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How to strip laundry using Tide, Borax, Arm & Hammer, and Calgon. It’s a simple method used to remove all of the grime, dirt, pollutants, etc. from your laundry leaving everything cleaner and brighter!
Alright, if you’ve been following Cade and I on Instagram you know the poor guy has been slaving away with me to strip our laundry. Don’t let him fool you, ps because he totally got sucked in as much as I did.
Years and years ago I used to strip our whites and towels, and I loved it. Once I was battling Hyperemesis Gravidarum and a high risk pregnancy again I couldn’t do it and add on a preemie baby, yeah my brain cells totally went out the door.
My darling friend (who has some of my fave recipes right now), Heather from, Fueling a Southern Soul reintroduced me to “Laundry Stripping” and I’ve been loving it!
I had no idea you could do all of your laundry and back then I never called it laundry stripping, I just called it, brightening your whites.
What is Laundry Stripping?
Laundry stripping is basically when you remove detergent residue (especially from homemade laundry soap), fabric softener, dryer sheets, minerals from hard water (yes, even if you have a water softener), and body oils that have collected on your clothing and linens over time.
Think about your whites and your towels… oh my goodness and your workout clothes! Which ps, do you really call it, Active Wear? I don’t but everything online as well as stores always call it that.
Anyway, the point is to strip your clothes of the nasty and leave the freshest, cleanest, brightest clothes you’ve had in a long time.
Does it Really Work?
YES IT DOES!
I mean, listen, if you’ve got whites that have gone that nasty, dingy, brownish-gray you’re probably not going to see them be crazy bright white again, but they will be a little better and certainly cleaner.
THIS IS THE WAY TO WHITEN AND BRIGHTEN WHITES AGAIN!
Did I yell that loud enough? If your whites are just that dingy thing, especially around the armpits and neck then this will be life-changing for you. If you wear garments, I’m looking at you. LIFE-CHANGING, friend.
Before AND After Pictures of Stripping Laundry
Everyone is always asking me for before and after pictures of stripping laundry, but the truth is, I absolutely never think to take any because I know I’m taking on extra work that day, so I’m just trying to power through it.
BUT!
The other day I did remember to take a picture of my hot pads and yes, I wash them all the time, and yes, I know I destroy them. 🙂 I’m a food blogger, it happens.
Ingredients for Stripping Laundry
What to buy for laundry stripping:
- Borax
- Arm and Hammer Laundry Booster Super Washing Soda (baking soda is fine if you absolutely cannot find it)
- Calgon (skip it or we order on Amazon.)
- Powdered Tide (not the gel)
Recipe for Stripping Laundry
- 1/4 Cup Borax
- 1/4 Cup Arm & Hammer Laundry Booster Super Washing Soda
- 1/4 Cup Calgon
- 1 Heaping Scoop of Powdered Tide
- Separate your laundry by colors, darks, workout clothing, whites, towels, bedsheets etc.
- Add all ingredients to a bathtub of hot water.
- Add one pile of laundry and stir to combine.
- Every hour for 4-6 hours stir the laundry.
- Drain the tub and wring out the clothes.
- Place in a washing machine and wash everything as normal.
- Dry and you’re done!
Frequently Asked Questions About Laundry Stripping
The Ingredients
Can You Skip the Calgon?
Yes, if you cannot find the Calgon it’s ok to skip it.
Why Use Calgon After You Say NOT to Use Fabric Softener?
If I don’t have it I don’t use it, but Calgon is a water softener not a true fabric softener that has all the same chemicals. Plus I’m not doing it very often.
What Can You Use Instead of Tide?
If you’re allergic to Tide, which my goodness a lot of you are, you can use another powdered detergent, but Tide is the preferred.
Why Not Just Use Arm and Hammer Baking Soda?
Is the Soap Mixture Safe?
Why Strip with More Chemicals?
The Preparation
Do You Wash the Clothes First?
You should wash the clothing first, but I’ll be honest, sometimes I don’t. Because I’m a mom surviving.
Can You Do This on a Deep Soak Cycle?
Our washing machine drains after it has been sitting there so we can’t, but be my guest if you want to. Just take this little warning, washing machines are known to hold onto dirt, grime, and smells. I prefer to use a bathtub I can easily scrub down after stripping the laundry.
The Process
Do the Darks Just Release Some Dye?
I mean, some but not enough that you will think your clothing looks different.
Do the Colors Fade?
Do the Clothes Shrink?
Does this Get out Lasting Odors?
I’ll be honest, we don’t have any clothing with odors but some of our wash rags do and they are perfect! I turned to our readers on this one and yes, it removed odors from stinky boy and husband clothes, haha.
Do You Combine Loads and Colors?
Do the Measurements Change Depending on How Many Clothes?
When You Drain It, Doesn’t It All Sit Back into the Clothes?
After Stripping do you Wash with Detergent?
I don’t always as you don’t need to, but most of the time I do because it grosses me out to see all of that nastiness.
How Often Do You Do It?
I only strip laundry 1-3 times a year as needed. I worry about doing it too much. Especially since you are washing in hot water.
Types of Clothes
Can you do This with Garments and Whites?
Yes!! It’s perfectly safe for garments, towels and whites and you will love the results!
It’s ok that it’s hot water this one time, but generally you should only wash your garments in cold water to help avoid graying and fabric breakdown.
What about Sweaters?
What About Dry Clean Only Clothes?
More Laundry FAQs
Why Don’t you use Fabric Softener or Dryer Sheets?
I let our readers know that I do not believe in fabric softener or dryer sheets. It’s based on my own research and a smarty pants sister who got her master’s degree in textiles.
Fabric softener and dryer sheets coat your clothing in lots of terrible chemicals and ruin your clothes.
Think about it this way, if you’re trying to soften something don’t you break it down? That’s what you’re doing to your clothes, you’re breaking up those fibers and they won’t last as long, take on more dirt and oils etc and you’ll notice that your clothing wears out faster.
What do you Use Instead of Fabric Softener or Dryer Sheets?
I do not like wool dryer balls. They seem to add more static and get more yucky stuff stuck to them.
Instead, I use 4 of these dryer balls in my dryer and I NEVER over-dry my clothes which leads to lots of static.
Do Dryer Balls Help with Static?
What Do You Use Dryer Sheets For?
Do you Use Bleach?
I pretty much never use bleach. I don’t like that it breaks down the clothing and it’s such a harsh chemical.
Do You Use a Front or Top Loader?
Laundry Stripping
Ingredients
- 1/4 Cup Borax
- 1/4 Cup Arm & Hammer Laundry Booster Super Washing Soda
- 1/4 Cup Calgon
- 1 Heaping Scoop Powdered Tide
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a bathtub of hot water.
- Add one pile of laundry and stir to combine.
- Every hour for 4-6 hours stir the laundry.
- Drain the tub and wring out the clothes.
- Place in a washing machine and wash everything as normal.
- Dry and you're done!
I thought I was a ‘Queen’ at doing laundry. But … these tips are amazing and the best instructions. I’ll keep your website close to my House Nores.
Yay! Thank you!! These tips are seriously game changers!