Washing, drying and folding a full load of laundry is one of the most satisfying tasks on the household to-do list, right? The relief may feel amazing, but it could be short-lived according to the laundry-fanatic TikTokers proving your towels, clothes and sheets aren’t actually as clean as they look.
That’s where laundry stripping comes in, which is an intensive method designed to deliver complete cleanliness—even when you least expect it.
In today’s blog, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know, including answering the question on everyone’s minds: What is laundry stripping? Keep reading to find out!
What Is Laundry Stripping?
Put simply, laundry stripping is a way of deep cleaning your laundry much more thoroughly than any setting on your household machine can deliver. Most commonly used to detoxify towels or sheets, laundry is soaked in a tub of hot water, washing soda and borax, plus a generous dose of detergent. Once the water has cooled after a period of 4-5 hours, the items can then be rinsed and dried.
While laundry stripping isn’t a new phenomenon, it’s certainly having a moment in the realm of laundry TikTok. Viral videos featuring supposedly clean towels floating in murky water are currently circulating the net, so it’s no surprise that the method has piqued people’s interest.
Is Laundry Stripping Safe?
Opinions on the web are mixed, but the general consensus is simple: Laundry stripping is a safe and effective way to ensure towels and sheets are as clean as can be. Since these items are bulkier and take up more room in the washing machine, they’re more likely to endure detergent build-up and require this deep-soaking action.
Most experts don’t recommend laundry stripping clothing, delicates or anything brightly colored. The process is quite taxing on material structure and fabric dyes, and as a result it can compromise the longevity of such items.
How to Strip Sheets and Towels
Equipment Needed:
Washing soda
Laundry detergent
Borax
How to Start Stripping:
Fill your bath, bucket or sink with hot water. The water from your hot tap should be warm enough, but if it leans towards the colder side of hot, add a jug of boiling water to bring up the temperature.
Add borax, washing soda and laundry detergent in a 1:1:2 ratio. If you’re using your bath, opt for a quarter cup of borax, a quarter cup of soda, and half a cup of detergent.
Stir until the mixture has dissolved completely—a spoon will do the trick!
Soak your clean towels and sheets in the mixture and soak until cooled. 4 or 5 hours should be enough to achieve a deep enough soak. Stir every now and then to avoid any build-up on your materials.
Drain the water from the tub, bucket or sink. Once that’s done, wring out the fabrics and run them through a full wash cycle in your household machine, but avoid using detergent or softener.
Tumble or air dry, and voilà!—the laundry stripping is complete!
If you’re wondering whether laundry stripping is completely necessary, it depends on how effective your usual wash cycles are on a weekly basis. As long as you’re using the right amount of detergent, avoiding over-filling your machine and separating your laundry correctly, you can probably afford to miss out on this method.
Laundry stripping can be a pretty lengthy process, so if you’re not keen on spending 6 hours nursing a tub full of towels, why not head to your local laundromat instead? Search ‘professional laundry near me’ or visit us at WaveMAX to get cleaner-than-clean towels and sheets with every wash.
