Have you ever wondered how to wash your clothes by hand? Probably not, most people don’t and a lot of people think I’m crazy for doing so. But it is a forgotten skill that people need to relearn. Learning how to wash your clothes by hand isn’t hard, easy to do, but time consuming, but you may be surprised by the benefits of washing your clothes by hand.
Washing Your Clothes By Hand
Washing your clothes by hand was something people had to do before washers were invented. And once washers were invented we were able to save money and time by throwing laundry in the wash and ignoring it until we need to switch it over.
However, the world is kind of crazy. There are rumors of war, internal conflict in our own country, and natural disasters can happen. In the even of some kind of disaster there is a chance we won’t have power. Your washer won’t work. Plus, according to Tim Pool, attacks on the power grids are up 71% which is insane.
Save Money By Washing Your Clothes By Hand
Even if that isn’t the case, maybe you’re trying to save water. Because I don’t know about you, but my water bill has been way more expensive than it was once upon a time ago. And in this economy, I’m willing to save money anyway I can. Plus, you also save electricity by not running your washer and dryer!
And that’s the benefits of washing your clothes by hand. Air drying your clothes alone can save you over $150 a year. Is it a lot? No, but it’s still a tank of gas or some groceries.
Supplies Needed To Learn How To Wash Your Clothes By Hand
- Washboard (This is where I got mine.)
- Tubs (or 1 tub and bathtub)
- Zote Bar Soap
- White Vinegar
- Air Drying Rack or Line
- Rubber Cleaning Gloves
How To Wash Your Clothes By Hand
Step 1
Fill up your tubs 1/2-2/3 of the way up with cold water depending on the size of your laundry load.
Step 2
Place 1/2 cup of vinegar in both tubs.
Step 3
Place your washboard in a tub and add some of your clothes to soak.
Step 4
Take a piece of clothing once it’s soaked and rub it with soap.
Step 5
Take the piece of clothing and rub it vigorously against the washboard.
Step 6
Place it in the clean water tub and squeeze and rinse until the soap is out of the piece of clothing.
Step 7
Wring out the piece of clothing.
Step 8
Use a clothes pin and hang up the piece of clothing and let it dry.
How Long Should You Soak Your Clothes In Water Before Handing Washing Them?
Put your clothes in the tub and make sure they’re fully submerged and wet. They will need to soak for at least 20 minutes. This will allow old soap and dirt to come loose and will allow your clothes to be easier to clean and look even better!
How Long Should You Hand Wash Each Piece Of Clothing Against The Wash Board For?
Wash your clothes until they look clean. I know it sounds like a cop out. But, stains will need longer scrub times, deodorant, sweat, and dirt may need a more vigorous scrub. There is no way of really deciding how long each piece needs average since clothes get dirty at different rates.
Tips and Tricks For Washing Your Clothes By Hand
You may be wondering why you should add vinegar to your wash. It breaks down old dirt and soap and helps dissolve new soap. You will be surprised at how much softer your clothes will be and how much nicer the colors will be.
Each piece of clothing needs to be washed a different way. I know it will sound weird and some of you may scrunch up your nose, but continue reading at how ineffective washing machines really are. Plus, once you see how much better your clothes smell, feel, and see how dark your wash water is the first few times your mind will be blown.
- Socks- Rub the soap on the bottom part of the sock and rub the bottom and top side against the washboard.
- Underwear- Rub the soap on the buttocks and crotch and rub those parts against the washboard.
- Shirts- Rub the soap around the armpits and neck and rub those places vigorously against the washboard. If the shirt has stains or you have sweat or got another spot super dirty wash those spots.
- Pants- Rub the soap on the crotch and the buttocks and rub those parts on the washboard. Do the same for any other dirty spots.
- Dresses- Treat the dress the way you would shirts.
When you’re wringing out the water by hand, use gloves! Trust me, your skin will be raw if you don’t. Learned this the hard way!
Do not hand your shirts by clothing pins. Fold them half way over a rod or line. They don’t get all stretched out and long.
How To Hand Wash Bulky Clothes?
Bulky clothes is not so easy to hand wash with a wash board. Rather, you have to hand wash bulky clothes and items differently. You will soak them in a large tub, I use the bathtub, with soap flakes and vinegar and use a washing plunger to agitate it.
To rinse you will use clean water and agitate. You will have to wring by hand.
Why Do You Hand Wash Only Certain Parts Of The Clothes?
It sounds weird, I know. When I first heard it I was like…wait…what? But let’s use a shirt for example. My husband’s undershirts went from white to gray over time. Deodorant and sweat built up. I started washing the neckline and armpits and the smells went away. And as those are getting washed the shirt is still getting soaped up and moving through the water and vinegar so it’s still getting cleaned. It’s essentially getting the same wash it would in a washing machine.
Regardless, the shirt as a whole ends up a lot whiter and softer. It’s crazy!
Your Washing Machine Isn’t Cleaning Your Clothes As Well As You Think
Even if your washing machine has an agitator your clothes are not getting as cleaned as you think. We tend to use too much laundry soap and that soap and softener builds up in the clothes. That usually why colors look faded. Not to mention, dirt builds up in your clothes.
While the washing machine may get the surface level of filth off, it isn’t getting off the deeper layers.
Soak your clothes in water, detergent, and vinegar and agitate it yourself with a clothes washing plunger or a wooden dowel and be amazed at how dark and nasty and smelly the water gets. Do this until the water runs clear.
Hand Washing Schedule For Your Clothes
Washing clothes by hand means you will have to change up your schedule. You will totally regret letting your clothes build up for a week, trust me! It’s tiring and your hands and arms will get tired. On top of that, it will take forever!
You don’t want to spend more than an hour or two on laundry. If you let it build up, you’ll be spending a good chunk of your day doing laundry.
Hand wash your clothes every 2-3 days. You don’t have to, but that’s just my suggestion.
Best Soaps For Handwashing Your Clothes
Not sure what soap you should use to hand wash your clothes? I got you! I did a lot of research and here is my suggestion.
- Zote Bar Soap (The soap I use)
- Zote Flakes (For bulk items)
- Fels-Naptha (Be careful I hear this is a little harsh, but it is a popular brand)
- Blue Power
- Tide Bar
- Ivory Bar Soap (No moisturizers)
Best Drying Racks For Drying Your Hand Washed Clothes
These ARE NOT affiliate links. I get no kickback, but these are racks I have used or continue to use.
- Mainstays Space Saving Steel Folding Drying Rack
- Honey Can Do Folding Drying Rack
- Honey Can Do 2 Tier Tripod Drying Rack
- Drying Line
- Whitmore 5 Line Retractable Drying Rack
I also used an extra shower rod to hand up shirts and dresses.
Tips For Hanging Your Clothes After Washing Them By Hand
I had to learn some of these the hard way, but it’s all trial by error. It’s how we learn, but here are some things I learned.
- Shirts don’t need to be hung up by the shoulders. Fold them over a hanger, line, or bar to dry. They won’t stretch out.
- Towels need a lot of air to dry. If it takes longer than a day, it’s gonna smell like mildew. Wring out as much water as possible. It makes a difference.
- Boxers are underwear can hang, however, unless you starch, it’ll need the dryer once a month or so because it definitely gets a little loose. Same with socks.
- Jeans are not as soft if you leave them out to dry, but they’re not as tight and they last longer when you air dry them.
My Experience With Washing Clothes By Hand
I started washing clothes by hand years ago when I decided I wanted to be more of a retro homemaker. I wanted to learn forgotten skills, clean my home better, and I wanted to be more active.
Did you know women used to burn over 2000 calories a day shopping and cleaning? I was trying my hardest to get to that point.
But once I saw how different my clothes smelled, felt, and looked, I was hooked! It is a great workout that wears your arms, neck, and back out. But it’s so worth it. Sure all my friends thought I was crazy, but I don’t even care. It was satisfying and my clothes were cleaner.
Plus, it’s been so helpful when we had no power or I needed a single item washed.
Now, I’m not saying I never use my washer, I still do. Sometimes you’re sick, tired, or don’t have time.
Learn How To Wash Your Clothes By Hand
Washing your clothes by hand is easy, a little time consuming, but worth it. Not only is your clothes going to look great, but it's a skill we should all know!
Materials
- Washboard (This is where I got mine.)
- Tubs (or 1 tub and bathtub)
- Zote Bar Soap
- White Vinegar
- Air Drying Rack or Line
- Rubber Cleaning Gloves
Instructions
- Fill up your tubs 1/2-2/3 of the way up with cold water depending on the size of your laundry load.
- Fill up your tubs 1/2-2/3 of the way up with cold water depending on the size of your laundry load.
- Place your washboard in a tub and add some of your clothes to soak.
- Take a piece of clothing once it’s soaked and rub it with soap.
- Take the piece of clothing and rub it vigorously against the washboard.
- Place it in the clean water tub and squeeze and rinse until the soap is out of the piece of clothing.
- Wring out the piece of clothing.
- Use a clothes pin and hang up the piece of clothing and let it dry.
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- Learn How To Caulk Your Shower The Easy Way
- Free Printable Binder Dividers For Your Homemaking Binder
- Ways To Save Money On Groceries During Trying Times
- Grab Your Free Printable Grocery List To Save Money
- Learn How To Make Your Own Cleaners
Now that you learned how to wash your clothes by hand, are you going to try it? If you already do what tips do you have for people?