And How To Do It Right

What do you do when your favorite sweater says "hand wash only" in big capital letters? Or that gorgeous vest your grandfather gave you can't go through the washing machine? Well, you have to figure out how to wash it by hand and how to be careful about it. Fortunately, it's not as complicated as media makes it seem.

Why You Should Hand Wash Your Clothes

So, let's take a look at a few situations of why you should hand wash your clothing. There's plenty of different reasons that affect all of us, even if it's once in a blue moon.

-if they're handmade or knitted

Even if something is very well assembled, they can be delicate. They also need to be washed carefully so that they maintain their shape, rather than getting beaten up by your machines.

- If they're delicate

Some examples here might be lace, pieces with embroidery or pieces that are old. For example, if you have a blanket that's been passed down through your family through several generations.

- If it's got sequins or beaded pieces

Pieces with sequins and beads are so delicate. Not only do you need to flip them inside out in order to wash and hang them, but if you want to keep a piece for several years, you'll want to wash it by hand. This ensures that the threads fixing the sequins and beads to the clothing are kept safe and secure.

-If it's marked "dry clean only"

While this isn't always the case, there are many times when you can handwash these items as well as taking them to the cleaners. The reason "dry clean only" is used is that either the fabric mill or the designers are saying "we're not taking responsibility if it gets damaged by you."

-If you're travelling and need something fixed quickly

- If you don't have a functioning washing machine, due to mechanical failure or blackout

Let's face it, this is the most likely to happen to any of us. You might have a time when your washer breaks down in the middle of the week, and even your most trusted handyman is booked through to next week. Or if there's a blackout in the middle of summer and you need clothes for tomorrow. It happens.

How To Hand Wash Your Clothes

By now you're probably demanding to know "alright then, if it's so important, how do I do this? Shouldn't it just be the same as washing my hands?" To which we say, ehhh, not quite.

Start by making filling up your sink or a basin with cool to warm water, depending on the garment in question and whether or not it's color fast. You also don't want it to be ice cold or else your hands are going to start hurting rather quickly.

Don't go adding your detergent or clothes just yet. You want to do a color test on some of the hidden spots of the garment in question. Some spots you might try are the seams of the garment, the armpits, or behind the knees.

Now add your detergent of choice to the water and give it a quick stir to get the detergent to dissolve. Gently lower your garment into the mix, submerging it fully. Now using your hands, squeeze the suds through the fabric, like you're kneading the fabric gently. Lay it out on the bottom of the basin, and let it sit for five to ten minutes. Once that time is up, flip it over, knead the fabric again and flatten it out, allowing it to sit for the same amount of time.

Once the time is up, remove the garment from the sink and drain the wash water. Fill it again with cool water and lay your item in it and swish to rinse. Squeeze out excess water, but not like you're wringing out a washcloth. This is supposed to be a gentle process. Roll the garment in a towel to move to the next step. Bring your garment to a table or a mesh rack and lay out a dry towel. Blocking the garment back into shape, lay it out until dry. Then flip it over and let the back dry, replacing the towel if needed.

Is it time consuming? Yeah. Is it worth it to preserve delicate lingerie, sweaters and handmade clothes? Yep. Like we pointed out up above, if you end up without power at any point, being able to handwash your clothes is a useful skill to have. What do you think? Do you do this for any of your clothes? Tell us in the comments below or over on our Facebook page.

If you're looking up this article because your washing machine has given up the ghost, we can help! Whether you live in McKinney or Plano, Dallas or Coppel, we can help bring it back to life. More importantly, we can get your home running smoothly again. Just give us a call at ((214) 599-0055) or reach out to us on our contact page and we'll get back with you shortly to schedule an appointment that works for you. At Appliance Rescue Service, we won't stop until you're satisfied.