Not only do you have to carefully monitor the water temperature and use just the right amount of soap, but you also must make sure you're not stretching or twisting the fabric – it’s a time-consuming process.
The key is balance! We recommend taking your favourite, most prized items (or ones that are made from the most delicate of fabrics) and only hand wash those.
We’ve created this simple guide on how to hand wash your favourite, most delicate pieces in order to protect them. From silk shirts and leather pants to sweaters and fine dresses, we'll show you how easy it is to keep your clothes looking great for years to come using Surf Hand Washing Powder.
5 Steps To Hand Washing Clothes To Preserve Them
Hand washing is a process that does require time and care, but thanks to Surf’s washing powder for hand washing clothes, it will be a process that’s incredibly rewarding when you see how cared for your delicate clothing will be.
#1 – Always Read The Care Label
It goes without saying, although sometimes it does need to be reiterated. Every garment comes with a care label that will give you detailed instructions on how to care for that specific fabric. Some fabrics can only be washed by hand, but others can be washed in the machine but because of their delicate nature will respond more positively if washed by hand.
#2 – Choose The Right Detergent
Choose a washing powder that is formulated for hand washing specifically. Surf’s hand washing powder is formulated with whitening technology to make your whites whiter and care for delicate fabrics. The whitening granules in the powder penetrate fabric fibres and work to gently clean and brighten your clothing.
#3 – Soak Your Clothing
Hand washing your favourite pieces will enable them to last for a much longer time. Ideally you want to soak your clothing for a while first before washing them. Submerge your garments in a bucket of warm water with a little Surf hand washing powder dissolved in it and soak your clothing items. We recommend soaking your items for an hour or two for best results, although you can soak very dirty items overnight too.
#4 - Rinse and Repeat
Once soaking is finished, rinse your favourite clothing under cold water and be sure not to wring or stretch them in the process. You can then give them a delicate hand washing in a new bucket of water with the right amount of hand washing powder in to get rid of any stubborn stains especially those on collars and cuffs.
#5 – Sun Dry for Best Results
Air drying your favourite pieces of clothing in direct sunlight is the best way to get them dry. Tumble drying is a very efficient form of drying and is necessary for many laundry needs, but for special items, you don’t want to take the risk of tumble drying them and having them shrink, stretch, or fade from the heat. Hanging your clothing on a hanger, wash line, or clothes horse in warm sunlight is best.
What Clothes Should You Always Hand Wash?
There are some key times when hand washing items is insisted upon, namely:
If the care label of the garment says “hand wash only”
For delicate materials like silk, suede, leather, lace, and wool.
For items that are old, like precious hand-me-downs or your mom’s dress from the 1950s. It’s best not to throw them into the machine with everything else, but rather to preserve them by delicately hand washing them.
For more clothing care tips and tricks, visit Cleanipedia now.