So, laundry day has finally come. You’ve made your mountain of clothes manageable, you start to load up the machine, and then, by random chance, you check the label on that delicate new shirt. Printed in tiny letters are the three words nobody likes to see: “Hand wash only.”
Let’s face it, no one wants to be in that situation – or any of the many other ambiguous laundry situations relating to clothing. Line drying? Hand washing? Delicate bags? How bad would it be if it all went into the regular cycle?
Well, fret no more, dear reader. This article will give you a rundown on hand washing and other forms of garment care. Read on for all the laundry guidance you could ever want!
Do You Really Have To Hand Wash That?
Do you have to hand wash clothes that say “hand wash” on the tag? You should because it’s the best way to ensure the clothes’ longevity.
Most washing machines are too rough for gentler clothes, especially those with fragile fasteners, sequins, and embellishments. Additionally, hand washing is a must for hand-knit items.
You might not think of your clothes as being fragile or brittle, but that’s only because you subject them to less wear and tear in everyday life. If the clothes are soaking wet, bundled up with other garments, and spinning at hundreds of revolutions per minute, they are going to take a beating.
No, But Do I Really Have To Hand Wash That?
Okay, you want to hear a secret? Come close.
No. You don’t have to hand wash every single garment labeled “hand wash.” If the garments don’t belong to the categories listed above, they will likely do just fine if you wash them on the Delicates setting of your washing machine. Most machines have this option, but if yours doesn’t, you can pick the cycle with the lowest water temperature and spin speed.
This cycle uses a low spin speed and a lower water temperature than the standard wash cycle. This fact means that it is gentler on shrinkable fabrics and breakable buttons.
If you’re on the fence about a garment, it never hurts to invest in a mesh laundry bag and a drying rack. Mesh bags protect clothes from snagging on one another in the wash, which is quite essential when you want to preserve the buttons on a cardigan or the sleeves on a loose-knit sweater.
Drying racks, for their part, allow you to protect delicate clothes from the high temperature and rough jostling that they would experience in the dryer. Instead, they dry off just as nature intended, diffusing water into the air.
How Can I Figure Out How To Care for My Clothes?
Not sure how to take care of your clothes? It never hurts to familiarize yourself with the symbols on clothing labels; you can find a chart online or even buy a poster to hang up in your laundry space.
However, most clothing manufacturers will print general instructions on their tags, as well. If you see words like “hand wash only” or “delicate” on a tag that’s a good indication to use the delicate cycle for that garment. By the same token, “line dry” or “hang dry” means you should always use a drying rack or similar device.
Finally, there’s the dreaded “dry clean only” label. If you are going to follow one clothing care recommendation, this is the one. Clothes with the “dry clean only” label have usually not received any pre-shrink treatment from their manufacturer, which means that contact with water can irreparably shrink them. Always take such garments to a professional instead.
How To Minimize Hand-Washing and Dry Cleaning
Don’t want to deal with the hassle of extra laundry rules? We hear you. If you are simply intolerant of hand washing and dry cleaning, you can build your wardrobe around those requirements.
For one thing, avoid suits and blazers and wear formal cardigans instead. By the same token, invest in shirts and pants that are machine washable.
Finally, remember that the rules usually aren’t as stringent as they sound. If you don’t want to hand wash something, you typically don’t need to – throw it in the machine on the delicate cycle instead.
Final Thoughts
The world of laundry is often confusing and obscure, we know. But don’t fear – with the tips outlined in this article, you’ll be a machine wash master in no time!
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