Do you hand wash more clothing as a senior?

Ralphy1

Ralphy1

Well-known Member
It seems that the washing machine was really necessary when children were at home but not after they are gone, and you are probably doing less that would get your clothes dirty. Also, hand washing of clothes will definitely keep them lasting longer...
 

Yes, and I still carry a scar from sticking my hand in the wringer of the washing machine it took my arm up to the elbow and tore the skin offstage that point. It was an Easy machine and I can still visualize it as it fascinated me as a child and I played with it when nobody was around--a bad idea!
 
I never hand wash at home. Use lingerie setting for some things and put them on a rack to dry. Otherwise, everything goes in the dryer.

Now, Uganda is a different story - 2 years of handwashing every single thing - towels, sheets, everything.

In Thailand we have our laundry picked up for washing and drying. But there are quite a few things I don't want put in a dryer - gym clothes, bikinis, and undies - so I handwash and put on our veranda on a drying rack.
 
Ralphy1 said:
Yes, and I still carry a scar from sticking my hand in the wringer of the washing machine it took my arm up to the elbow and tore the skin offstage that point. It was an Easy machine and I can still visualize it as it fascinated me as a child and I played with it when nobody was around--a bad idea!
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Ouch!! My granny had one of those and I remember getting yelled at a few times when I got too close to the wringer when she was using it.
 
Ralphy1 said:
Yes, and I still carry a scar from sticking my hand in the wringer of the washing machine it took my arm up to the elbow and tore the skin offstage that point. It was an Easy machine and I can still visualize it as it fascinated me as a child and I played with it when nobody was around--a bad idea!
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I got caught like that once too as a kid, but had been drilled to hit the red bar on top. I took one whack at that thing with all I had! It took them a long time to figure out how to put it back together. ;)
 
I have found the neatest thing. Mesh bags to put bras and delicates in so they can safely be machine washed. They have special bags for bras... and I have some expensive ones that I don't want ruined.

1006412
 
Got my fingers nipped more than once in my mom's old wringer washer when I was a kid.

In Turkey, our maid washed all our clothes in the bathtub and hung them out on the balcony. When we bought an old wringer washing machine from another American couple who were shipping out, she thought she had died and gone to heaven. No more wringing by hand.
 
Hmm, it strikes me that hand washing them would help to save the environment, less water use, and the Stein woman would be pleased...:eek:nthego:
 
jujube said:
Got my fingers nipped more than once in my mom's old wringer washer when I was a kid.

In Turkey, our maid washed all our clothes in the bathtub and hung them out on the balcony. When we bought an old wringer washing machine from another American couple who were shipping out, she thought she had died and gone to heaven. No more wringing by hand.
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The worst part of doing all the laundry by hand in Uganda was wringing them out. I got cramps in my hands.
 
I already have, I and have dried them in the sun all summer and now in the fall. That Stein woman should love me...
 
I still use the washer and dryer. I do hang dry many things like shirts and sweaters. Does save a bit of dryer energy. But I would never give up the convenience.
 
Wow! Didn't know that they made them. I will try them this winter. Thanks...
 
I never hand wash anything if I don't have to. I have a handwash setting on my washing machine, and also a water level feature where if there's only one or two items in there, very little water is used for that cycle.
 
I read up on the disposable sheets. Guess they would be OK for the uses mentioned on the reviews, short term use for ill people, or dorms. At the price of $30 for the queen set I would need to buy, not sure I would go for them. Plus, I do not compost, so that is out as an option.
 
Ralphy1 said:
Yes, and I still carry a scar from sticking my hand in the wringer of the washing machine it took my arm up to the elbow and tore the skin offstage that point. It was an Easy machine and I can still visualize it as it fascinated me as a child and I played with it when nobody was around--a bad idea!
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I didn't lose any skin, but did get my arm sucked through the wringer rolls of the wash machine we had on the fantail, on a landing craft I lived on in Vietnam.
 
No handwashing except for silk long underwear, which is pretty delicate. I tried washing them using a mesh bag, but they really need to be hand washed.

I actually go to the laundromat and don't mind it at all. There's a nice one nearby, it's very clean, and they take excellent care of their equipment. I go a couple times a month and get everything done in an hour. The machines take Apple Pay so I don't have to use quarters.
 
Laurie said:
Only by using the "Handwash" setting on my washing machine!
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:lol1:Ditto!

QuickSilver said:
I have found the neatest thing. Mesh bags to put bras and delicates in so they can safely be machine washed. They have special bags for bras... and I have some expensive ones that I don't want ruined.

1006412
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I've been using those for my bras and when I remember my socks as well to keep from losing them. The dreaded two socks in one sock out syndrome.
 

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