Towels and sheets feeling stiff and less absorbent is another telltale sign.
We’re sharing the supplies you need and step-by-step instructions on how to strip your laundry.
What Is Laundry Stripping?
The Spruce / Adelyn Duchala
Laundry stripping is a cleaning process that restores fabric to its original state.
Like stripping paint from wood, stripping laundry means getting down to the bare fabric.
Luckily, laundry stripping can help restore fabrics' original properties.
The Spruce / Adelyn Duchala
This can be harsh on fabrics if done too often.
Add 1/4 cuplaundry borax, 1/4 cupwashing soda, and 1/2 cupheavy-duty, enzyme-based liquid laundry detergent.
Swish the ingredients through the water with a wooden spoon until everything is fully dissolved and dispersed.
The Spruce / Adelyn Duchala
Every hour or so, use the wooden spoon to stir the fabrics through the water.
Allow the laundry to soak until the water is completely cooled or about four hours.
Rinse the Fabrics Well
Drain the stripping solution from the tub or sink.
The Spruce / Adelyn Duchala
Refill the tub with cool water to rinse away any stripping solution left in the fabrics.
Drain the tub again and gently squeeze out the excess water from the laundry.
Set the washing machinewater temperatureto cold and the cycle tonormal.
The Spruce / Sarah Lee
Dry the laundry in anautomatic dryerat the recommended temperature.
For fabrics that should be air-dried, hang from an indoor drying rack or a clothesline.
Hot water is an essential component in a laundry stripping recipe.
The Spruce / Adelyn Duchala
Cold water will not loosen body oils and detergent or fabric softener residue from fibers.
Laundry stripping will helpwhiten white cotton clotheslike socks and underwear.
The Spruce / Adelyn Duchala
