...or How to Wash Clothes by Hand with Bar Soap
Last February, one of our staff members spent a month in the Central American rainforests taking photographs of wildlife. Naturally, her camera gear befits her commitment to her hobby (i.e. it is large and heavy) so everything else in her suitcase needed to be light, and preferably, multi-use. Thankfully, as many of you will know, Oriwa Naturals is well-known for the versatility of its products! Our staff member took a sample of our soon-to-be-launched natural sun filter which doubles as a face and body moisturiser (look for this in the summer!); our Ankle Biters Insect Repellent which also functions as a body oil; and our Kawakawa Soap/Shampoo/Conditioner 3-in-1 Bar—which, as it turns out, has more than its three advertised uses!
Our staff member is a good storyteller. In her words: “I’m a person that, no matter where I am, I drop food down my front. I don’t know what it is but food has a relationship with my clothes. A close relationship. And no matter how careful I am, my food always finds a way to cosy on up to the fabric and leave its mark—as if it wants to tell the world what I’ve been eating all day long...
“Ooooh, look: pasta today with sundried tomato. Nice one, roomie.
“Is that Thai green curry you’ve got there?
“Ha. Look, Dad. That lady’s had a chocolate ice cream.
The audacity! And, I don’t like to admit it, but while I’m talking a bit of green tomato pickle (made with plenty of yellow curry powder of course) has made its way onto my favourite sky blue Country Road sweatshirt... Enough said.”
Along with food stains, being in a Central American country means hot and sweaty weather. At times, we are told, the weather was so humid she felt like she was moving through a warm swimming pool and clothes stuck to her like glue. At the end of the day, all she wanted to do was have a long, cold shower and throw all her clothes in the nearest rubbish bin. Luckily for her bank account, she resisted this temptation—but she did develop an urgent need for near-constant laundry.Hotel laundry where our staff member was staying was very expensive. A small load could cost up to USD $25 which may be OK for visiting Americans but when you factor in the New Zealand exchange rate, it was exorbitant.
Her solution? She took all her clothes into the shower with her and washed them there with (you guessed it!) Oriwa Naturals’ Soap/Shampoo/Conditioner Bar. Her kawakawa soap bar got all the food and sweat stains out of her tops, the mud out of her pants, and even removed the bird poop from whichever clothing item they were targeting that day (an inevitable downside of being a bird photographer...). All the cabins she stayed in had a veranda so, every morning, she hung her clothes out to dry across the railings. (And seriously considered draping herself across the railings to dry, too, but, luckily for her fellow campers, the bitey insects put her off.)
Since this experience, Oriwa Naturals has released its very effective Out Damned Spot! Stain Remover Bar in a handy and affordable travel size that makes it not only an excellent stain remover but a perfect choice for on-the-run handwashing.
How to wash clothes by hand with bar soap
- Wet the bar soap.
- Lather it into the clothes, gently rubbing the fabric together over any stains.
- Rinse up to 3 times or as necessary.
Some tips:
Never leave your bar soap sitting in a pool of water. Always make sure it is in a free-draining dish, container, or shelf. (If they sit in water they will go slimy and not last as long.) Oriwa Naturals’ Soap/Shampoo/Conditioner Bars come in a small cotton bag, making it easy to hang the bar up to dry after use.
How to get body oil stains out of clothes: This is a big one for us as we always wind up covered in oil while making products! We have 2 x solutions:
1. Use Oriwa Naturals’ Out Damned Spot! Stain Remover Bar and warm water. Rub the bar into the oil stain and let it lather up. Rinse it off with a little warm water, and repeat as many times as necessary. Put through a normal wash as per clothing instructions.
2. For set and stubborn stains, make a paste with Oriwa Naturals’ Laundry Powder and a tiny amount of water over the stain. Leave to sit for about 10 minutes. Rinse well and then use Oriwa Naturals’ Out Damned Spot! Stain Remover Bar as above. Put through a normal wash as per clothing instructions. *Always patch-test first.*
Our bird photographing, messy eating, intrepid adventuring staff member will be hitting the jungles again next year and taking a new bar of Out Damned Spot! Stain Remover with her. We wish her only the best exciting and stain-free travels!
