Why You Should Handwash Your Clothes

And How To Do It Right

Table of Contents

Why To Hand Wash Your Clothes

How To Hand Wash Your Clothes

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. 

Additional Reading

5 Laundry Hacks To Make Laundry Easier

How Do They Do Laundry In Space

Are You Making These 5 Common Laundry Mistakes?

8 Ways To Whiten Your Clothes When You Don’t Have Bleach

8 Ways to Whiten Your Clothes When You Don’t Have Bleach

Because you don’t always have it on hand. 

Table of Contents: 

The Sun

Lemons

Baking Soda

Powdered Dish Detergent

Aspirin

Distilled White Vinegar

Borax

Hydrogen Peroxide

Have you ever bleached your favorite shirt one too many times? It starts to wear and have thin spots. Whether it's a set of sheets or an article of clothing, bleach will eventually 'eat' at the fabric as much as it eats at the stains. There are also other concerns with using bleach. It can cause skin irritation or burns if not properly diluted, it can make you dizzy from breathing in fumes. As if that isn’t enough, given enough time on your shelf, liquid bleach will break down and no longer be functional. Fortunately, there are plenty of options that you can use instead of turning to bleach that will preserve your clothing. 

Item Used: The Sun(!)

Soak Time: NA

Water Temperature: NA

This is the only one in our list that is applied after you’ve washed your clothing, and that’s why it’s going first. And, it’s the SUN. For this you need to turn your clothes inside out after washing them and then hang them on a clothesline outside. While the sun will whiten  whites, it can also fade your clothes if they have other colors on them. Using this method also means that you will be cutting your electric bill some, as well as making your clothes smell nice. 

Item Used: Lemons

Soak Time: 2 hours or overnight

Water Temperature: Hot Water 

If you need to get rid of set-in stains,  grab a few lemons. You can use these delicious fruits in one of two ways. You can either soak the clothes for 2 hours, or you can soak them overnight. Either way, you're going to want to slice your lemons into slices about 1/4" thick,  and use more depending on how much dirt there is. We estimated at 1 lemon for a standard level of dirt and 2 lemons if you're dealing with more. 

Item Used: Baking Soda

Soak Time:  standard wash

Water Temperature: standard wash

If you want to whiten your whites in a "set it and forget it way," try this. Note: This method is only going to work if you have a top-loading washing machine. 

Start by setting your machine to the desired load settings, but don't add your clothes yet. Instead, let the drum fill with water. Once it has grab 1/2 cup of baking soda and add it to the water, stirring the water if needed until the baking soda has fully dissolved. Once that's done, add in your clothes and let the machine run as normal. 

If it's a larger round of laundry you can put in as much as 1 cup of baking soda. 

Item Used: Powdered Dishwasher Detergent

Soak Time: 30 minutes

Water Temperature: Hot 

If you don’t have bleach but you do have powdered dishwasher detergent, you’re in luck. Although this post is mostly about avoiding using bleach, we know that there are some occasions when you’re short on time and you need that stain busting power fast. Most dishwasher detergents of the powdered variety contain sodium hypochlorite. This will whiten most whites, but it works especially well on natural fibers like cotton, wool, hemp and linen. 

To use this you’ll want to use ¼ c per 1 gal of hot water. Mix the two and ensure that the detergent has fully dissolved before adding your clothes. Allow them to soak for 30 minutes before rinsing in cold water and transferring them to the wash. 

Item Used: Aspirin

Soak Time: Several Hours

Water Temperature: Boiling

When in doubt, if you have nothing else in your house, head to your medicine cabinet. If you have aspirin tablets, you’re in luck. For this, you’re going to need 10 tablets for every 1 gallon of water. 

Grab a large pot, and figure out how much water you need to cover whatever it is you’re working on without overcrowding the pot. Now remove the clothes and set the pot to boil. While that’s working, count out the number of tablets you need and start to crush them. You want them to be in a fine powder before you add them to the water. They’ll dissolve more easily that way. Once the water is at a boil add the powder and stir till it’s dissolved. Now remove from the heat and add the clothes to the mixture. Allow them to soak until the water is cooled. 

Item Used: Distilled White Vinegar

Soak Time: Several Hours

Water Temperature: Warm Water

DIstilled white vinegar is an item many of us keep in our homes. From recipes to cleaning, it’s a staple in many homes.  You can use it for softening clothes, getting rid of that gross musty and mildew-y smell that towels seem to pick up, AND for whitening your whites. 

There are two ways you can use it. You can either wait until the last rinse cycle of a wash and add in ¼ c to the load. Or you can get a basin of warm water, add 1c to it and then soak the clothes for a few hours.  It depends on how bad the stain or smell is, and what your schedule looks like.  

Item Used: Borax

Soak Time: 30 min or longer

Water Temperature: Warm

Borax is one of those household superheroes that we don't really think about. There are many different sites that proclaim its many uses around the home for everything from getting rid of bugs to removing stains and residue on your clothes. But, we're willing to bet that at least 50% of you don't have it in your homes. (Not that we blame you, you can't keep /everything/ in your home.) 

For a gallon of warm water, you'll mix in 1/2 c of borax and swish it around until it dissolves. Then add in your clothes and allow it to soak. You can use this on most clothing, without having to worry. We do recommend avoiding delicate items though, just to be safe. 

Item Used: Hydrogen Peroxide

Soak Time: 30-60 minutes

Water Temperature: Wash Standard

Hydrogen peroxide, H202, or “the bubbly stuff you put on cuts,” whatever you call it, you’re bound to have it in your medicine cabinet. It’s wonderfully useful stuff that can be used several different ways to help with laundry. 

If you’ve got a standard load that needs some whitening: When you go to start your load of laundry, pour in 1c of 3% hydrogen peroxide into the detergent or bleach dispenser. You can use this as it’s own secondary wash, or you can include it as part of a standard wash cycle. Either way, continue to load and run your machine from there. 

If you’ve got set in stains that need help: Grab some liquid dish soap from your kitchen (we suggest Dawn as that’s what we’ve used to best results.) Apply a few drops of that to your stain and then pour the peroxide over it. You need enough to soak the stain and the area around it. Now grab a small scrub brush and scrub for a minute or so. Set the item aside and leave it alone for at least an hour.  When you’re ready to wash it, come back, rinse it with cold water and then toss it in the wash. 

If you’ve got underarm stains turning your shirt grey:  Mix up equal parts water, hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Apply the paste to stains and let it set for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Once your done scrub off the paste into the trash, we advise using a scrub brush. Now wash as normal. 

With all of that said, what do you think? Which of these did you know of? which ones had you never heard of till now? Do you have any family tricks that we missed? Let us know in the comments below or over on Facebook! 

If you're here because your washing machine is broken, or any of your major appliances really, we can help. Fridges, ovens, stovetops, ice makers, washing machines, and dryers, we service them all. If yours has decided to start giving you trouble, now is the time to call and set an appointment so we can get things back into working order for your home. Even if you're just uncertain about a particular sound or how something is working, we're happy to help. We do repairs as well as maintenance checks on all major appliances in the hope of keeping your home running smoothly. You can reach out to us by phone at ((214) 599-0055) or by going to our website. 

Additional Reading: 

What You Can't Use Vinegar to Clean 

Green Home Cleaning

Deep Dive on Washing Machines Part One

How To Hand Wash Your Clothes

All-Natural Appliance Cleaners that Actually Work!

Ready to get your kitchen cleaned up after all the holiday festivities?

There has been a lot of research lately on the hazards that commercial cleaners can pose to you and your family, and while we’re not here to debate the issue, I think we can all agree that we’d like more all-natural products in our lives.

So with that, Appliance Rescue Service – one of the best appliance repair companies in Dallas, Texas – is here to offer you a few all-natural appliance cleaners that actually work!

Oven Cleaner

Break out the baking soda, water, vinegar, and a little elbow grease for this one! You’ll want to mix about ½ cup baking soda and 3 Tablespoons of water to create a paste. Then, gently rub all over the interior of your oven into the whole thing is covered. Let it sit for 12 hours or overnight; then, begin removing with a rag and water this next morning. Spray any remaining paste with vinegar in a spray bottle. The remaining baking soda will foam up, and you’ll be able to remove it with a clean cloth. Repeat until the entire oven is spic and span!

Garbage Disposal Cleaner

Freshening and sanitizing your drain is easy with ingredients you already have in your pantry! Start by running the hottest water you can for a few minutes in order to loosen the gunk and build-up. Next, slowly pour a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by a cup of lemon juice. This will cause it to foam – and that’s how you know it’s working! Cover the drain and let it sit for half an hour, then run the hot water again.

Stainless Steel Cleaner

Stainless steel appliances are still very popular, and they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon! Get them clean and fingerprint-free by dousing them in vinegar, then using a microfiber cloth, rub in the direction of the grain. Next, dip the cloth in olive oil, and again, rub with the grain of the appliance.

Do your appliances need to be serviced before you can even clean them? Give Appliance Rescue Service in Dallas, Texas a call today to help you with Dallas oven repair, refrigerator repair, dishwasher repair, icemaker repair, and so much more! We will fix it fast with courteous, honest service that makes us one of the best appliance repair companies in Dallas!

How to Store Leftovers in the Refrigerator

If your family is anything like ours, during the holidays we accumulate a lot of leftovers in the refrigerator. In order to avoid waste from forgotten leftovers or improper storage, here are a few tips from Appliance Rescue Service in Dallas, Texas on how to store leftovers in the refrigerator:

Don’t Overstuff the Refrigerator

In order to maximize efficiency – and keep your refrigerator running longer – try not to overstuff it with food. This can be hard during the holidays, but immediately throw out anything that won’t be eaten and freeze anything that you don’t plan to eat again for awhile. This frees up room for holiday meal prep and leftovers, all while maximizing airflow in your refrigerator.

Refrigerate Leftovers Within 2 Hours

Modern refrigerators are really good at handling really hot foods, so don’t feel like you have to let something cool all the way down before placing it in the fridge. Get leftovers in the refrigerator within 2 hours to avoid spoilage.

Don’t Store Leftovers in Cans

It can be tempting to just put some plastic wrap over a half used can of cranberry sauce and put the rest in the fridge for later, but don’t. Leaving food in open metal cans can cause metal from the open lid to leach into food and create a metallic taste.

Use Leftovers within 2 Days

After putting leftovers in the refrigerator, either plan to eat them within 2 days, or put them in the freezer for future consumption. Investing in a quality vacuum sealer can really reduce waste when storing in the freezer.

Happy Holidays from your friends at Appliance Rescue Service in Dallas, Texas! And as always, if you find yourself in need of refrigerator repair in Dallas, Plano, McKinney, Frisco, or the surrounding North Texas communities, give us a call for fast service you can count on.

5 Spots in the Kitchen to Clean Before the Holidays

With the holidays upon us, now is the time to jump in and get your kitchen ready for entertaining and holiday baking. While we all remember to wipe down the countertops and mop the floors, Appliance Rescue is here to share some kitchen nooks and crannies that are often forgotten:

Range Hood

When cooking on the cooktop, we often look down. But do you ever look up? Grease and dust often accumulate up there and it’s not a pretty sight. Use a degreaser and stainless steel cleaner to get it sparkling clean in no time! (P.S. this also helps extend the life of your range hood.)

Small Appliances

Toasters, blenders, and other small appliances often accumulate food debris that goes unnoticed. Take all the appliances out and look at them with fresh eyes, giving them a once over to get them ready for company.

Trashcan

Grab a wet sponge and some soapy water and wipe down your trashcan to remove any spills that can get stuck on the trashcan. If you have a can with a lid, be sure to wipe any food particles out of the cracks.

Oven

We see a lot of holiday baking in your future, so make sure your oven is ready for the action! Create a paste with baking soda, warm water, and a sponge and gently wipe down the interior of the oven. We do not recommend using the self clean function, as we’ve found it can often create more damage than good for your oven and result in Dallas oven repair.

Refrigerator

As we know you’re planning to stock your refrigerator with lots of goodies, it’s better to start with a clean slate. Throw away any long lost leftovers and remove all expired condiments. Wipe out crumbs and spills, and you’re all set for entertaining!

If any of your appliances aren’t working properly, now is the time to get them fixed – before the holiday rush sets in! Call us at Appliance Rescue in Dallas, Texas for a fast, professional appliance repair today! We proudly serve Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, Frisco, Richardson, Flower Mound, Lewisville, Addison, McKinney, Grapevine, and the entire Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.