Cleaning vestments

I will be the first to admit that I do not enjoy doing wash (laundry) here.  It’s all done by hand, in a bucket, then dried on the line.  It’s worse in the rainy season when you’re dodging rain, and since the weather changes so quickly here, it’s always a gamble.

My alb (long, white robe) has gotten a bit dirty, especially on the bottom hem.  It’s rather difficult to get it on and off without it touching the ground, and despite frequent cleanings, you can always count on the floor being dusty (dirt dust, not dust dust).  My cincture rope is long enough that it comes about to my ankles, so it has a habit of hitting the ground too.  And I dropped it one day walking back from the cathedral… that was before I had a better carrying methodology.  But it needed a bath too.

So I just soaked the alb and rope, scrubbed the hem with a brush, and got the dirt off.  I’m a bit more leery of the cincture, since I don’t remember where all the dirt patches are.  I’m reluctant to scrub it too much, for fear of fraying the rope a bit.  Both are now soaking in Jik (bleach – the brand name, similar to Clorox).  Then I’ll rinse again, and put out to dry.

How long do you think it will take the rope to dry?  I mean, you can’t really wring out a rope too much.  I’m thinking at least two days.  Sheesh.  I’m going to the consecration in Ankole on Sunday, so I don’t need the vestments, hence the washing on Thursday.  I’ve been meaning to do this for a couple weeks, but I think of it on Thursday, then I fear the rope won’t be dry, so I have to wait, thinking I’ll do it on Monday, but then I forget.

Oh my – then I’ll have to iron that puppy.  Gads.  We generally use our beds as an ironing board, though that’s part of the purpose of the counter in the bathroom area – but the counter is concrete, so you have to use a towel as a buffer.  I’m going to hug my washing machine when I get back, just like last year.