On occasion, you might find yourself skipping the washer for a gentler approach: hand laundering your clothing. Maybe, you’d like to extend the life of a special piece, or perhaps you’d like to make a few trips to the dry cleaners as possible. No matter the reason, knowing how to hand-launder your clothing is a valuable skill. Here is the best method to follow, if you’d like to wash your clothing by hand.
• First, select your laundry detergent. Any standard detergent should work for most items, but delicate fabrics may call for something more gentle, like fine fabric detergent, free and gentle detergent, or mild dish liquid.
• Treat stains, if necessary. To do so, gently work laundry stain remover or liquid detergent into the stain with your fingertips. Be careful not to scrub.
• Fill the sink with water — lukewarm or warm, depending on your garment's care labels — and put garments in. Add the detergent and swish around until it's completely dissolved, then lay your garment in the water and gently press it down to fully immerse it.
• Rinse thoroughly by filling the sink with cool, clear water. Immerse the garment and squeeze the water through to rinse. Repeat as needed.
• Remove excess water. Be careful not to wring out delicate fabrics. Instead, carefully lift the garment with both hands and gently squeeze out as much water as possible. Then, lay it flat on an absorbent towel, and roll the towel and garment together until the water is absorbed.
• Lay items flat to dry. Once the front is dry, flip it over.
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