UPDATE-Questions about hand washing -clothes, not hands :)

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UPDATE-Questions about hand washing -clothes, not hands :)

Barbara Diane

Veteran

My post on washing bras led to this post. I have clothes that have sat in the to hand wash pile for a long time.

So, which items marked hand wash do you wash in the machine on delicate? And which don't you?

7 years ago

General

31 replies

Latest reply was from RedLola

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

I don't hand wash anything anymore.

7 years ago

deb

Veteran

I use the delicate cycle on my machine.

7 years ago

Liz A.

Veteran

I never hand wash anything. If I think it might get damaged in the machine, I just dry clean (but mostly it's the delicate cycle for me).

7 years ago

Gail

Veteran

Mine all goes in to the machine on the "hand wash " cycle. I cannot remember the last time I hand washed.

7 years ago

Banoffi

Veteran

The only thing I hand wash is a my wetsuit (which I need for Lake Michigan vacations as I am a total wuss in the cold water!). Everything else gets put on the delicate cycle and air dried.

7 years ago

Anonymous

I will hand wash some bras. It is when I only have one that needs to be washed so I just wash it. If I have a pile, into the wash it goes.

7 years ago

Diana

Veteran

I hand wash some of my hand knit woolen items and some delicate silk items. Also some things labeled dry clean only. =P

Basically, things that don't want to be agitated. Certain wools felt very easily with agitation (although it's rapid temp changes + agitation that is the real killer so it's usually safe if you use cold water throughout). Pure silk (not in blends) has the peculiar quality of being strong when dry but weak when wet so you don't want to wring or agitate it too much.

7 years ago

DonnaF

Veteran

I have both hand wash and delicate cycles on my machine but I don't really know how they're different other than you can program a second rinse on the delicate cycle. I don't/won't actually wash anything by hand, at least not in recent or even distant memory. But I'll never say never.

7 years ago

shedev

Veteran

Delicate cycle with langerie bags.

7 years ago

kerry

Veteran

Most of what I own can be tossed in the washer. I air dry about half of what I own. I have a few special occasion items that need the dry cleaner. A few sweaters need a handwash - none of them are very expensive so I usually just use the handwash cycle in my washing machine.

7 years ago

Keix

Veteran

I handwash wool and silk, like Diana. But recently I've been sending more stuff to the cleaners because I don't have much space to lay things flat to dry. I have heard that dry-cleaning cashmere is bad for the fabric so I always handwash those.

My laundry facility is industrial coin-op with no handwash cycle, so I worry about how delicate things will hold up.

7 years ago

Karie

(website)

Veteran

Usually if the label says to hand wash, I hand wash it. The exception would be the top I just bought on sale for $12 at F21 - I knew it would be fine in a lingerie bag, and I was willing to take the risk for the little that I paid for it. I wash all of my machine washable clothing on the delicate cycle.

7 years ago

Barbara Diane

Veteran

Thanks everyone. I think some of my summer clothes are about to get worn more often :).

7 years ago

Gigi

Veteran

If something says to handwash only, then that's what I do. I don't put it in the machine. I figure that the manufacturer has a reason for putting that label on there. I don't mind handwashing.

7 years ago

Joy

Veteran

I hand wash every night in the sink, rinse, and hang in the shower. Things are usually dry by morning. I mostly wash my undies and silk tops. I use the delicate machine cycle plus lingerie bags for delicate knits.

7 years ago

Jeanie

Veteran

I hand wash wool, silk and cashmere.

7 years ago

JAileen

Veteran

If it says handwash, or it's a handknit, AND I CARE ABOUT IT, I handwash it. Otherwise in the machine it goes.

7 years ago

Sisi

Veteran

I hate hand-washing and wash in a quick delicate cycle all what seems a bit delicate (silk, viscose, things labelled dry clean only, like Diana, ...and bras, to answer your other post) .

Sometimes (when I feel particularly willing) I hand-wash my woolen pullovers. Huge fuss! But I noticed that woolen garments do look better if hand-washed, rather than washed in the wool cycle of the washing machine.

Now that I think, just this morning I spotted a woolen pullover sitting at the bottom of the laundry basket since probably this Spring ...

7 years ago

Style Fan

Veteran

My washing machine does not have an agitator. I use the hand wash cycle for almost all of my clothing that has a hand wash only label on it. I do wash my cashmere and wool sweaters by hand.

7 years ago

El Cee

Veteran

I only hand wash wool sweaters and a few of my silk blouses. Everything else that says "hand wash" gets put in my washing machine (which has no agitator) on delicate/cold water cycle, then the pieces are air dried.

7 years ago

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

I use the "hand wash" cycle on my machine. I honestly hate hand washing anything

7 years ago

Lucy

Veteran

Like Maneera, I never hand wash anything anymore, and I rely on the "hand wash cycle". I used to do it, but I can't say I have noticed any difference in outcomes.

7 years ago

AviaMariah

Veteran

I hand wash a lot of my sweaters. It's a real pain but I like them to look good for as long as possible.

7 years ago

Barbara Diane

Veteran

Update-I put everything in the washing machine under delicate. Everything survived just fine. Because several were long, a bit ridged, rayon maxi dresses, when I took them out of the washer I put them on to stretch them back out. And one that was still clingy after it was dry I wore for a while and it stretched right back out. Actually the clothes fit better now.
Bonus-when we had our horrendous heat spell I couldn't figure out where my clothes were. Found them. In the to be hand washed pile.

7 years ago

Anonymous

I have never hand washed anything, and never will.

7 years ago

Thistle

Veteran

I hand wash bras. Everything else goes in the machine on the hand wash cycle.

7 years ago

Eliza

Veteran

I rarely hand wash. I have great bags in a range is shapes and sizes that are a bit thicker than usual lingerie ones and also have zippers that lock. Delicate cycle, low temp or cold and the clothes are fine.

7 years ago

Aquamarine

Veteran

I use my machine to hand wash. Fill the washer, add detergent, add garments. Turn off the washer and let items soak. Turn the dial to rinse and then spin....basically manipulate the controls to skip over any cycles that agitate. I've done this for years for bras, woolens, anything that has to be hand-washed.

7 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

Sweaters and blouses get handwashed. Trousers and dresses to the cleaners. Jersey, lingerie, and nylons I throw in the machine.

7 years ago

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