It occurs to me that it's been a while since I posted! So, um. Please enjoy!
I figure this is something every provider has to work with--a lot of the nicest clothes, and pretty much all of the "delicates," are going to be hand-wash only. And while I guess I COULD just hire someone else to do it (do laundromats do hand-washing as well as dry-cleaning?), I'd really just as soon not hand over a bunch of provider-wear to a stranger.
As for the color the basin-water gets... I blame the stockings. Let's face it, everything else I wear gets maybe an hour a week of gentle, sitting around wear. The stockings, on the other hand, get a lot more use. (And are a lot easier to fit into my casual wardrobe!)
Anyway, an image of life behind-the-scenes. :P