What Is Laundry Stripping and Is It Worth Trying?

You may have noticed certain things around your home—like how your bath towels appear dull or how your bedsheets no longer feel as fresh and crisp as they once did. Despite regular washing with detergent, these linens still don’t seem fully clean. This has sparked widespread curiosity in laundry stripping, also called strip washing.

Many bloggers and Reddit users swear by strip washing, sharing photos of their 'clean' sheets turning murky brown once soap scum and oils were finally removed. Essentially, strip washing falls under the category of 'grossly satisfying' cleaning tasks. But is it something you should try? Could soaking your laundry too long cause more harm than good? Here are expert insights, suggestions to adjust your laundry routine, and a detailed step-by-step guide.

What Exactly Is Laundry Stripping?

Laundry stripping is a cleaning technique designed to remove detergent buildup, fabric softener, hard water minerals, and body oils that accumulate on your laundry over time. By soaking fabrics in hot water with a borax solution at home, any residue is effectively stripped from the fabric.

Many cleaning enthusiasts have embraced strip washing due to their use of homemade laundry soap. Making your own detergent allows you to avoid harsh chemicals, reduce plastic waste, and save money. It's particularly useful for cleaning secondhand textiles, like blankets and quilts. However, these DIY formulas often don’t rinse out as effectively as commercial detergents. Over time, materials like cotton towels can feel dingier when washed with homemade soap, making them ideal candidates for a strip wash.

Alternative Ways to Adjust Your Laundry Routine

If you're considering a strip wash due to buildup in your laundry, try tweaking your laundry routine first. If certain fabrics still feel dirty after washing:

• Reduce detergent usage (stick to the recommended amount).
• Consider switching to a different detergent.
• Skip fabric softener.
• Replace fabric softener with vinegar in your washing machine.

It might seem counterproductive, but using more detergent doesn't necessarily clean better. In fact, soap residue that isn’t properly rinsed can attract dust and dirt. Laundry stripping can be a simple but labor-intensive process, so try these adjustments first to avoid it.

How to Perform a Strip Wash on Laundry

Essentials You'll Need:

• Borax
• Washing soda (sodium carbonate)
• Laundry detergent

Step 1: Collect Your Laundry.

Start by gathering freshly washed laundry, either damp or dry. The laundry can be stripped clean in a large tub, bucket, or top-loading washing machine.

Step 2: Fill the tub with hot water and mix in detergent.

Begin by filling the tub with very hot water. Add a blend of borax, washing soda, and laundry detergent in a 1 to 1 to 2 ratio. Adjust the quantities depending on the water amount; for a full tub, use about 1/4 cup borax, 1/4 cup washing soda, and 1/2 cup detergent.

Step 3: Immerse the laundry in the detergent solution.

Once the mixture has fully dissolved, add your laundry to the water. Let the clothes soak until the water cools, which should take about 4 hours. Stir occasionally and watch as the dirt and residue lift into the water. This is the exciting part!

Step 4: Squeeze out the laundry and wash it in the washing machine.

Squeeze the fabric as much as you can, and then run the items through an additional wash cycle in the washing machine, but this time with just water. Voilà! You'll have clean, refreshed bed sheets and bath towels.

What to Avoid When Strip Washing

Many who use the strip washing method caution that it can cause dyes to bleed. Items that are not colorfast tend to lose their dye more easily the longer they soak. Therefore, it's advisable to use this technique only on white bed sheets and bath towels.

If you decide to use this method on colorful clothes, make sure to avoid mixing a red shirt with white socks, or you might end up with pink socks! Also, check the clothes every hour to monitor if any dye is starting to run.

This technique isn't suitable for delicate or fragile items. Since hot water is involved, it's crucial to examine the care label of each piece to ensure it's not dry clean only.

Common Questions About Laundry Stripping

• Does laundry stripping actually work?

  Though it requires some additional effort, laundry stripping is effective. The combination of Borax, powdered detergent, washing soda, and hot water helps to break down and remove the accumulated buildup on fabrics.

• Can you strip pillows with laundry stripping?

  For pillows with synthetic fillings like polyester and cotton, laundry stripping can be used to remove buildup. Feather and memory foam pillows cannot be stripped. Stripping synthetic-filled pillows follows the same method as other laundry: soak them in hot water with Borax, washing soda, and powdered detergent. Afterward, dry them on the lowest heat setting in the dryer and fluff to restore their shape.

• Does laundry stripping remove stains?

  Stains are not removed by laundry stripping. The primary goal of stripping is to eliminate oils, detergent residues, minerals, and softeners that build up over time. To address stains, use a dedicated stain remover as part of your regular laundry routine.

• Does laundry stripping eliminate odors?

  Laundry stripping can remove the buildup that causes musty or lingering smells in fabrics, even after washing. This happens because standard washing doesn't always break down sweat, oils, and detergent residues that accumulate over time.

• Can you use a washing machine for laundry stripping?

  Yes, you can use a washing machine for stripping, as long as your machine has a "soak" option and you select the hottest water temperature available.