The custom of the Ashkenazim is to refrain from washing clothes throughout the nine days from Rosh Hodesh Ab through Tisha B’Ab. This is in contrast to the practice of the Sepharadim, who forbid washing clothes only on the week of Tisha B’Ab, from after the Shabbat preceding Tisha B’Ab through Tisha B’Ab.
The Mishna Berura (commentary by Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan, 1839-1933) writes that it is permissible to wash a stain off one’s suit that he plans to wear on Shabbat. Meaning, before Shabbat, one may take some water and clean off a stain from the garment he wishes to wear on Shabbat. This ruling is referring to the custom of the Ashkenazim, who forbid washing clothes throughout the Nine Days. For followers of this practice, an exception is made if a person’s Shabbat garment is stained, and he is allowed to clean the stain for the honor of Shabbat. For Sepharadim, however, this Halacha is unnecessary. Sepharadim are in any event allowed to wash clothes before the Shabbat preceding Tisha B’Ab, so there is no need for a special exception in the case of a stain on a suit.
Curiously, though, Hacham Ovadia Yosef mentions this Halacha in his work on the laws of the week of Tisha B’Ab. People asked the Hacham why he bothered citing this ruling, since it is irrelevant according to the accepted practice among Sepharadim. He explained that in his view, removing a stain is permissible even during the week of Tisha B’Ab, because this does not fall under the prohibition against washing clothes. When the Sages enacted this prohibition, they referred to the proper, thorough laundering of a garment, not to taking some water to remove a spot from one’s clothes. Therefore, irrespective of the concern for honoring Shabbat, it is permissible to remove a stain from a garment during the week of Tisha B’Ab. This is especially so if leaving the stain on the garment could ruin the garment, and even more so if one wishes to wear the garment on the Shabbat after Tisha B’Ab, in which case he removes the stain in honor of Shabbat. But in truth, Hacham Ovadia allows removing a stain during the week of Tisha B’Ab under all situations. This ruling is also cited in the name of Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Israel, 1910-1995).
It should be noted that Hacham Ben Sion Abba Shaul (Israel, 1923-1998), in his work Or Le’sion, disagrees with this position, and forbids removing a stain from a garment during the week of Tisha B’Ab under any circumstances. As for the final Halacha, however, one may rely on Hacham Ovadia’s lenient ruling and remove a stain from his garment during the week of Tisha B’Ab.
Summary: Although it is forbidden to wash clothes during the week of Tisha B’Ab (and for Ashkenazim, throughout the Nine Days), it is permissible to remove a stain from one’s garment with some water during this period, since the prohibition applies only to the thorough washing of a garment.
