How to Wash Clothes without a Washing Machine
Consider buying or making an agitator., Separate the white and colored clothing (recommended)., Lay the clothes in a clean container., Treat serious stains with a pre-wash stain remover or soap., Fill the bucket with lukewarm water., Add laundry...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Consider buying or making an agitator.
It's not difficult to wash a load of laundry without any tools, but it can be tedious.
If you plan to wash all your laundry by hand, especially towels, jeans, and other heavy items of clothing, you may wish to use a handheld agitator, which is simply a plastic tool useful for pressing and moving the clothes.
If you cannot find one in a store, look online or make your own by cutting a few holes in the rubber of a brand-new plunger.Note:
You may use these instructions whether or not you have an agitator. -
Step 2: Separate the white and colored clothing (recommended).
Washing clothes by hand usually involves lower temperatures and less agitation than most washing machines, so there is less risk of color bleeding.
It can still occur, however, so separating white and light pastel clothing from darker colored clothing is recommended.
Separate out wool, cashmere, silk, lace, and any other delicate clothing from your other laundry.
Wash these items using the instructions for delicate clothing, in a separate load. , If you don't have a large washing tub or bucket, you can thoroughly clean a sink or bathtub and place the clothes in there, spreading them out evenly.
The less full the container is, the easier it will be to wash.
If you have too many clothes to wash at once, consider keeping a second clean bucket nearby to store clean, wet clothes while you finish washing the rest of the load.
If you are only washing a couple small articles of clothing, you may only need a large bowl. , If your clothing has a stain that has dyed the fabric, such as a stain from mustard or ink, rub a little stain remover cleaning product over the affected area, or use soap if you do not have any stain remover.
Let the clothing sit for at least five minutes before continuing. , Fill until the water level is about 1–2 inches (2.5–5 cm) above the level of the clothing.
Unless the clothing is both sturdy and heavily soiled, do not use hot water.
Lukewarm or even room temperature water will work fine for most laundry loads, and reduces the chance of damaging or color bleeding.
If you are not certain whether an article of clothing can be washed in warm water, play it safe and use cool water instead. , If you are using a bucket or sink, you likely only need one to two tsp (5–10mL) mild detergent or washing powder.
If you have enough clothing to require a bathtub, use 4 tbsp (60 mL) instead, or follow the instruction on the package.If your detergent is not labeled "mild," or if you have sensitive skin, wear rubber gloves to prevent rashes or itching. , The detergent will take time to work, so leave the tub of water alone for at least twenty minutes.
If your clothing has a significant amount of dirt or stains, you may wish to leave it for up to an hour. , Using either your hands or a simple agitator tool, move the clothing gently around in the water.
Press the clothing against the bottom or sides until suds emerge, but try not to scrub or twist it, as this could stretch the clothes.Do this for about two minutes, or until the clothing is clean. , Empty the water from the container, and fill with cool water.
Continue moving the clothing around in the same way, pressing to remove the soap suds.
After a couple of minutes, drain again and repeat an additional one or two times.
Once no soap suds are visible when the clothing is moved or pressed, the clothes are ready to dry.
If you are filling the container from a faucet, you may start rinsing before it's full by holding clothing in the running water. , Twist each article of clothing to remove most of the water, or send it through a hand-cranked wringer if you have one.
If you are not using a dryer, hang the clothing on a clothes horse, clothesline, or the backs of chairs and banisters.
Make sure the clothing is spread out evenly, and that articles of clothing don't overlap with other.
If a wet area is hidden by other clothing or a bunched up area of fabric, it will take much longer to dry.
Keep in mind that wet clothing will drip, and may leave a stain on hard wood or upholstery if draped directly on it.
On a sunny day, your clothes should dry within a few hours.
If you do not have sun, dry in a warm, ventilated room. -
Step 3: Lay the clothes in a clean container.
-
Step 4: Treat serious stains with a pre-wash stain remover or soap.
-
Step 5: Fill the bucket with lukewarm water.
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Step 6: Add laundry detergent.
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Step 7: Let the clothing soak.
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Step 8: Swish the clothing around in the water.
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Step 9: Rinse repeatedly in new
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Step 10: cool water.
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Step 11: Wring and dry the clothing.
Detailed Guide
It's not difficult to wash a load of laundry without any tools, but it can be tedious.
If you plan to wash all your laundry by hand, especially towels, jeans, and other heavy items of clothing, you may wish to use a handheld agitator, which is simply a plastic tool useful for pressing and moving the clothes.
If you cannot find one in a store, look online or make your own by cutting a few holes in the rubber of a brand-new plunger.Note:
You may use these instructions whether or not you have an agitator.
Washing clothes by hand usually involves lower temperatures and less agitation than most washing machines, so there is less risk of color bleeding.
It can still occur, however, so separating white and light pastel clothing from darker colored clothing is recommended.
Separate out wool, cashmere, silk, lace, and any other delicate clothing from your other laundry.
Wash these items using the instructions for delicate clothing, in a separate load. , If you don't have a large washing tub or bucket, you can thoroughly clean a sink or bathtub and place the clothes in there, spreading them out evenly.
The less full the container is, the easier it will be to wash.
If you have too many clothes to wash at once, consider keeping a second clean bucket nearby to store clean, wet clothes while you finish washing the rest of the load.
If you are only washing a couple small articles of clothing, you may only need a large bowl. , If your clothing has a stain that has dyed the fabric, such as a stain from mustard or ink, rub a little stain remover cleaning product over the affected area, or use soap if you do not have any stain remover.
Let the clothing sit for at least five minutes before continuing. , Fill until the water level is about 1–2 inches (2.5–5 cm) above the level of the clothing.
Unless the clothing is both sturdy and heavily soiled, do not use hot water.
Lukewarm or even room temperature water will work fine for most laundry loads, and reduces the chance of damaging or color bleeding.
If you are not certain whether an article of clothing can be washed in warm water, play it safe and use cool water instead. , If you are using a bucket or sink, you likely only need one to two tsp (5–10mL) mild detergent or washing powder.
If you have enough clothing to require a bathtub, use 4 tbsp (60 mL) instead, or follow the instruction on the package.If your detergent is not labeled "mild," or if you have sensitive skin, wear rubber gloves to prevent rashes or itching. , The detergent will take time to work, so leave the tub of water alone for at least twenty minutes.
If your clothing has a significant amount of dirt or stains, you may wish to leave it for up to an hour. , Using either your hands or a simple agitator tool, move the clothing gently around in the water.
Press the clothing against the bottom or sides until suds emerge, but try not to scrub or twist it, as this could stretch the clothes.Do this for about two minutes, or until the clothing is clean. , Empty the water from the container, and fill with cool water.
Continue moving the clothing around in the same way, pressing to remove the soap suds.
After a couple of minutes, drain again and repeat an additional one or two times.
Once no soap suds are visible when the clothing is moved or pressed, the clothes are ready to dry.
If you are filling the container from a faucet, you may start rinsing before it's full by holding clothing in the running water. , Twist each article of clothing to remove most of the water, or send it through a hand-cranked wringer if you have one.
If you are not using a dryer, hang the clothing on a clothes horse, clothesline, or the backs of chairs and banisters.
Make sure the clothing is spread out evenly, and that articles of clothing don't overlap with other.
If a wet area is hidden by other clothing or a bunched up area of fabric, it will take much longer to dry.
Keep in mind that wet clothing will drip, and may leave a stain on hard wood or upholstery if draped directly on it.
On a sunny day, your clothes should dry within a few hours.
If you do not have sun, dry in a warm, ventilated room.
About the Author
Jennifer Johnson
Experienced content creator specializing in creative arts guides and tutorials.
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