https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Tue, 21 Apr 2026 16:53:05 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash/page/2#post-1147838 Thu, 23 Jan 2014 21:28:24 +0000 Bess 1147838@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I hand wash all my sweaters. I don't mind because I think it will prolong their wear. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash/page/2#post-1147307 Thu, 23 Jan 2014 12:10:40 +0000 April 1147307@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>FC -- "I'll agonize about it for months and then usually just take it to the cleaners." &nbsp;We may have been separated at birth. &nbsp;:) </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash/page/2#post-1147184 Thu, 23 Jan 2014 04:42:41 +0000 Firecracker (Sharan) 1147184@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>@Emily: bra balls??&nbsp; Off to the Googles to find that one!</p> <p>I'm with most people here, don't hand wash. But if an item says "dry clean" or "dry clean only," I am leery of washing with water, whether by hand or machine. I'll agonize about it for months and then usually just take it to the cleaners. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash/page/2#post-1147163 Thu, 23 Jan 2014 04:13:33 +0000 anne 1147163@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I hand wash them when they are new and precious and if I think the colour will run. Other than that I go for the delicates cycle </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash/page/2#post-1146333 Wed, 22 Jan 2014 11:06:22 +0000 chadya 1146333@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Mesh Laundry bags and delicate cycle.<br />Eucalan is a good product to use for woolens and other delicate fabrics.&nbsp; You can buy it at yarn stores.&nbsp; <a href="http://www.eucalan.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.eucalan.com/</a><br />I wash my cashmere sweaters this way, hang them on shaped hanger = perfect.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash/page/2#post-1146312 Wed, 22 Jan 2014 09:08:44 +0000 Mander 1146312@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I hand wash some things, especially if it's a new thrift store purchase like a scarf. But for the most part everything goes in the machine, in a mesh bag.</p> <p>I'm fortunate that the hand wash cycle on mine really does little more than soak, and you can set it to no spin at all. I don't have a dryer so everything goes on the line outside or on folding racks indoors, and with the aid of a dehumidifier everything is fine.</p> <p>I avoid dry clean only stuff because I never go to the cleaners unless it's a once in a blue moon coat cleaning or something like that. That said, I have several items that say the should be dry cleaned and to date I have never ruined anything. I've successfully washed silk scarves, lambs wool, merino, and cashmere without any problems that can't be solved with an iron and a pressing cloth.</p> <p>Maybe I'm just lucky? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash/page/2#post-1146298 Wed, 22 Jan 2014 06:25:46 +0000 JAileen 1146298@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I hand wash if it says so. If it's optional with dry cleaning, I'll only dry clean in a pinch. I hate the smell. Sometimes I'll even hand wash when it says dry clean. I'll admit that I wrecked a couple of things. Oops! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash/page/2#post-1146289 Wed, 22 Jan 2014 06:04:57 +0000 T 1146289@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I generally let hand-wash items collect in the wash basket till there are 5-6 of them. Then they all go together in the machine on delicate (cold water) provided none of them have hooks, clasps or things that can unravel others. Liquid detergent only. I don't rinse and spin in the machine, that I do by hand. I just rinse them under the tap if I have time, or dunk them in a tub of running cold water to soak for 10 mins. Then they are air-dried without any major wringing. Just gentle hand-pressing to remove excess water.&nbsp;</p> <p>A lot of traditional Indian clothes are made of silk or similar delicate fabrics, have delicate embroidery or sequin work,&nbsp;plus the colors tend to run so hand-washing clothes is a part of the laundry routine. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash/page/2#post-1146274 Wed, 22 Jan 2014 05:24:24 +0000 trix 1146274@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>If I think the "hand wash" item&nbsp;can tolerate it, I toss it in a mesh bag and wash it (preferably on the delicate cycle in cold water) -- I think front-loading machines are gentler than top-loading machines, so I can get away with it. I know from experience that despite my best intentions, I never hand-wash anything, so if an item&nbsp;can only be hand-washed, it's not going to come home with me. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash/page/2#post-1146197 Wed, 22 Jan 2014 04:04:34 +0000 daisy5 1146197@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I use the hand wash cycle. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash/page/2#post-1146194 Wed, 22 Jan 2014 04:01:27 +0000 Gigi 1146194@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>As to the water temp question, I've read that detergent works less well at colder temperatures. So you might need some heat not just to get the detergent to dissolve but also to get it to work right. I have read that water needs to be at least around 60 (?) degrees F for detergent to work properly. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash/page/2#post-1146091 Wed, 22 Jan 2014 02:04:42 +0000 April 1146091@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>AK -- I'm confused too, but see Donna F's reply above for some really good information. &nbsp;Apparently in some climates the "cold" setting actually has some hot added in&nbsp;so that powdered detergent will dissolve. &nbsp;</p> <p>Frankly, I've been wondering what has even happened to powdered detergent, since the gigantic boxes of my youth are nowhere to be seen in my grocery store. &nbsp;It's all plastic bottles of liquid. &nbsp;Perhaps the cold water issue explains *that* phenomenon. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash/page/2#post-1146075 Wed, 22 Jan 2014 01:47:18 +0000 minimalist 1146075@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>@doubleh, I'm going to try that! </p> <p>I hand-wash bras &amp; underwear until I've relegated them to lounge-wear or otherwise given up on them, then in framed mesh lingerie cage in "hand wash" cycle in front-loading machine. Not just because they're expensive, but where I'm living now they're a real pain to source. </p> <p>When I had a larger variety of *really* nice underwear, hand-washing was a pleasure. </p> <p>@April, what's your interpretation of "cold" vs. "no heat"? Bf's machine says that; we disagree on what it means, although not enough to measure it yet. My machine is the same brand and similar model but does have a so-called "hand wash" setting. I'm confused. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash/page/2#post-1146067 Wed, 22 Jan 2014 01:38:21 +0000 Aquamarine 1146067@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>If it says hand wash, I use my machine as a tub. I fill it with water and gentle soap (usually shampoo like MaryK) and let the item soak (machine off). Then I manually turn the knob to Rinse and skip the agitation cycle. Repeat if it needs further rinsing. Then I turn the knob to Spin and let the machine spin the water out. Then I lay the item out flat to dry...the spin cycle pulls all the water out so it dries quickly. This is how I wash my bras and all wool sweaters. I have never ruined an item. I have a top-loading Maytag with turn knobs so I can easily manipulate the cycles.</p> <p>I actually enjoy the process...LOL </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash/page/2#post-1146021 Wed, 22 Jan 2014 00:38:46 +0000 Suz 1146021@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Nah. I just put it into a mesh bag in the delicate or hand wash cycle and lay it flat to dry. For that, I have a rack that folds up when not in use. Mine is something <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/1/1/179584-leifheit-pegasus-200-deluxe-laundry-drying-rack.html">like this</a>, but less expensive.&nbsp;</p> <p>I've never had a problem doing things this way.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash/page/2#post-1145992 Wed, 22 Jan 2014 00:07:19 +0000 Karie 1145992@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>If it says "hand wash", I hand wash it. I have the worst washing machine I've ever owned - a high end Maytag Bravos - and I hate it. The machine is very rough on clothes. On the normal cycle, the clothes come out all twisted up. I wash all machine washable clothes on the delicate cycle, and I hand wash my delicates.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash/page/2#post-1145988 Wed, 22 Jan 2014 00:02:20 +0000 Dylansmom 1145988@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yea, I just use the gentle cycle. I wish I had a front load washer though. I still have the old agitator kind and it's not as gentle as I would prefer but yea I never really hand wash anything. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash/page/2#post-1145985 Tue, 21 Jan 2014 23:56:51 +0000 DonnaF 1145985@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>If water is too cold, IIRC sometimes powdered detergent won't dissolve.&nbsp; Thus, I guess some washers differentiate between water from a cold tap during winter in a frigid climate and water at some preordained cold temperature.&nbsp; I live in a temperate climate where a hard freeze outside always makes the top of the news, so advanced cold settings are not a concern.&nbsp; </p> <p>Also FWIW, some washers also have an internal heater; my old washer heated up to 200F degrees which was great for getting napkins clean without a lot of chemicals.&nbsp; My current machine doesn't have an internal heater so Hot is only as hot as my hot water heater setting minus the cooldown as runs from the pipes to the machine. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash/page/2#post-1145972 Tue, 21 Jan 2014 23:27:22 +0000 April 1145972@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Lots of variation and lots of good ideas. &nbsp;Mostly, I'm comforted to know that I'm not the only one who takes "hand wash" as kind of a broad indication that an item shouldn't be&nbsp;tossed into the regular wash. &nbsp;</p> <p>My machine (a top-loading, no-agitator, HE type) has a wool cycle and a delicate cycle. &nbsp;I find it slightly bizarre that the default temp for the wool cycle is warm -- isn't it the combination of warmth and agitation that causes wool to felt?&nbsp;&nbsp;I always change it to cold. &nbsp;</p> <p>Actually, it has both "Cold" and "Tap Cold," seeming to&nbsp;imply that plain old "cold" is actually being warmed in some way. &nbsp;Our European&nbsp;washer in NYC has the equally baffling "Cold" and "No Heat." &nbsp;</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash/page/2#post-1145940 Tue, 21 Jan 2014 23:06:53 +0000 DonnaF 1145940@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>My Speed Queen top load has both a Delicate and a Hand Wash cycle; not sure what the difference is.&nbsp; I wash most of my stuff on Delicate, but right now as I type I'm using the Hand Wash cycle for the first time to wash a wool stole, a sweater, and a few other miscellaneous items.&nbsp; It doesn't agitate much; most is soak.&nbsp; I noticed that the Delicate cycle gives the option of an additional rinse.&nbsp; I guess I'll check on the suds in the utility sink once the Hand Wash cycle is done to see if I should run it through an additional rinse. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash/page/2#post-1145909 Tue, 21 Jan 2014 22:22:45 +0000 deb 1145909@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Delicate or hand wash cycle. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash/page/2#post-1145906 Tue, 21 Jan 2014 22:21:20 +0000 Anonymous 1145906@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I don't think I've&nbsp;ever hand-washed anything in my life. For things that say hand-wash, I just wash on delicates and dry flat or hang dry.&nbsp;(I actually wash all my clothes on delicates because it's easier than sorting beyond just lights and darks and I figure nothing can be hurt by washing more gently than strictly necessary, right?)</p> <p>If it looks like it's something that actually needs to be hand-washed, I tend to just assume that means it's not for me. I'm also one of those people who <i>never</i> buys kitchen stuff unless it's dishwasher-safe, so I think I'm just lazy. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash/page/2#post-1145848 Tue, 21 Jan 2014 21:12:18 +0000 Makrame 1145848@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I don't hand-wash anything but cashmere sweaters. &nbsp;With cashmere, I just started wearing it this year after I realized how easy it is to wash, even when it is labeled "dry clean". &nbsp;I roll the sweaters up in a towel, as mentioned above, to get excess water out. &nbsp;Everything else goes into the washer. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash/page/2#post-1145827 Tue, 21 Jan 2014 21:00:16 +0000 MRL 1145827@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I wash in the delicate cycle.</p> <p>I pay far more attention to an item that says "line dry". I have had some bad luck ignoring that and putting items in my dryer! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash#post-1145811 Tue, 21 Jan 2014 20:45:36 +0000 Lantana 1145811@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Not necessarily. I judge whether an item really needs hand washing or whether it's the manufacturer claiming that to cover themselves.<br /> I hand wash items that are labelled machine washable if I think the agitator will shorten their life. I always wash cashmere and merino by hand with a proprietary eucalyptus wash. This maintains the structure of the fibre.<br /> I also handwash "dry clean only" garments because I don't like the chemical smell of dry cleaning fluids.<br /> But I have a good supply of two things that you need for handwashing: rainwater and time - Penny </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash#post-1145809 Tue, 21 Jan 2014 20:44:12 +0000 Lyn D. 1145809@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I don't have a delicate setting so usually do wash by hand.<br />If the item looks sturdy enough I occasionally pop into a zipped mesh bag and machine-wash in cold water. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash#post-1145793 Tue, 21 Jan 2014 20:25:09 +0000 Anonymous 1145793@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Delicate cycle, cold water. Lay flat to dry. Works every time. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash#post-1145768 Tue, 21 Jan 2014 19:52:37 +0000 Diana 1145768@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>April, I suspect that that washing instruction is there because they can't guarantee that your particular washer has a "hand wash" cycle that is truly gentle enough, i.e. it does not agitate or spin too fast, which can cause felting, shrinkage, or stretching, depending on the material.&nbsp; (Is it for a knit, by any chance?)&nbsp; For truly feltable knits, I put them in my sink with cold water, and let them soak; I might push it around a bit with my hands but I do not wring or otherwise agitate the material at all.&nbsp; I can't imagine any machine cycle being this gentle and still working, the spinning at the end to get rid of excess water is probably too harsh.&nbsp; </p> <p>For those who can't get enough water squeezed out of their sweaters after hand washing, try this:&nbsp; <br />After pushing as much water as you can out of the garment without wringing, lay a towel on the floor (or on the bottom of your tub is a good place, assuming the tub is dry).&nbsp; Put the sweater on the towel, and roll it up like a jelly roll.&nbsp; Don't worry about shaping or blocking right now.&nbsp; Now take off your shoes and socks and make sure your feet are clean.&nbsp; Stand on the rolled up towel and walk around on it, this basically uses your body weight to press the water out.&nbsp; After this, get a new, dry towel, lay it out where you are going to dry the sweater (I put it under the coffee table), and lay your sweater out, reshaping and blocking as necessary.&nbsp; </p> <p>ETA: Obviously don't do the above if your sweater has breakable buttons or something like that, but most normal buttons fare fine.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash#post-1145766 Tue, 21 Jan 2014 19:52:26 +0000 Gigi 1145766@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>April, I think wool is one of the trickier fabrics to wash in a machine. Wool doesn't like much agitation at all, from what little I know. I used to live in an apartment building where there was a woolens cycle on the machine, and the machine agitated hardly at all with that cycle and soaked the garments for a very large portion of the cycle. I don't know what the hand-wash cycle is like on a washing machine, since I've never experienced one,&nbsp;but if it doesn't involve a LOT of soaking and only a little agitation, I would be wary of trying to wash a wool scarf in there, especially if the manufacturer explicitly says not to.</p> <p>I too use a drying rack, one made out of wood that is collapsible. I got it ages ago at Target. It folds up and I put it against the wall in my closet. It doesn't take up much space. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/when-it-says-hand-wash-do-you-actually-hand-wash#post-1145756 Tue, 21 Jan 2014 19:43:42 +0000 Anonymous 1145756@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I suspect washing machines have that cycle so you will buy it. If you like the piece, I would hand wash it. I got some racks from Bed Bath &amp; Beyond that I put in the tub to lay flat to dry. I often roll first in big old towels to remove lots of the moisture. My machine would agitate too much even if I don't use the spin cycle<br /> ETA: I slide my drying rack under the bed to store it. If it's too big a deal to hand wash, I'd have it dry cleaned. </p>