Introduction to Melabein – Laundering
- The cleaning (or laundering, we will use both words interchangeably) of clothes, fabrics etc on Shabbos is restricted under the primary melacha of Melabein (or ‘Libbun’ – cleaning; literally – ‘whitening’, again we will use both words interchangeably), via the sub-category of ‘kibbus’ – laundering. This melacha was performed as part of processing wool for use in the Mishkan. (MB 302:39, SSK 15:1)
- For convenience, we will often just refer to the cleaning of clothes or garments going forward, but the same halachos apply to cleaning other fabrics such as towels etc.
- Regarding libbun, a distinction is made between ‘dry cleaning’ and ‘wet cleaning’, with specific halachos pertaining to each type, which we will iyH go on to explore (SSK 15:2).
Keeping Clothes Clean
- It is good (though there is no formal Rabbinic requirement) to take steps to ensure that clothes that one is particular about their cleanliness do not accidentally become dirtied, lest one come to clean them and transgress the melacha of libbun. For example, it is advisable to hang such clothes in a way they will not easily fall or be knocked onto the ground, or, if holding a baby, to place a towel or muslin between the baby and one’s clothes (SSK 15:35, MB 302:55).
Wet Cleaning – Soaking
- Under the melacha of melabein, one may not soak garments in water (or another cleaning liquid), or pour water on them, even a small amount, on Shabbos. This is forbidden even if the garment was clean at the outset (SA, R 302:9, MB 49, SSK 15:4).
- Included in this prohibition, one may not clean a fabric with spit, nor spray them with stain removing sprays, nor sprinkle talcum powder on them to draw out grease (SSK 15:27).
Dirtying Fabrics with Water or Coloured Liquids
- It is permitted to wet a fabric with water in a manner that is considered to be dirtying it. Therefore, when one washes one’s hands one may dry them on a towel as the water is somewhat dirty. However, if the towel was already soiled, one may not do so – even though the water is somewhat dirty, it will make the towel cleaner than it was to start with(R 302:10, MB 53).
- However, if the liquid is coloured, it would be preferable not to wet a fabric with it, even if it is dirtying the fabric, out of concern for the melacha of tzoveia, dying. We will explore this in more detail iyH when discussing cleaning up spills (MB 320:59).
- We will also see iyH that there is sometimes a restriction on making a fabric very wet, even in a manner that dirties it, out of a concern that one will come to squeeze the liquid out of the fabric.
Materials that Melabein Applies To
- The above restriction against wetting fabrics applies when a garment is made from an absorbent material, such as if it is made from wool or cotton.
- Leather: However, there is no prohibition to merely pour water on leather or soak it in water as it is a less absorbent material. It remains forbidden to gently rub and all the more so scrub leather once it has been wetted, given this more intense action has a greater cleansing effect (SA 302:9, MB 41, BH”L D”H Aval Lechaboso, OS 13 fn58).
- Rubber and Synthetic Materials: Items made from rubber or a sheet of plastic or synthetic material, such as rubber gloves or a plastic tablecloth, have the same halachos as leather – they may be wetted but not rubbed or scrubbed once wet. SSK is similarly lenient on soaking garments made entirely from synthetic threads, though most other poskim are strict (SSK 15:6-8, Dirshu 302:47).
- If by wetting leather, plastic etc one will also moisten threads made of absorbent materials which are sewn in, such as wool, this is forbidden; therefore one must take care to avoid wetting such threads when washing shoes, plastic baby bibs etc (SSK 15:9).
- Hard materials: There is no prohibition against washing or scrubbing hard utensils, such as those made from wood or thick plastic (MB 302:41, OS 13:2).
