Hand washing is time consuming, and it uses a great deal of water for only a few items. Reserve hand washing for delicate items that don't get very dirty and may be damaged from the agitation of an automatic washer.
Use two basins, the first filled with warm soapy water. Use a nontoxic liquid laundry detergent. Fill the second basin with room temperature water — you can add a bit of distilled white vinegar to brighten colours or whites. (As with washing machines, keep dark and light colours separate; any garment that will bleed colour should get its own basin.) Swish each item through the soapy water for a few minutes, then rinse and press it against the edge of the basin to squeeze water out. (These are delicates — don't wring them.) You can further dry the item by pressing with a clean towel. Then let it air dry on a rack.
Drying
Old-fashioned air drying obviously uses less energy than automatic clothes dryers, and it leaves clothes smelling especially fresh. The best kind of air drying happens outdoors, with fresh air and sunshine. For indoor drying, there are a variety of space-saving clotheslines and racks available. If you are using an automatic dryer, make the task as energy-efficient as possible. Clean the lint filter between every load, and don't overdry. Avoid chemical fabric softener sheets, which coat clothes with wax and perfumes, can cause skin irritation, may contain several different dangerous chemicals. The best time to use fabric softener is in the washing machine; some nontoxic laundry detergents include a fabric softener. If you'd like to add fragrance in the dryer, put a few drops of essential oil on a cotton cloth, then place it in with the wet clothes.