HOW TO HANDWASH CLOTHES
Homesteading can often be romanticized these days with social media, but often times it is not all that glamorous. Today we are going to walk through a bare bones tutorial on washing clothing by hand so you can be equipped to do so if you ever need to, or should you choose to (like I do!).
Roll up your sleeves and lets get started! (1:08)
There are two different ways to hand wash laundry. I utilize the “hands off” method which uses more water, but works better for our family.
Start with HOT water filling a utility sink or large bucket. Add soap, essential oils (if you choose), and clothing to soak for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight. I wash towels and jeans first because they are heavy and need longer to dry.
When the water is cool enough that you can place your hands in, take your clothing and place up and down in and out of the water to create some agitation. Wring out clothing and set aside. This takes a lot of strength so prepare for an arm workout! On armpits, stains, underwear, socks, etc. place stain fighter on needed areas and scrub slightly as needed.
When the clothing is all wrung out and set aside, drain washtub. Once drained, fill with COLD water and place clean laundry inside. Rinse and wring out again, setting aside. When all clothing is wrung out, hang to dry on the line or drying rack!