My Honest Review of Laundry Stripping

Laundry stripping has become popular on social media, mainly, I believe, because it is so satisfying to see the leaching out of color, oils, and, dare I say it?  Grime, on otherwise clean clothes.

Manufacturers of washing machines don’t really recommend the practice, but how many times have you stepped out of the shower and buried your face in a clean towel only to have it smell a bit sour? In my experience, the washing machine might be falling down on the job a bit.

It’s not just at my house, right?  I hate it when I give too much information.

I love using Downey Scent Beads, which I refer to as stinkum, but in my heart of hearts I know that is just one more chemical going into the fabric.

So, I thought I would try laundry stripping mainly for towels and exercise clothes.

Now exercise clothes are probably NOT recommended for the process because it could break down the fibers over time.  To be frank, I don’t have any exercise clothes under one year old, so break away.  I am stripping them!

Here’s what I did

Fill the Tub Halfway with Hot Water

The first load I did was primarily whites and I filled the tub with halfway with hot water and added my stripping recipe.

Stripping Recipe

• ¼ cup Borax Detergent Booster
• ¼ cup washing soda
• ½ cup powdered laundry detergent
• ¼ cup Calgon softener (optional)

The Calgon is difficult to find right now, and is optional, but softeners are helpful.  Our water is actually not hard because we have a whole-house water softener.  Water in Phoenix is notoriously hard with all sorts of minerals that will ruin clothes and appliances alike.

Hub found the Calgon at Walmart and I was happy to add it.

Submerge and Stir

Immediately, the water turned gray.  As more nastiness leaches out, the water becomes even darker over the hours.

Stir every hour or so. 

Soak for Five-Six Hours

I left the house while stripping was in progress and the slow leak in the tub meant there was no water when I returned.

Remove and Wash

The laundry was still very wet, so I transferred right to the washing machine.  I ran everything through a regular wash cycle, adding NO detergent plus an additional rinse cycle.

A second load of dark towels and exercise clothes was perhaps a little more successful because I stayed home and made sure the tub didn’t leak.

My Honest Review

The white load didn’t seem any whiter when the stripping was completed, but there was absolutely no odor or fragrance at all.  No smell.  Miracle.

The dark load was gray towels and workout clothes which seemed to be just fine after both using hot water and the laundry chemicals.  Again, the towels smelled fresh as the day I bought them and the workout clothes shed all their built up odors.

If you’re looking for a process to make your old stuff look new, this won’t help.  But if the goal is to freshen up what you have, success!

What We’re Doing

A neighbor is having some knee problems after surgery and isn’t able to walk her new pup as much as she likes.  Since I’m out walking every day anyway, I’ve offered to take him out and have been walk/running him at the park and around the ponds. 

Well, he’s a puppy and I’m not.  And he’s the one taking two-hour naps when he gets home.  It’s really been a joy (hopefully for both of us).  Running through the damp grass watching him leap and wag his tail is so satisfying.

Teddy is a handsome boy and seems to know it.  When strangers don’t acknowledge him he seems utterly confused.  Any stopped golf cart is an invitation to climb aboard.

Apparently another neighbor keeps dog treats in his cart, so Teddy is ever hopeful.  So far he hasn’t been lucky with treats, but he’s made a lot of new friends.

What a wonderful way to get a dog.  Walk him and then drop him off at someone else’s house.

Wrap Up

We enjoyed a fairly low-key weekend, but did spend time with friends.  I’ll be sharing what I’ve been whipping up in the kitchen next post.

Until then many blessings on your week.