Your washing machine is broken, and you can’t reach the laundromat. However, it would help if you had clean clothes for tomorrow. Don’t worry; you can wash a small load of soiled clothes in the bathtub.
If you are okay with getting your hands dirty, washing clothing in the bathtub is easy. Continue reading to learn how to wash clothing in a bathtub.
What You’ll Need
Equipment and Tools
1 soft-bristled nylon brush
1 bathtub or huge laundry sink
1 pair of rubber gloves (optional)
Materials
1 bottle of high-efficiency washing detergent
1 bottle stain remover (optional)
How to Wash Clothes in a Bathtub
Cleaning clothes necessitates the use of detergent, water, and a human. Laundry in a bathtub follows the same guidelines as washing machines or hand-washing clothes.
Clean the Bathtub
Like a clean washing, a clean bathtub will yield more significant results. Begin by removing the bottles and goods from the tub’s edge so they don’t fall into the wash water. Clean the tub and thoroughly rinse it to remove any cleaning product residue.
Tip
Many bathtub and shower cleansers include bleach, which can permanently damage clothing with incredibly dark colors.
Sort the Clothes
Sort the filthy garments by color: whites, colors, and dark colors. Then, sort by fabric type again. Do not wash heavy cotton towels with lightweight synthetic blouses.
Divide the sorted heaps into reasonable proportions for the tub. Don’t try to wash too many items at once—a load of two pairs of jeans, two or three shirts, or one set of linens is sufficient.
Check the Labels
Please read the care labels on your clothing before throwing it away. They will inform you what water temperature to use, whether the item should be washed separately since it bleeds dye, and whether it should be washed or dry cleaned.
Stains must be pre-treated.
Examine each garment and pre-treat any stains or excessively soiled areas.
Apply a dab of liquid:
Apply dry detergent or stain remover to pre-treat stains.
Work the product into the stain using a soft-bristled nylon brush or fingers.
Allow it to sit for at least 15 minutes before adding the garments to the tub.
He gives the product time to begin dissolving the stains from the fabric fibers.
Fill the tub with water and add the detergent.
Fill the tub about halfway with cool to warm water. Add one to two tablespoons of liquid laundry detergent and swish your hands in the water to disperse the detergent.
If you’re using powdered detergent, dissolve it entirely in one cup of hot water before adding it to the tub of water.
Add the Dirty Clothes
Slowly add the garments and ensure they are entirely submerged in soapy water. Put on rubber gloves if desired, and gently squeeze the clothes to ensure all portions of the garment are moist.
Allow at least 15 minutes for the detergent’s surfactants to suspend the soil freed from the fibers.
Agitate the Clothes
To ensure effective cleaning:
Use your hands to gently stir the clothes in the water after they have soaked for a while.
Lift them up and down in the water.
Gently massage the textiles together to release soil, especially in highly soiled regions.
After soaking the fabrics in soapy solution, apply gentle pressure to squeeze the solution out from the fabrics.
Drain and rinse
Drain the tub of water and carefully squeeze the soapy water out of the clothing. Fill the tub with cool water to rinse the garments. Agitate the garments in the rinse water, then drain and repeat the process until no traces of soapy water remain.
Remove Excess Water and Dry Clothes
Squeeze out any extra water gently. If you wring the garments too hard, they will wrinkle. Transfer the garments to a drying rack, clothesline, or automated dryer.
Tip
Place the damp garments in a single layer on a heavy, absorbent towel to speed up drying time. To absorb the water, roll up the towel. Repeat with another dry towel before hanging the garments to dry.
How to Dry Clothes Without a Dryer
If you don’t have access to a dryer, you can line-dry your items using a drying rack or clothesline. Check the care label to see if the garment should be dried flat over the top of a shelf instead of hanging to dry.
Tips for Washing Clothes in a Bathtub
Pointers to help you perform the task successfully:
Remember to clean the tub: a clean bathtub equals cleaner clothes. Scrub the tub thoroughly, but don’t use a bleach-containing bathroom cleaning, or you’ll have unfixable stains on your clothes.
Remember the basic laundry rules: Sort the clothing and wash comparable colors and textiles together.
Washing two smaller loads is preferable to cramming everything into the tub simultaneously.
Please don’t use too much soap: Using too much detergent will result in a foamy residue that is difficult to remove, making your clothes stiff and uncomfortable to wear.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you hand wash clothing in a bathtub using laundry pods?
Instead of using laundry pods to hand wash garments in the bathtub, use liquid or powdered laundry detergent. Laundry pods are designed for washing machines to dissolve and evenly distribute concentrated substances to garments by mechanical action. They can create streaking, staining, and residue if not properly dissolved. Exposure to the very focused chemicals in laundry pods can cause skin irritation.
How do you wash clothing in a bathtub without laundry detergent?
If you run out of laundry detergent, you can substitute some everyday household items or make your own laundry detergent at home. When washing clothes in the bathtub, use shampoo (1 to 2 teaspoons), soap, body wash, hand-washing soap (1 to 2 teaspoons), or liquid dish soap (1 tablespoon per gallon of water). Never use these laundry detergent substitutes in a washing machine. You can also produce powdered laundry detergent in a machine or by hand. Use 1 tablespoon of DIY laundry detergent for a small load of washing in the bathtub.
Will washing clothes in the bathtub save money?
There may be energy and water savings if you wash small batches of items in cold water. Still, considering the time and effort necessary, hand-washing laundry may only be viable in the short run. There are various ways to use less water and preserve electricity while doing laundry. Washing machines use less energy than machine dryers, so it is advisable to consider line-drying your clothes. Other options to save water and energy include:
Using a front-loading, energy-star-labeled washing machine.
Wash with cold water.
Doing complete loads of laundry rather than a few items at a time.
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