handwashing clothes!!

chika

Hello People!

Following the fantastic advice that you gave me regarding microwave cooking I'm asking for more oldstyle advice on washing my clothes.

The washing machines in my halls cost £2.50 a go and there is always a massive queue for them as there are only 2. This week I have spent £10 on washing clothes etc as they all need to be sorted according to fabric / colour etc.

I'm always on the lookout for ways to save and figured out that I could mebbe wash my own clothes by hand and keep the money in my purse. The washing machines do a free spin and the tumble dryer is free too. Just a few questions ...

Whats the best detergent to use? I can use my meal card to get bold tablets in the refectory - will these do?

Will my whites come up white or should I use a stain remover / bleach type stuff? If so which one?

Should I soak and how many rinses should I do?

All advice gratefully received!

martindow

You could try a hand operated machine
http://www.outdoormegastore.co.uk/acatalog/Outdoor_Megastore_Domestic_Appliances_298.html
They seem to pressurise themselves and work really well with small loads. A friend uses one of these and is impressed by the quality of the results.

lolabug_2

I only have two types of load, whites and coloured...if it aint white its the other. So I wouldnt bother with 4 different washes, for the wasted water/elec if nothing else. If one or two items need to be washed cool, I do the whole load cool...Its not as if your clothes are so dirty that it will matter.

I often handwashed clothes when I was a student/on the dole but it can be hard to get stuff clean and very hard to rinse out the suds. I would use liquid detergent and only a tiny bit at that. Handwashing in the bath (if you have access to one) is good, you can then have a stamp about on the clothes and get clean feet at the same time.

Rikki

I just use a non-biological washing liquid for my hand washing. ie persil etc. (kinder to your hands)

You can regulate the amount you use, more difficult with a tablet.

Gingham_Ribbon

If you're going to be doing a lot of handwashing it might be worth trying to get hold of one of these.

You won't need a mangle if the washing machine spins are free but a mate to help you twist things like bath towels and sheets will help. When I'm stuck for washing powder I have been known to use washing up liquid. But if it's a regular thing, then whatever's cheap and use rubber gloves.

kittiwoz

Free tumble dryer! You lucky thing. Ours were expensive and pretty lame. I wonder if it varies between halls or whether they changed it to reduce the firehazard from students rigging up washing lines in their bedrooms using cup-hooks as I did.

Hand washing is OK if you're only doing a few things but if you have loads of washing or big, heavy things like towels or jeans it is a right drag. You can use tablets for hand washing if you crumble them though it is not the cheapest way to buy washing powder/liquid. You can use a bar of household soap too if you prefer. A bar of Vanish is great for removing stains.

When I was in halls I used to put off having to use the machines by hand washing the odd top or underwear and spongeing marks out of my jeans. I always just seperate my laundry into lights and darks and do everything with a cool wash. Yellow goes in the light wash since I've never had yellow run into anything else but I have had it turn an unattractive sludge colour when washed with dark denim. I don't generate enough laundry in a week to make it worth putting a load on and have plenty of clothes so I would just wait until I had a full load. The other thing I sometimes used to do if I only had half a load is to share a machine with one of the other girls on my floor and split the cost.

Once I left halls we didn't have a tumble dryer in our house so I used to go to Mr Bubbles. When I moved to Trafford we initially didn't have a properly working washing machine and I used to get a service wash at the local laundrette which I continued doing for a long time after we did get a working washer dryer. It wasn't too bad money wise because I used to take a big load once a fotnight and I think it was £6.50 which I thought was worth it to get it all back bone dry and folded. Too skint to do that now though unfortunately.

StudentLife

Use a dye grabber...

http://www.lakelandlimited.co.uk/product.aspx/!20647

...then you can bung all your washing in at once and the whites won't get dirty.

kingmonkey

I started hand washing my clothes when I was in halls due to the amount of time it took in the laundrette. I think I used tesco washing powder non-bio.

Because the longest part is waiting for the clothes to dry, my housemates used to wash their clothes and then bring them home to dry.

Others just took a book or work to do while waiting.

dannahaz

Could you share your loads with a fellow student? That would halve the cost.

For handwashing small items I would recommend this http://www.lakelandlimited.co.uk/product.aspx/!2018 Although it's called Wool Mix you can use it on lingerie etc as well, and the great thing is it doesn't need rinsing. I always do rinse though, but I don't need to worry about getting it all out. It doesn't make things go hard like soap does.

I only use a tiny amount in each wash so one bottle lasts ages.

mumofcookers

My washing machine has died:mad:
The lovely people(!) at Comet can't get anyone to even look at it untill Wednesday. I heard the drum fall off inside just before my kitchen floor was then covered in water, so they will look at it and tell me I need a new drum and will then have to wait for them to come back and fix, so I am really looking at at least a week without it:eek:
I have 4 children 8,5,3 and 6 months and then the husband who's a tradesman who gets through more clothes than the children!

One of my first thoughts are to take it to the launerette and let them do it but it will cost way to much money. I do about 3 loads a day.

Anyway...I would like any help on how to hand wash (have to do some tomorrow as I need to do school uniforms!)

I have never done it before!!
Do I need to get hand washing powder?
Any hints and tips would be great.

Thank you so much!!