How to hand-wash clothes: step by step, with expert tips

As well as saving your clothes from being ruined, hand-washing can also cut down your electric bill. If you only have a couple of items that needs washing, is it really worth the electric cost – especially when energy prices are rocketing?

Here, with the help of laundry expert Lisa Williams, Executive Housekeeper at York's 5-star hotel The Grand, is our guide to hand-washing your clothes successfully...

Jump to:

• Step-by-step guide to hand-wash clothes
• Which garments should be hand-washed?
• Why should you hand-wash clothes?
  

Step-by-step guide to hand-washing clothes effectively

You will need:

• Laundry detergent (specific one for delicates)
• Rubber gloves (optional)
• Stain remover
• Colander (optional)
• Absorbent towel
• Drying rack
• Dehumidifier (optional)

Total time: 1 day (depending on drying method)

Step 1: Sorting by Color

If you're washing more than 1 item, separate them by colour. You'll need to start washing with the lightest coloured items first, and wash 1 garment at a time to avoid colours bleeding and staining other garments.

Step 2: Checking Care Labels and Choosing Detergent

Check the care label on your garment very carefully. This will help you choose the right kind of laundry detergent. Also, if you're hand-washing something that can also be machine washed, it'll give you an idea of the optimal temperature for the water.

Step 3: Selecting the Right Detergent

Select a detergent that works with the garment you're washing. "Always pick a mild detergent for hand-washing," says our expert Lisa. "Try a no-rinse detergent for silk and lace, and, for wool, use a detergent with lanolin in it."

Our hand-washing detergent recommendations include:

• For delicate items, such as underwear: Stergene Gentle Care Handwash detergent
• For wool: KnitlQ No Rinse Delicate Wash Liquid Detergent
• For darker fabrics, including denim: Woolite Laundry Detergent Liquid

If you have sensitive skin, you should consider wearing rubber gloves – even if you're using a mild detergent.

Step 4: Treating Stains

Check your garment for stains.

• If you find some small stains, use a stain remover stick or pen, such as Tide's To Go Stain Remover Pen by Tide to remove them.
• If you find bigger stains, pre-treat the fabric with a stain remover gel or add some of the gel to the warm water and detergent you'll be washing your garment in (see Step 5).

Step 5: Hand-Washing Process

Fill up your sink or a tub with warm water, remembering to tweak the temperature depending on your garment's care label, and add your detergent. Then place the garment into the water and fully immerse it to get clean. Gently move the item around in the water to ensure every bit of it gets washed.

"Use a gentle swishing motion with your hands," says our expert Lisa, "agitating the fabric in the water for a minute or two. Never wring, twist or scrub the fabric."

Once you're sure it's clean, rinse off the garment in cold water to get all the detergent out of it. A clever and surprisingly effective way to do this is to use a colander: place your clothes in the colander and cover them with water – this works especially well for underwear and smaller garments.

Step 6: Drying the Garment

Now you need to get your garment dry. Do NOT wring it out, as this may damage it. Instead, gently squeeze it, then remove the remaining excess water by laying it flat onto an absorbent towel. To speed up this process, you could also roll the garment up in the towel.

Once it's no longer dripping, lay the garment out flat or use a drying rack such as this Vielda Spring 3-Tier one. Or take a look at our guide to How to dry clothes indoors for more ideas. If you need your garment dried really quickly, a dehumidifier may help.

Which garments should be hand-washed?

"Some unique fabrics require special care, including delicate lingerie, wool sweaters and silk blouses," says expert hotel housekeeper Lisa Williams.

However, it's always a good idea to check the care label of every garment, as some clothes that you would think can be machine-washed may actually need hand-washing instead.

Why should you hand-wash clothes?

"Hand washing clothes increases a garment's life span," says Lisa. "It's much gentler than using a washing machine, so it helps to preserve fibres and detail work on your garments. It also saves water: washing machines use 20 gallons of water per load and hand-washing uses considerably less."

Pics: Getty Images

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