What Is Laundry Stripping and Is It Worth Trying?

"" Laundry stripping removes built-up detergent, fabric softener and general gunk from your clean laundry with a good, long soak in a few simple ingredients.

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Key Takeaways

• Laundry stripping is an intensive cleaning method used to remove built-up residue from textiles ' including detergent, fabric softener, body oils and minerals ' from hard water.

• The process involves soaking clean laundry in a mixture of hot water, borax, washing soda and laundry detergent for several hours until the water cools, which reveals the dirt through the murky water.

• While effective, laundry stripping should be used sparingly, as it can be harsh on fabrics and is not suitable for delicate items or those requiring cold wash or dry cleaning.

Indisputable visual proof is just the best thing ever, which is why most people are so bowled over by great before-and-after comparison pics. One of the more recent things to fall into this category is laundry stripping, which has been all the rage on TikTok in recent years. However, although it's become something of a social media sensation, this deep-cleaning laundry practice has actually been way longer than TikTok.

Dubbed an "aggressive cleaning method" by the experts at Maytag, the laundry stripping process is designed to remove any "extras" that otherwise clean laundry is holding on to, such as hard water minerals, body oils, excess detergent or fabric softener. When all of these things build up, they can make white or light-colored laundry look dull and dingy.

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After a good laundry-stripping soak, the water is often visibly dirty, which is a shocking, yet satisfying visual to people who thought their textiles were already clean!

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How clean is your clean laundry, really? Laundry stripping, also called strip-washing, has attracted social media fans, with nearly 4,000 TikTok videos tagged with #laundrystripping. The clips show users soaking sheets, towels, and clothes in a solution of borax and detergent for several hours, often resulting in a tub full of brown, filthy-looking water as dirt and residue release from the items.

BHG / Marisa Kikis

What Does Laundry Stripping Do?

The goal of laundry stripping is to revive linens and clothing items with a deep clean that lifts grime and buildup. "It helps to remove all residues from laundry soap, fabric softener, minerals from hard water, and body oils," says Rosa Nogales-Hernandez, head home cleaning valet for Valet Living, a Florida-based residential amenities provider. "Essentially, it gives your laundry a second chance to be as fresh and crisp like it's the very first wash." However, not all laundry requires this treatment, and you could actually damage clothing by stripping it unnecessarily. Here's what you need to know before you get started.

When to Strip Wash Laundry

BHG / Marisa Kikis

Laundry Stripping Limitations and Benefits

Laundry stripping involves powerful cleaning agents and very hot water, so the process isn't ideal for everyday clothes washing. This technique is best for heavily used items like bed sheets or towels. Nogales-Hernandez recommends strip-washing these items about once a month if desired. Laundry stripping is also a good option if you notice an odor that won't go away or discoloration on your fabric items, says Becky Rapinchuk, the cleaning expert behind the blog Clean Mama.

"We do not recommend doing this frequently, as it can prematurely age and damage clothes," says Mary Begovic Johnson, a principal scientist for Tide. She notes that individuals with sensitive skin, for example, might want to strip-wash their clothes before wearing them to remove any lingering harmful substances from the manufacturing process. Check care labels to make sure items are safe to wash in hot water, and don't use the technique on delicate items that can easily get damaged.

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Update Your Laundry Routine

Buildup on clothes and linens is a common reason for laundry stripping. Make sure you're only using the recommended amount of detergent for your load size, as excess soap residue can linger on the fabric after washing. When washing towels, only use fabric softener every three to four washes to prevent waxy buildup that can reduce the towels' absorbency and diminish their fluffy feel.

How to Strip Wash Your Laundry

BHG / Marisa Kikis

Create Laundry Stripping Mixture and Prep Items

Rapinchuk suggests using very hot water and powdered detergent containing enzymes for best results. "You'll get better results with an enzyme detergent because it will go deeper into the fibers," she says. Choose a detergent without fragrances or dyes for the most effective laundry stripping. Use a mixture of borax ($6, Target), laundry detergent, and washing soda ($5, Walmart), a synthetic compound similar to (though not the same as) baking soda that's often used in homemade laundry detergents.

Avoid mixing colors when laundry stripping. Hot water can cause dyes to bleed more easily, resulting in accidental stains if you mix white sheets with red T-shirts, for example. Because it requires hot water and potentially harmful substances, laundry stripping should be done away from kids or pets to avoid accidents.

Steps for Laundry Stripping

Before laundry stripping, items should be freshly laundered (either wet or dry). Then follow these instructions:

1. Fill your bathtub (or a large bucket) with enough hot water to submerge the items.
2. Add ¼ cup borax, ¼ cup washing soda, and ½ cup detergent to the hot water. (If using a smaller vessel like a bucket, adjust the amounts based on how much water you're using. For a 5-gallon bucket, start with ½ tablespoon each of borax and washing soda and 1 tablespoon of detergent.) Stir the water with a large spoon until the mixture has dissolved.
3. Place your laundry into the tub and let it soak, stirring occasionally, for about four hours or until the water has completely cooled. The dirt and residue should be released into the water, offering that gross yet satisfying visual.
4. Drain the water and wring out excess liquid from the items. Then, use a water-only cycle to give them a final rinse in the washing machine.

Your bathtub might now have a gross ring of grime that you'll need to scrub, but your clothes and linens should be clean and residue-free.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Will baking soda work instead of washing soda to strip laundry?

  According to Arm & Hammer, the correct product is washing soda, not baking soda. However, you can make washing soda from baking soda by placing it on a baking sheet and baking it at 400ºF for 30 minutes to an hour. After it cools, seal it tight in a container.

• Can vinegar be used for laundry stripping?

  If you choose to use vinegar for laundry stripping, don't use a powdered detergent in the mixture. Vinegar will negatively affect most detergents, because it will upset its pH balance. Vinegar can be used at the end of the process in the rinse cycle for an extra boost of cleaning without any problems.

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