A hand-held laundry treating apparatus includes a portable body formed in the shape of a bar having a predetermined length for washing a localized portion of a laundry item placed on a vertical plane or a horizontal plane while being in contact with the laundry item, and a water tank mounted at a middle part of the portable body at an angle to the portable body for supplying wash water to the portable body and, at the same time, for collecting and storing contaminated water generated from the localized portion of the laundry item according to a use state of the portable body when washing the localized portion of the laundry item placed on the vertical plane or the horizontal plane.