Out of all the different social media trends, there’s something uniquely satisfying about watching cleaning-related content. Professional organizers and cleaning enthusiasts have been going viral on platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube with millions of views on everything from extreme before-and-after cleaning transformations to simple decluttering hacks.
However, when it comes to the most eye-opening cleaning trends, nothing compares to the jaw-dropping viral videos on laundry stripping. This easy, deep cleaning method has been taking the internet by storm.
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What is Laundry Stripping?
Laundry stripping is an easy way to clean clothes by soaking them for a few hours in very hot water with a special blend of common household cleaners. One reason why laundry stripping has become such a hot topic is that many people have found that stripping clean laundry will often still have shockingly dirty water after a deep soak, leaving many wondering how well a regular wash in the laundry machine works.
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Currently, there are 161 million views on videos about laundry stripping on TikTok, with dramatic before-and-after results of couch covers, stuffed animals and well-loved pieces of clothing.
How Laundry Stripping Works
Laundry stripping deep cleans and draws out leftover dirt, detergent, hard water minerals and dust that might still be on your clothes after a standard cycle through the laundry machine. Some of the most common fabrics to laundry strip are those that have seen fresher days, such as old bath towels or frequently used workout clothes.
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Are you inspired to give this cleaning trend a try? The must-have laundry stripping ingredients you’ll need are: laundry detergent, washing soda and Borax.
The Viral Laundry Stripping Recipe:
- 1 cup of laundry detergent
- ¼ cup of Borax
- ¼ cup of washing soda (sodium carbonate)
Read on to find out how to give laundry stripping a try.
Instructions:
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- Fill a tub with very hot water.
- Add the powdered laundry detergent, borax and washing soda into the tub, followed by the clothes or fabric. Let everything soak for approximately three to four hours. Next, stir your clothes or fabric using an old wooden spoon (approximately once an hour).
- Rinse and repeat as needed, especially if the water turns a dark colour immediately. Fabrics such as old slipcovers may require multiple rounds of laundry stripping.
- After your water is clean to your liking, add your clothes or fabric into the laundry machine to ensure the laundry stripping solution is removed.
- Dry clothes as usual, and you’re done!
Most people opt to try laundry stripping in their bathtubs, but you can also easily do it in a small basin or sink. Since most laundry stripping recipes are for bathtub-sized loads, remember to scale down the number of cleaning products if you’re trying out a small batch first.
Images courtesy of Jennifer Tryon, Dawn Stringer and Getty Images
