How to Wash Clothes in a Bathtub When the Washing Machine Is Broken

How to Wash Clothes in a Bathtub

Cleaning clothes requires chemical energy (detergent), thermal energy (water temperature), and mechanical energy (a machine or person). Washing clothes in a bathtub follows the same rules as doing laundry in a washing machine or hand-washing clothes.

1. Clean the Bathtub

   A clean bathtub will give you better final results, just as a clean washer equals cleaner clothes.

   • Start by removing all the bottles and products from the tub's edge so they don't fall into the wash water.
   • Thoroughly clean the tub and rinse it well to remove any cleaning product residue.

   Tip

   Many bathtub and shower cleaners contain bleach, which can cause permanent damage to clothes, especially dark colors.

   

2. Sort the Clothes

   • Sort the dirty clothes by color: whites, colors, dark colors.
   • Then, do a second sorting by type of fabric. Do not attempt to wash heavy cotton towels with lightweight synthetic blouses.
   • Divide the sorted piles into manageable amounts for the tub.
   • Don't try to wash too many items together—a load of two pairs of jeans and two or three shirts or one set of sheets is appropriate.

   

3. Read the Labels

   Before you toss in the clothes, read the care labels. They will tell you what water temperature to use, whether the item needs to be washed separately because it bleeds dye, and whether it should be washed or dry cleaned.

   

4. Pre-treat Stains

   Look at each garment and pre-treat any stains or heavily soiled areas.

   • To pre-treat stains, dab liquid laundry detergent or an enzyme-based stain remover on the stain.
   • Work the product into the stain with a soft-bristled nylon brush or your fingers.
   • Let it sit for at least 15 minutes before adding the clothes to the tub. Give the product time to start breaking apart the stains from the fabric fibers.

   

5. Fill the Tub With Water and Add Detergent

   • Fill the tub about half-full with cool to warm water.
   • Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of liquid laundry detergent and swish your hands through the water to disperse it.
   • If you are using a powdered detergent, mix it with 1 cup of hot water to ensure the powder dissolves completely before adding it to the tub of water.

   

6. Add the Dirty Clothes

   • Slowly add the dirty clothes and ensure they are fully submerged in soapy water.
   • Put on rubber gloves if you'd like, and use your hands to gently squeeze the clothes so you know that all areas of the garment are completely wet.
   • Allow the clothes to soak for at least 15 minutes so the detergent's surfactants have time to suspend the soil released from the fabrics.

   

7. Agitate the Clothes

   After soaking, use your hands to agitate the clothes in the water.

   • Lift them up and down in the water.
   • Gently rub the fabrics against each other to loosen soil, especially on heavily soiled areas.
   • Then, gently squeeze the soapy solution through the fabrics.

   

8. Drain and Rinse

   • Drain the tub of water and gently squeeze the soapy water out of the clothes.
   • Refill the tub with cool water to rinse the clothes.
   • Agitate the clothes in the rinse water, then drain and repeat the steps until no traces of soapy water remain.

   

9. Remove Excess Water and Dry the Clothes

   • Gently squeeze out the excess water.
   • Don't wring harshly, or the clothes will have many wrinkles.
   • Transfer the clothes to a drying rack, clothesline, or automatic dryer.

   Tip

   To speed up drying time, place the wet clothes in a single layer on a heavy, absorbent towel. Roll the towel up to soak up the water. Repeat with another dry towel before hanging the clothes to dry.
   

   

How to Dry Clothes Without a Dryer

If you don’t have access to a clothes dryer or you’re not able to use your own, you can line dry your clothes using a drying rack or clothesline. Be sure to check the care label in case the item should dry flat across the top of a rack instead of hanging to dry.

Additional Tips for Washing Clothes in a Bathtub

Here are a few tips to help you complete the task successfully:

• Don't forget to clean the tub: A clean bathtub will result in cleaner clothes. Give the tub a good scrub but don't use a bathroom cleaner that contains bleach or you'll have unfixable spots on your clothes.
• Don't forget the basic rules of laundry: Sort the clothes and wash similar colors and fabrics together.
• Don't overload the tub: It is better to wash two smaller loads than to cram everything in the tub at one time.
• Don't use too much detergent: Overdosing the tub with detergent will make it nearly impossible to remove the sudsy residue and clothes will be stiff and scratchy to wear.