Ruhamosás

Ruhamosás is the Finnish term for washing clothes, the process of cleaning garments and textiles. The word is a compound of ruha (clothes) and mosás (washing). It encompasses the full range of activities involved in cleaning garments, from sorting and pretreating stains to washing, drying, and ironing.

In daily use, ruhamosás may be performed manually or with a washing machine. In modern Finland, most households use automatic washing machines with a variety of wash programs tailored to fabric type and soil level, followed by drying methods such as line drying or tumble drying. Detergents, fabric softeners, and washing temperature choices are selected to balance cleaning effectiveness with fabric care and energy use.

Historically, laundry work was labor-intensive and primarily done by hand. The introduction of washing machines in the 20th century reduced the manual burden and influenced home routines and gender dynamics, though practices vary across households and regions.

Environmentally, ruhamosás raises considerations regarding water and energy use, detergent formulation, and microplastic release from synthetic fabrics, leading to ongoing developments in efficient machines and eco-friendly products.

Cultural aspects include how laundry routines appear in media and literature as indicators of daily life, order, and domestic organization.

See also: Laundry, Textile care, Domestic chores, Washing machine.