicate materials, should be washed with milder detergents. However, liquid detergent and beads work best.
- As a stain remover you can use gray soap or dishwashing liquid.
Different types of stains
- If you want to remove a resin stain, first check what kind of fabric you are dealing with. With natural fibers such as silk, cotton or linen, take a paper towel and fold it into several pieces, then place it under the layer with the stain. Dampen a cotton swab with denatured alcohol or spirit and rub the stain until it disappears.
- Do you think that a blouse stained with red wine is irrecoverable? Soak it in warm water and add a little bit of stain remover. Be careful not to scrub the fabric very hard, just massage it with your fingers. Finally, rinse it with water.
- We all have a weakness for chocolate, but not for its traces on T-shirt or pants. Here, you can choose one of several solutions. You can soak the stain in 2 tablespoons of vinegar mixed with a glass of water, rinse it in warm water and wash it. If that doesn’t work, dip the garment in warm milk and after 15 minutes, wash it in warm soapy water
- Nail polish stain – to get rid of nail polish stain, mix baking soda with warm water, dip a cotton ball in it and rub the stain. If the stain is not on your jeans, you can also use a solvent. For leather surfaces, simply rub the stain off with an eraser or carefully file with a nail file.
- In case there are sweat stains on your blouse, you should pour vinegar on it and leave it for 15 minutes. Then, in quick strokes, wash the fabric in washing powder. For more intense stains, you can mix vinegar with baking soda.
How to hand wash?
If you haven’t had the opportunity to hand wash your clothes before, please follow the instructions below. You’ll need a tub or bowl (one that can hold the chemicals), two towels, washing powder, and a sponge to remove stains. Also take care of your hands and put on rubber gloves.
- Fill the tub or bowl with warm water, unless the instructions on the label state a different temperature. Add the washing powder and stir to dissolve completely. Do not sprinkle it directly on the clothes.
- Dip the laundry into the water and press it to the bottom, then “stir” it to collect the detergent. It is possible that the water will stain the clothes, but don’t worry – nothing will happen to the clothes. For heavier dirt, use a soft sponge.
- When the clothes are clean, pour out the water and refill the container with clean, cold water. Rinse the garment in it and then squeeze it out. It’s important not to do it too hard – you might stretch the fabric. Repeat the rinse three times to make sure no detergent is left on the fabric.
- Transfer the garment to an unfolded towel and dry it
- Take another towel and spread the clothes on it so that no wrinkles form on it. Now all you have to do is wait for it to dry.
Read also: Home remedies versus stains. We suggest how to get rid of various stains on your clothes using natural methods
Main photo: Mariakray/ stock.adobe.com
