USEFUL TIPS
The Ultimate Guide On How To Strip Towels
5 min read
5 min read
As of recent, and thanks to viral social media posts, especially on apps like TikTok and Facebook, laundry stripping has gained some serious popularity. If you've seen this immensely satisfying laundry washing technique and have been itching to try it, Miracle Made is here with the ultimate guide to strip your towels.
Plus, we’ll go over the not-to-secret way to do less laundry in the first place.
What Is Laundry Stripping?
Laundry stripping is essentially a more thorough or "aggressive" method of cleaning your laundry. Even when your laundry is freshly washed or appears clean, that may not be the case.
Traditionally laundry stripping is done on clothes or fabrics worn/used often: work uniforms, towels, bedding, socks, and other similar garments. There is no need to strip every article of clothing in your home; chances are, they don't need it anyway.
Laundry (especially towels) tends to hold on to bacteria and germs. Chances are, your bath towels are much dirtier than you think. While you can't keep your bath towels 100% germ-free, there are ways you can keep bacteria from building up. This can mean a diligent and regular laundry routine to fight mildew, bacteria, and general bathroom gunk.
Laundry stripping can't be done with plain old detergent and warm water; there is a special recipe to follow.
Does Laundry Stripping Work?
Yes, laundry stripping is an effective method of getting your laundry extra clean. The Borax, detergent, washing soda, and hot water penetrate deep into the fabric, releasing any buildup of grime, bacteria, or body oils.
If you're looking for a way to deep clean your towels, laundry stripping can be a suitable DIY way to get those clean towels of your dreams.
Not All Fabrics Can Be Stripped
A word of caution: before beginning your stripping process, you first want to make sure your fabric can handle this cleaning method. This method works best with tougher linens like towels. We don't suggest trying this with your favorite silk sundress or suit jacket.
How To Strip Towels
Now that you have some background, let's get to our laundry stripping recipe and technique.
Step 1: Gather Towels
Before you can begin stripping your towels, you'll want to gather them all first. If a towel or two tends to leak color, we suggest leaving them away from the rest. This is especially important as the towels will be soaking together, heightening the chances of those white towels meeting the red ones and creating a cacophony of pink.
Step 2: Make Your Laundry Stripping Solution
The detergent solution is what will make or break your laundry stripping trial. Mix your solution with hot water in a bathtub, sink, or large bucket.
2 parts powdered laundry detergent
1 part Borax
1 part washing soda (note: washing soda is not the same as baking soda)
Once your hot water, a cup of borax, and a cup of washing soda are mixed, you can immerse your bath towels.
Feel free to strip your other laundry as well. Bedsheets or sturdy workout clothes — anything you think can handle the washing solution.
Step 3: Leave Overnight
The third step is relatively easy. Simply leave your towels to soak overnight, occasionally stirring before bed.
Once your towels have soaked overnight, drain the water. You can either ring the towels out and put them through a normal rinse cycle in your washing machine or repeat the process one more time. It all depends on how dirty you believe the towels to be.
Once you decide your towels are ready for the washing machine, add your preferred fabric softener and laundry soap.
How Often Should I Strip Laundry?
Unless you have antibacterial bath towels, we suggest stripping them on a somewhat regular basis, around once a month. Laundry stripping too often can cause damage to the fabric. Plus, the process is time-consuming, and you hardly get enough sleep as it is.
But, if you have antibacterial towels, stripping may not be necessary at all. Stripping your bath and hand towels gives your towels a deep clean by removing the buildup of bacteria, detergent, and dirt. Antibacterial fabrics are self-cleaning, which means it takes much longer to experience any type of buildup.
How To Avoid Laundry Stripping Completely
There are ways to avoid having to strip your laundry altogether. The only time laundry stripping is necessary is when your towels or clothes have severe buildup.
Buildup can be caused by dirt, debris, and bacteria, but sometimes buildup happens from washing your laundry. That's right; your towels can even fall victim to detergent buildup.
Use Antibacterial Towels
Antibacterial bath towels are just as fluffy as your favorite towel from your childhood, but they dry in half the time. Perhaps even more importantly, they are infused with natural silver, which prevents up to 99% of odor-causing (and laundry-causing) bacteria.
These towels result in three times fewer loads of laundry, more pleasant-smelling bathrooms, and that attractive, relaxed bathroom aesthetic we all love.
Don't Over Pour Your Detergent
Using too much detergent is a crime that many are guilty of. It wastes detergent and is not suitable for your laundry or washing machine. Too much detergent can leave a detergent residue on your clothing, leading to buildup.
A good way to avoid over-pouring is by always using the measuring cup when pouring. You might notice your detergent lasting longer once you start paying a close eye.
Another option would be kicking liquid detergent altogether. When you use Miracle Made Detergent Sheets, you'll never have to worry about over pouring.
Miracle Made Detergent Sheets also only contain four ingredients so that you know exactly what goes into your clothes… and then onto your skin. The ultra-condensed ingredients pack a hard punch. They work hard so that you don’t have to.
Don't Over-Use Fabric Softener
While fabric softener makes your laundry feel and smell fabulous, that's not to say it's the best option long-term. We suggest using fabric softener once every three to four loads to prevent a waxy buildup.
Using fabric softener too often may even affect your washing machine the same way the washing soda can affect your washing machine.
You don't have to get rid of fabric softener altogether or forever, but limiting how often you use it is a bright idea.
Wash In Cold Water
When you're laundry stripping, you want to soak your towels in very hot water, but avoid hot water at all costs when washing them daily.
Hot water fades coloring, shrinks the fibers, can cause avoidable staining, and cause buildup. Switching to always using cold water can prevent all of these towel tragedies.
We're giving you all these suggestions to have ultra-clean laundry, not just to change your daily habits.
Turn the Tide and Do Laundry Less
Your bath towels hold onto germs and bacteria. The last thing you want to dry your freshly washed body with a dry towel — seems pretty counter-productive, right? Even when your towels seem clean, that may not be the case.
Sometimes an extra deep cleaning is in order, and that's completely fine. Everyone's towels and other laundry get built up over the years. Yes, there are some steps you can take to prolong the overall cleanliness of your towels, but never feel bad if your towels call for a good stripping once or twice a year.
Or, you can delete this off your chores list once and for all. With Miracle Made antibacterial towels, you prevent 99.9% of bacteria growth, meaning much less laundry. Say goodbye to 99% of allergens, viruses, and funguses. The party is over.
Sources:
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Your Towels Are Way Dirtier Than You Think | Time
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What is laundry stripping, and does it work? | The Washington Post
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What Is Washing Soda and How Is It Used? | The Spruce
