How to Hand Wash Clothes

Hand washing is a quick, easy and cost-effective way to wash all types of garments, including workout apparel, sports bras, everyday clothing and accessories.

While hand washing is often recommended on the care instructions for delicate fabrics like silk, cashmere and wool, it can be beneficial for many kinds of fabric, including polyester and nylon. Because hand washing is more gentle than machine washing, it can help lengthen the lifespan of your clothing.

For example, when you wash a garment by hand, you don’t have to worry about potential snags and tears that can occur in a washing machine with a center agitator. Plus, hand washing is a useful skill if you don’t have access to a washing machine.

Here’s how to effectively hand wash clothing in six easy steps.

1. Read the care instructions on the garment to determine the appropriate water temperature. Hot water tends to work best for removing oil and dirt from clothing, but it can be too harsh on certain fabrics. When in doubt (or if the clothing doesn’t have a tag), use cool or lukewarm water.
2. Pretreat any stains with a homemade or store-bought stain remover. Soak the clothes in the solution for up to an hour.
   
   (Related: How to Get Stains Out of White Shirts)
3. Fill up a clean sink with water at the appropriate temperature. If washing a large load of laundry, you can use a bathtub instead.
4. Add a teaspoon of laundry detergent and swish the water around with your hands until suds appear. You can use the same detergent as you would for machine washing, but if you are washing fabrics that require special care, you may want to opt for a delicate detergent, such as a wool wash.
5. Submerge the clothes and gently swish them in the sudsy water. You don’t need to scrub the items, as this can damage the material. Soak the clothes for up to an hour, then remove them and drain the sink.
6. Refill the sink with cool or lukewarm water and submerge the garments to rinse out any suds. Swish the items until they are free of soap. You may have to drain the sink and repeat this step until the water runs clear.

1. Drain the sink and press the garment into the wall of the basin to get rid of excess water. Avoid harsh movements like wringing or squeezing, as this can damage and stretch the material.
2. Lay a towel flat on the floor and place the item on top of it. Then, roll the towel, pressing down or stepping on the towel so it absorbs moisture from the garment. When you unroll the towel, the clothing will still be damp.
3. Hang the clothing on a drying rack or clothing line, ideally in a location with sufficient airflow. It’s best to place colored garments in indirect sunlight to avoid any fading, but white clothing can be dried in the sun.

Words by Hannah Singleton