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What is laundry stripping?
Laundry stripping is a deep-cleaning, soaking method to remove dirt, grime, and detergent residue from laundry. This popular trend has gone viral recently, but laundry stripping actually isn’t new. People have been using this soaking technique for years and years to remove grimy buildup from sheets, towels, and clothing.
When should you strip laundry?
Laundry stripping can be done once or twice a year. If you frequently use dryer sheets or fabric softener, don’t have a water softener installed in your home, or notice buildup that is common from natural or homemade detergents- it may be time to strip your laundry. Laundry stripping is a great way to deep-clean your most hardworking linens or clothes.
I use this method to keep my white sheets looking new, keep our bath towels soft, and keep the dog beds smelling fresh. But this should NOT be overdone. Stripping laundry too frequently can age your garments prematurely.
Laundry Stripping Recipe
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1 scoop Tide powder detergent
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1/4 cup super washing soda
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1/4 cup Borax
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Tide powder detergent // Arm & Hammer super washing soda // 20 Mule Team borax
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How To Strip Laundry
Step 1: Fill your tub with HOT water. Stir in detergent, washing soda, and borax.
The washing soda and borax enhance your detergent’s cleaning power. This powerful formula will help remove dirt, stains, and cut through greasy soils. It also neutralizes and eliminates odors, rather than covering them up with perfumes.
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Step 2: Stir in the offending laundry.
Always separate your laundry by category and color. Avoid overstuffing the tub with laundry.
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Step 3: Allow it to soak for 3-4 hours, stirring once every hour.
You will be amazed (and grossed out) at how quickly the water turns and continues to darken. You can allow whites to soak closer to 4 hours, but shorten the time for colors or darks to reduce the chance of fading.
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Step 4: Run laundry through a regular wash cycle with NO detergent.
I use rubber gloves for this step. Drain the tub and ring out your laundry as best you can. Once the bath is empty, I like to do a second quick rinse with clean water before moving laundry to the washing machine- but this is optional. Wash your clothes without detergent and dry without dryer sheets.
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.A more natural option for laundry stripping-
If you want to try laundry stripping, but are put-off by some of the standard ingredients used, this may be a better option for you. Try using a combination of baking soda, plant-based powder detergent, and very hot water instead.
I prefer this as a gentler option for high-quality athletic wear or children’s bedding.
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