My Secret Laundry Weapon is a Common, Easy to Use $15 Kitchen Tool

published Jun 5, 2019
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There’s nothing I dread more than seeing a hand-wash tag on my new favorite shirt. By the end of the task both me and my bathroom are drenched, and I don’t really believe I did much to actually clean the item. How is me rubbing a bit of soap on my bras cleaning them?!

I used to either ignore the tag and put them in the washing machine or just not wash the pieces until they could no longer be ignored (gross). Then I learned this neat little trick: Use a salad spinner to clean your hand-wash-only clothing.

A salad spinner has the same spinning action as a washing machine, but you can be more attentive and gentle, as you’re controlling it manually. Plus it has a closed top so the only thing getting wet is your laundry,

Here’s how I do it:

I slowly spin the clothing in a few inches of soapy water to flush and agitate the fabric. After leaving it to steep for about 5 to 10 minutes, I pull the strainer out and hold it under a spray of water to rinse the clothing. Finally, I quickly spin the clothing for about a minute to get rid of as much water as possible, mimicking the dry cycle of the washer, until it’s no longer sopping wet (so it’s not weighing down the drying rack or leaving a giant puddle on my floor).

I’ve been using this trick for about two years and it has made one of my least favorite chores totally bearable. I have no problem doing it every two weeks when the rest of my clothing is in the wash. My clothing is a whole lot cleaner and my bathroom is a lot drier. What more could I ask for?

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