At times, going old-school is the best way to solve problems in a quick, affordable, and easy way. There is nothing that exemplifies this as much as vinegar. This remarkable product has been used for centuries (perhaps even millennia), covering so many useful applications. From cooking, to getting rid of pests, to washing floors and removing bad smells, anything goes. Having said that, many people don’t realize that vinegar can be quite useful when it comes to doing laundry as well. Keep reading to learn more!
Using the Right Vinegar is Absolutely Crucial
If you are planning to use vinegar for laundry purposes, make sure you use distilled white vinegar. You don’t want to drop your salad condiment on your clothes and in your washing machine! As you might know, there are many different types of vinegar out there. Take apple cider vinegar, for instance. This product is more acidic, and it usually features tanning or other coloring additives to give the vinegar its typical amber color. These substances might stain your clothes, so it’s better to use only distilled white vinegar. The latter goes through a process, which involves double fermentation, removing some of the acidity in the process, thus making it more suitable for cleaning and laundry applications.
Advantages of Using Vinegar in Laundry
Distilled white vinegar is quite inexpensive, and it is an amazing product if you are looking to brighten up some of your clothes without resorting to bleach or other harsh chemical products. In addition to that, white vinegar can help you get rid of musty odors or other bad smells you might be struggling with. In either case, just add 2 cups of distilled white vinegar to the main wash, or to the detergent dispenser of your washing machine. You can also add some distilled white vinegar to a spray bottle and use it to pre-treat stains—such as arm pit stains—before putting your laundry into the washing machine.
Many people also love to use vinegar when they want to try and soften their clothes and fabric. This is a less aggressive, natural way to achieve the desired results, and it can be done quite frequently, without necessarily damaging your clothing items or textiles. To soften your clothes, just add 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar to the final rinse, or just use it in place of the fabric soften dish on your washing machine.
Using distilled white vinegar in your laundry can also be a good idea if you are concerned about your household’s environmental footprint. Unlike soaps, suds, and most harsh chemicals, vinegar is not harmful to the environment.
Use Vinegar to Clean Your Washing Machine
As we discussed earlier, using distilled white vinegar can be extremely beneficial to your clothes and other washables. However, it is also great for your washing machine. It can be used to deep-clean it, and it can provide an easy, affordable, and effective maintenance solution. One of the most common methods is to run your washing machine at its highest and hottest setting. You can later add 3 to 4 cups of distilled white vinegar. Turn on a cycle, and pause it just seconds after it started. All you need to do is to let the water and the vinegar sit and do their job for anywhere between 30 minutes to one hour.
Descale Your Iron With Vinegar
Distilled white vinegar can be used to clean up your iron as well. You can easily clean the iron plate by soaking a lint-free town in vinegar. The process is as simple as setting the iron face down, and unplugged (not hot), on the vinegar-soaked towel. Let it sit there for 20-30 minutes before wiping it down thoroughly. If you notice signs of corrosion in your iron, you should definitely give this technique a go!
To conclude, these are some of the most common and useful applications of vinegar in laundry. If you are looking for other reliable solutions and tips, ‘like’ us on Facebook. We post laundry hacks all the time. And, if you are looking to free up time for the things that matter most in your life, try out the high-quality laundry drop-off, dry cleaning, and pickup and delivery services at WaveMAX Laundry—catering to customers throughout Denver!
