Learn Dutch: Ik was me in de ochtend. - I wash myself in the morning.

Wassen (to wash) is a reflexive verb. For everyday personal care actions like washing or dressing, Dutch uses the short reflexive pronouns like me, je, or zich. You only use the longer forms like mezelf if you want to put heavy emphasis on it, like saying "I am washing MYSELF, not the car."

Doesn't was mean "was" in the past tense?

Yes, it can! Was is a tricky word for English speakers because it is both the past tense of zijn (to be) and the present tense "I" form of wassen (to wash). Context is key. Here, the reflexive pronoun me makes it obvious that this is about washing.

Can I leave out me like we do in English and just say Ik was in de ochtend?

No, you cannot drop it here. If you just say Ik was, a Dutch speaker will expect you to say what you are washing, like clothes or dishes. To say you are washing your own body, you must include me.

Could I say 's ochtends instead of in de ochtend?

Yes, absolutely! In de ochtend and 's ochtends mean the exact same thing and are both very common ways to say "in the morning" in Dutch.