The Dreaded Hand Wash

This weekend I made myself tend to that pile of "hand wash only"s. You know the type: gorgeous beading, glamorous sequins, bright tights..... and inconvenient to wash!



It's okay though because I finally have a hand washing system that seems to work.

1. Add mild detergent to a basin or tub and fill with cold water (or whatever temperature the garment calls for). I use my tub. Do not fill the tub...only put enough water in the mix the detergent and soak the garment.
   

2. Swirl the garment around in the water until completely wet. Swirl in one direction for 1.5 minutes. Stop and swirl in the opposite direction for 1.5 minutes.
   

3. Gently rub any areas that need extra washing. Let soak for 15 minutes.
   

4. Remove garment from tub. Empty tub. Rinse garment with cold water. Add cold water to tub and dip garment in the water to ensure all detergent is removed.
   

5. Pick up garment from the shoulders and let water drain into the tub. Do not twist or wring.
   

6. Hang up garment or lay flat to dry depending on the care instructions. For sweaters, I roll them or blot them with a towel first to remove excess water.
   

7. For items to lay flat to dry: arrange garment in its normal shape on a dry towel.

Depending on the item, my clothes usually take 1-3 days to completely dry. I've found I always dread this chore, but it can be cathartic--like folding or ironing is for some.

Tip: To make hand washing clothes less tedious, sometimes I place a card table or TV tray in the doorway of the bathroom and play my iPod or my portable DVD player on it. (I don't want electronics near a full tub of course so that's why I have it in the hallway!)

Up next on the to-do list: spring cleaning and my taxes! How about you?