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Laundry stripping is a method of washing that removes odors and buildup of detergents, minerals, body oils, and fabric softeners. It’s easy, effective, and only needs to be done once in a while.
Creating a simple life at home usually has an unexpected gateway. For me, it was making a sourdough starter and learning to bake sourdough bread.
Then, suddenly, I was neck-deep in old-fashioned frugality and skills. I didn’t think laundry would be part of my simple living journey, but alas, it is.
When I first published this post, we had been primarily paper towel-free for over a year. Two years later, we still rely on kitchen towels and washcloths for most of our cleaning.
But using towels day in and day out comes with a cost: stink. I recently noticed that the moment my towels had even the slightest dampness, they smelled badly.
I experimented with my kitchen towels to see what worked and what didn’t. For this blog, I gave it a try with my bath towels.
What is Laundry Stripping?
Laundry stripping is a method of washing that removes the build-up of excess detergent, fabric softener, minerals, and body oil that have accumulated on your laundry over time.
Clothes or towels are soaked in hot water and a homemade solution of washing soda, Borax, and powdered laundry detergent.
The buildup and residue are stripped from the laundry as the clothes soak for a few hours.
Video – How To Strip Laundry
Check out my laundry stripping tutorial and review on YouTube. And don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel. New videos come out weekly.
What Causes Laundry Buildup and Odor?
Because we wash our laundry regularly, one would suspect that it is dirt and grime that cause laundry to stink.
But it may come as a surprise that, in most circumstances, buildup and odors come from standard laundry products and habits, such as:
Detergent & Fabric Softener
Too Much Detergent: Using too much detergent can make your laundry dirtier. The buildup traps odors, minerals, and grime.
Homemade Laundry Detergent: Unlike commercial detergents, homemade laundry soap lacks the enzymes needed to cut grime.
Fabric Softener: Like detergent, fabric softener can leave a waxy buildup on your laundry. It makes fabrics less absorbent and traps odors, minerals, and grime.
Water Temperature & Quality
Cold water wash: While washing in cold water is better for the environment and your wallet, it can leave behind stubborn residue.
Hard water: This is one of the main laundry issues here in coastal North Carolina, where I live. Hard water leads to an accumulation of minerals that can make your towels feel, look, and smell less than fresh.
Dirty Conditions
Not Washing Enough: If you wait too long between washings, your natural body oils and products (lotions, perfumes, hair products, etc.) can build up on your clothes, towels, and sheets.
Not Cleaning Your Washer: Washing machines, especially front-loaders, are notorious for harboring buildup and mold that can transfer to clothes.
Ingredients
Super Washing Soda: Not to be confused with baking soda, washing soda is a stronger cleaner that’s chemically different. It’s often used to tackle mineral buildup and softens the water so detergent can do its job. I found it locally at Lowe's, but it's also easy to find online.
Borax: Borax neutralizes water and softens hard minerals, making detergent more effective. It is generally easy to find in most cleaning aisles and is readily available online.
Powdered Laundry Detergent: Liquid detergents vary in concentration, so it can be hard to determine if you are using the correct amount when stripping your laundry. As such, use a powdered detergent for your laundry stripping recipe.
Note: the recipe is a 1:1:2 ratio. So if your basin is larger or smaller, you can adjust the water and recipe ratio as necessary.
Tools You’ll Need
Large Basin: I used my bathtub to strip my kitchen and bath towels. But any large basin will do as long as it can hold a lot of hot water and your laundry.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Note before beginning: The measurements in this recipe are for a regular-sized bathtub filled halfway.
Step 1: Gather the clean laundry that you want to strip. It can be either wet or dry, but it should be clean.
Before strip-washing, I washed my towels on my washer’s sanitize function with extra hot water.
I recommend washing your laundry first in the hottest water your fabrics can tolerate.
Step 2: Fill a bathtub, top-loading washing machine, or large bucket with HOT water.
Pour 1/4 cup of washing soda, 1/4 cup of Borax, and 1/2 cup of powdered detergent into the hot water.
The recipe is a 1:1:2 ratio, so you can adjust the measurements if you have a smaller or larger basin.
Step 3: Use a large spoon to swish the water around (the cleaning solution can be harsh on your skin). Once the ingredients have dissolved, toss them into your laundry.
Allow the laundry to soak for about 4-5 hours until the water has cooled to room temperature. Use the spoon to agitate the laundry about once an hour or so.
Step 4: Enjoy the satisfaction of seeing the water becoming a murky mess.
Drain the tub and wring out the fabrics. Try to get out as much water as possible.
Step 5: Wash your laundry without detergent in the washing machine (hot water is preferable). Dry as usual.
Snuggle up with your fresh duds!
My Laundry Stripping Results
Does laundry stripping work? Yes, but…
I tried stripping my kitchen and bath towels, and I can confidently say they smell, look, and feel better. In fact, I haven’t noticed any odor on them at all since strip-washing them.
(Update: It’s been over a year since I stripped my towels, and I haven’t needed to strip them since.)
But I will caution that some of the images and videos of laundry stripping might be misleading. The cleaning solution can potentially pull the dye out of fabrics. So while, yes, there might be dirt and grime in the water, it may also be dye.
This isn’t to say that laundry stripping doesn’t work. But some of the discolored water may be simply dye. As such, I wouldn’t recommend stripping your laundry regularly or stripping any garment or items that are delicate or sentimental.
FAQs
No, laundry stripping does not remove stains. Instead, it is used to remove residue and odor from fabrics.
When stripping laundry, the fabrics are soaked in very hot water and a strong cleaning solution for about 4-5 hours. As such, I wouldn’t recommend stripping your laundry regularly.
A good rule of thumb and way to remember is, if needed, strip your laundry at the start of each season.
No, I do not recommend stripping all fabrics. Much of the “dirty water” seen in photos and on social media (even mine) is part grime and part dye. The cleaning solution can strip the dye out of your fabrics.
With that in mind, I would not strip anything delicate or sentimental. Additionally, dark fabrics can not only fade, but they could bleed onto lighter-colored items.
No, separate your lights and darks. Because the cleaning solution can potentially strip dye, there is a risk that it could discolor your light-colored laundry.
Let's Connect!
If you tried laundry stripping, let me know how it went in the comments below!
Also, don't forget to pin this post and follow Moon + Magnolia on Pinterest. You can save all my recipes on your boards and keep up with the latest happenings!
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How To Strip Your Laundry
Equipment
- A bathtub, large basin, or top-load washer
Materials
- 1/4 cup Super Washing Soda
- 1/4 cup Borax
- 1/2 cup powdered laundry detergent
- Hot water
Instructions
- Gather the clean laundry that you want to strip. It can be either wet or dry, but it should be clean. Before strip-washing, I washed my towels on my washer's sanitize function with extra hot water. I recommend washing your laundry first in the hottest water your fabrics can tolerate.
- Fill a bathtub, top-loading washing machine, or large bucket with HOT water.
- Pour 1/4 cup of washing soda, 1/4 cup of Borax, and 1/2 cup of powdered detergent into the hot water. The recipe is a 1:1:2 ratio, so you can adjust the measurements if you have a smaller or larger basin. For a regular-sized bathtub filled 1/2 way, the measurements listed in this recipe are appropriate.
- Use a large spoon to swish the water around (the cleaning solution can be harsh on your skin). Once the ingredients have dissolved, toss them into your laundry.
- Allow the laundry to soak for about 4-5 hours until the water has cooled to room temperature. Use the spoon to agitate the laundry about once an hour or so.
- Enjoy the satisfaction of seeing the water becoming a murky mess.
- Drain the tub and wring out the fabrics. Try to get out as much water as possible.
- Wash your laundry without detergent in the washing machine (hot water is preferable). Dry as usual.
- Snuggle up with your fresh duds!
Notes
- The cleaning solution can strip the dye out of your fabrics. With that in mind, I would not strip anything delicate or sentimental. Additionally, dark fabrics can not only fade, but they could bleed onto lighter color items.
