How To Strip Your Laundry
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.
Cost: $0.60
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.
