How do you wash your clothes?

kittiej

I was just wondering if any of you mainly wash your clothes manually instead of always using the machine?

I've recently been wondering about leaving lightly soiled clothing to soak in a bucket and then agitating them for a bit and then just use the washer to spin things.

I hate the fact that my washer takes 1 1/2 hours to do a load, it's such a waste of electric.

What does everyone else do?

lollyfin

Hi kittiej, I have been thinking about this today as well but it wouldn't be practical for me, there are lots of us. I was thinking about how long my friends dishwasher seems to take as well you would think machines would do things quicker than doing them by hand
I always wash my clothes on a quick wash, for my machine that takes about 30 mins, and do bedding on a 60 degree wash that takes over an hour. Have you tried different cycles on your machine to find the quickest one, I know I am quite lucky with the speed of mine.
I would think that if you can,t find a quicker cycle that soaking then rinsing and spinning or just spinning would be better for you
Lollyfin

kittiej

Yes I've got a quick wash programme but it's at 50C it doesn't do a fast spin and it's too hot for some things and especially when we're being told to wash at 15C lol.

BitterAndTwisted

When my washing machine was working I always used to do my laundry in cold water on the gentlest cycle which didn't take long at all. Now I'm washing by hand until I save up the dosh for a new machine and I find that it's not the washing but the blessed rinsing which takes up a lot of the time. Often it's my socks which tend to dry sort of hardish-feeling but that could be due to how sodden they are compared to the spin on the machine which is doing that. Rinsing through a few smalls is a world away from trying to do everything by hand. I absolutely loathe it

whatatwit

I think that Tru was washing by hand....although I'm sure she used the spin cycle.

Bitter&Twisted, have you looked for a spin dryer, there are quite a few in the 2nd hand shops near here, or maybe try freecycle.
It's amazing how much water comes out of stuff and as you say, socks etc hold so much water.
Do you find that you are more selective as to how often things get washed, now you are handwashing?

carefullycautious

I feel I can join in here. I always wash delicates,woollens etc by hand. I do have a machine but hate the amount of time it takes. My mother always washed by hand except for sheets and large items. We have found that clothes seem to last longer when washed by hand also they keep there colour well.

I have only had one disaster with the washing machine many years ago. I had hand knitted a beautiful mohair jumper which was my pride and joy. Somehow it found its way into the washing machine (nobody has ever owned up) and came out looking like it would not fit a 6month old baby. Boy didnt I cry over that jumper.

I had saved like mad to purchase the wool weekly (in those days you could have wool put to one side and pay for a couple of balls a week) and as we did not have much money at that time I thought I was the bees knees when I wore it to a theatre trip. Plus that was the only time I had worn it.

I actually enjoy washing by hand although I worry whether the three rinses I do is wasting water.

freakyogre

I chuck everything in, add some tablets and fabric conditioner and press go! (Terrible, I know, but I tend to do one load a week so I don't think it's that bad really.)

One thing I will not do is handwash clothes as I remember when we moved house years ago without a washing machine and had to do it. Small things were fine, but trying to handwash towels and duvet covers is not my idea of fun (not to mention trying to dry it). We got a machine after a few months and it was such a relief.

When I moved out of home a washing machine was the first thing I looked for, even before a fridge as it's one thing I really couldn't cope without.

LameWolf

I do the majority of stuff in the machine, as I'm not well enough to do lots by hand. I wait til there's enough for a load, though. My machine has a "reduced time" option, which I use, and a 30 degree gentle wash only takes 39 minutes.

Some items I have that have to be washed by hand - that's tiring enough for me, I'm not looking for extra work!:D

jan2januk

Hi
I have been handwashing for 3 adults for the last six months (since my washing machine broke). I put a small load of similar items in the sink to soak overnight or for a few hours, then give them a bit of a bashing (wearing rubber gloves), rinse and put them in the spin drier.

I don't find it too much of a chore, but I must admit I wouldn't try it without the rubber gloves and the spin drier!

Jan

Skint_Catt

Does anyone know if wool washes take shorter time than standard? New(ish) to this 'own' washing machine lark but there wasn't a manual with the one in the house we're renting!

Most of the stuff isn't 'dirty' as such when we wash it, but I do worry about not giving underwear a good blast. I do one hot wash a week and that's alternate bedding/towels with OH's work shirts.

Thanks

C xx

foxgloves

I try & stick to just a couple of loads a week, which isn't difficult as there's only two of us. I wash most loads on 30 degress which is quicker. If white shirts need a bit more help, they go in a bucket of Oxyclean for a soak. If you are on Economy 7 electricity or similar where it's a cheaper tariff at night, it's worth having a washing machine with a timer. It really annoys me now if I forget to set the timer and have to do a wash on daytime electricity rates!