Handle with care - A guide to hand washing
- Sort your wash by colour, so you are washing whites and light and dark colours separately.
- Check the care labels to see whether items need a cold or hand-hot wash and for detergent advice.
- Liquids dissolve more quickly and don't contain bleach.
Delicates
Fabrics such as wool and silk and rayon call for a gentle wash, so the stronger biological, high pH products are not always suitable. We recommend that you use a pH neutral non-enzymatic detergent because they do not contain enzymes, bleach or brightening agents. The same fabrics often have delicate dyes, so a product such as Persil Silk and Wool is ideal because it does not contain bleach.
Modern fabrics
Many modern fabrics can also be handwashed in a powder or liquid detergent, but check the care label carefully for instructions.
Woollens
- Check that the care label on the article advises washing - some woollens are labelled 'dry clean only'.
- Use warm water (around 30-40°C).
- Use a pH neutral non-enzymated detergent.
- Wash quickly, squeezing the garment gently in the suds. Give extra-dirty woollens two washes with a rinse between, rather than one long wash.
- Add a fabric conditioner to the final rinse water, to ensure that the garment stays soft.
- Gently squeeze out the excess moisture, then roll in a towel or spin dry in your machine to remove as much water as possible to prevent any dye running. Dry flat on a towel away from direct heat and sunlight to prevent white or light colours from discolouring. Do not tumble dry.
