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laundry stripping stack of white towels

Laundry Stripping: The Surprising Fix for Dingy Sheets, Gray Towels, and Sad-Looking Underwear

/59 Comments/in , , /by Mary Hunt

You wash your sheets. You wash your towels. You wash them regularly, with good detergent, and you even do a sniff-check before folding. So why do they still look… gray? Why do they feel stiff? Why do they smell not-quite-fresh the minute they get damp? Here’s the uncomfortable truth: they’re not actually clean. Not deep-down clean, anyway.

laundry stripping stack of white towels

The Buildup You Can’t See (But Definitely Feel)

What you’re dealing with is layers of residue: detergent that didn’t fully rinse out, fabric softener that’s been coating fibers for months, hard water minerals, body oils, sweat, deodorant, lotions. All of it clinging to the fabric like it pays rent.

Regular washing doesn’t touch this stuff. It just launders on top of it. So the grayness keeps getting grayer, the stiffness keeps getting stiffer, and you keep wondering if maybe you should just buy new towels.

You don’t need new towels. You need to strip the ones you have.

What is Laundry Stripping, Exactly?

Laundry stripping is a deep-soak process that pulls all that stubborn buildup out of fabric down to the bare fiber. It’s not a new wash cycle. It’s not a special detergent. It’s a long, hot, slightly disgusting soak that produces results that will genuinely shock you.

I know, because I’ve done it. And I’ll get to that part.

First, some ground rules.

Laundry Stripping is Not For Everything

This is a robust process. Done too often or on the wrong fabrics, it can be harsh. Use it only a few times a year or when your laundry starts looking and feeling like a gray, crunchy version of its former self.

Do not strip:

  • Delicates: Silk, spandex, lace, anything that needs the gentle cycle
  • Fabrics that can’t handle hot water
  • Colored items that aren’t colorfast (Check the label. If the dye isn’t stabilized, stripping will pull it right out and send it down the drain)

Where this really shines: cotton. White cotton especially. Bedsheets, towels, underwear, bath mats. This is laundry stripping’s happy place.

What You’ll Need

Equipment:

  • A bathtub, large sink, or big bin
  • A long wooden spoon or broom handle for stirring
  • A washing machine (for the final rinse)

Ingredients:

  • Washing soda (Not baking soda. More on that in a moment.)
  • Borax
  • Heavy-duty laundry detergent with enzymes (Tide and Persil are both excellent choices; Check the label to confirm enzymes are listed.)

How To Do It

Step 1: Start with clean laundry

Yes, clean. Laundry stripping works on items that have already been washed. You’re removing the residue that regular washing left behind. Separate whites from colors, and only strip same-color items together. Don’t mix.

Step 2: Fill with very hot water

Make sure your tub is clean, then fill it halfway with the hottest tap water you’ve got. Ideally, you want 140°F. If your water heater doesn’t get there, top it off with a pot or two of boiling water. Hot water is what activates this whole process. Don’t skimp.

Step 3: Add your ingredients

For a standard tub: ¼ cup washing soda + ¼ cup borax + ½ cup enzyme detergent.
For a large or deep tub, double everything, but always keep the ratio the same: twice as much detergent as each of the other two ingredients.

One thing to get right: Washing soda and baking soda are not the same thing. Washing soda is significantly stronger and that’s exactly what you need here. Don’t substitute.

Step 4: Add your items

Drop everything in, making sure each piece is open and can move freely. Don’t overload. Use your spoon or broom handle to push everything down until it’s fully submerged and saturated.

Step 5: Soak and stir (this is where it gets interesting)

Now you wait. For the next 3 to 4 hours, until the water returns to room temperature. Stir everything around once an hour.

Watch the water.

It will change color. Possibly dramatically. That murky, dark, tea-colored (or darker) water? That’s what was living in your “clean” laundry. All the buildup, residue, and grime that regular washing never reached. It’s a little gross. It’s also incredibly satisfying.

Step 6: Drain the swamp

When the water has fully cooled, pull the plug and let it drain. Wring and squeeze as much water from the items as possible, then transfer them to the washer.

Step 7: Run a cold rinse cycle

Set the washer to cold, normal cycle with an extra rinse if your machine has that option. No detergent. No products of any kind. You’re just rinsing away the last of the stripping solution. If you want to be thorough, run a second cold cycle.

Step 8: Dry as usual

Dryer, clothesline, drying rack… whatever you normally do. Then prepare yourself.

My First Laundry Stripping Adventure and Why I Was Embarrassed

pile of white laundry

I’ll be honest: I did not think I needed this. I keep a clean house. I launder regularly. I was confident… maybe a little smug that my sheets and towels were fine.

They were not fine.

I decided to test the process on three white bathroom rugs I’d had for about seven years. They weren’t gray exactly, just… not the bright white they once were. At the last minute, I also threw in some face cloths with stubborn makeup stains and a set of bed sheets, just to push the experiment.

laundry stripping products

I filled my large tub with hot tap water plus a few pots of boiling water, and doubled the ingredients: ½ cup washing soda, ½ cup borax, 1 cup enzyme detergent. Everything went in. I stirred it all down until it was saturated.

dirty laundry soaking in sink

Within fifteen minutes, the water had turned dark.

dirty laundry stripping

By the one-hour stir? Darker. By hour three? I don’t want to tell you what color it was.

laundry stripping in sink

I soaked and stirred for five full hours. I drained what I can only describe as swamp water. I wrung everything out, ran it through three cold washer cycles, and dried it all.

And then I stood there looking at my bathroom rugs.

white rugs after stripping

White. Fluffy. Brilliant white like they just came out of a store. My sheets? Better than they’d felt in years.

I was amazed. I was also a little humbled.

The Maintenance Discovery That Changed Everything

After stripping my white linens four times over the following couple of years, I noticed something: the soaking water was barely changing color. The buildup had stopped accumulating.

The reason? I’d started adding ¼ to ½ cup of borax to every load (whites and colors) depending on load size. That one small habit keeps whites white and colors bright, reduces odors, and has basically eliminated my need for chlorine bleach. I used to go through gallons of the stuff. Now? I don’t reach for it at all.

Borax is a quiet workhorse. Consider making it a regular part of your laundry routine.

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    59 replies
    1. Lisa says:

      Mary,

      I use your homemade laundry detergent recipe. Since it has borax in it do you still recommend adding extra with the wash.

      Reply
      • Mary Hunt says:

        Great questions. As you pointed out, you’re already using some borax by using my DIY recipe. You could add a bit more to each load, but if you are happy with the current results, no need to change!

        Reply
      • Mary Hunt says:

        I should probably write an whole article on that one. Quickly, I never let water spots remain to dry. hard water deposits are the hardest thing to deal with. So I’m diligent about whiping evertything down after each shower. it take just a few seconds but will save hours of headache later. Here’s the trick, I use automotive ceramic spray on wax… Just spray it onto a towel and wipe on. Follow the directions and you have a quick and easy barrier that protects that stainless and keeps deposits from building up in between cleans. I reapply every few months. Super fast and easy!

        Reply
    3. Wendy Tucker (Tockman) says:

      Hi Mary — and many thanks. Is Borax the same as washing soda, and is there a generic brand which is less expensive? Where does soda ash fall in this category of cleaning products. I never do NOT learn something new from you.

      Reply
      • Mary Hunt says:

        They are not the same! Check out my article here for everything you need to know: https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/borax-vs-super-washing-soda-which-laundry-booster-wins/

        Reply
    4. Morgan says:

      I was. Kind of disappointed. my items have been soaking in the bathtub for four hours and there’s no dirty water. I will continue and finish it as the call. My white washcloth will be white again.

      Reply
    5. Esther Edwards says:

      I did a laundry stripping with my 120 grain hard water. Complete failure. I even did it twice but they look worse than before. Any suggestions? I did a small load with bath towels and white kitchen towels and a few cotton slips.

      Reply
    6. Kim says:

      I did this expecting the gross swamp water that I had seen on the videos…I didn’t get it. I did get softer sheets and towels, but not the swamp.

      Reply
      • Mary Hunt says:

        That means you are a master Laundress. You don’t overuse detergents and other such laundry products! Happy for your outcome—softer sheets and towels are nothing to laugh at 🙂

        Reply
      • Mary Hunt says:

        No, I wouldn’t. The purpose of each is to “soften” the water. Baking soda does a minimally good job of that, but Borax is much better and has far more helpful properties.

        Reply
    8. Sharon says:

      I used to use Borax and washing soda but have switched to Oxi-Clean with every load. What is your take on the latter? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Mary Hunt says:

        Oxi-Clean is a lot different. More expensive, and less “potent” as it has a lot of filler. The main ingredient in OxiClean Antibacterial Versatile Stain Remover & Disinfectant according to its MSDS, is sodium carbonate which is washing soda, aka soda ash. You’re spending more for Oxiclean than you would for straight soda ash (you can use less because of the fillers).

        Reply
    9. BT says:

      I tried this on an old hi-vis yellow work shirt that had set in grease stains and, oddly enough, sun damage. As soon as the shirt hit the water, the sun damaged areas turned from bright yellow to a dingy orange. The protected areas (like under the collar) were fine. And the grease didn’t come out. Point…this trick can’t work miracles, and check to make sure it won’t discolor your garment first.

      Reply
    10. All gems says:

      Oh boy! I have a new hobby at least for the next few weeks! I did this and I’m STUNNED at the results. It was disgustingly satisfying.

      Reply
    11. Wendy Tucker (Tockman) says:

      And what should those of us who live in an apartment building with coin operated washers and dryers do? Landlords won’t permit tenants to own their own appliances. Suggestions?

      Reply
      • Mary Hunt says:

        I would make sure to add 1/4 to 1/2 cup borax plus detergent to each load of wash. And always opt for extra rinse if that is an option. You might also check with management to learn how often the machines are sanitized. If you notice the washer having a disgusting odor, report that to management and request the machines be sanitized regularly. Hope that helps!

        Reply
    12. Sandra Golightly says:

      Yes to adding Borax to laundry. My husband works at a steel mill. His clothes get dirty. Borax plus laundry detergent is the only way we can get his clothes clean. Plus, he does his own laundry and can easily add Borax. Thanks for the suggestion.

      Reply
    13. Priscilla says:

      When I want to do stripping, I just fill my washer full of very hot water and add a cup of Iron Out , agitate until dissolved, then add all the white items I want to strip, soak for 5 hours or more agitating every hour for a couple minutes, then complete the regular cycle. When the cycle is done I put them through another cycle with detergent so they won’t smell like Iron Out. Lastly I put them through another rinse cycle. Everything looks brand new.
      These directions are for whites only.

      Reply
        • Rhonda says:

          The Costco rugs are called “Charisma Bath Mat”. They sell online in a 2 pack for $39.99 in several different colors. I don’t know how much they are in store or if you can buy just one rug (I haven’t bought any for a while). I buy the dark blue and I LOVE these Charisma Bath Mats, they are thick and soft, last for a long time and wash easily (I use cold water and air dry to make the non-skid backing last as long as possible). I have found that the backing doesn’t shred or fall apart, it just starts wearing down and getting “smooth”, so the grippy backing just doesn’t grip as well and the rug starts sliding. I hate rug sliding, so when that starts happening I put a new rug out. I use them all over the house and even on my front porch and get compliments on them. You can also find them on Ebay if Costco is out of stock for an extended period of time (which happens occasionally), but they’re going to cost more money on Ebay than at Costco. You cannot beat the quality for the price, in my opinion.

    15. Barb says:

      I have done this twice and some whites are still dingy and towels still feel rough. We have hard water- could this be the problem?

      Reply
      • Mary Hunt says:

        Could be, but also could be that there is so much residual build-up, it’ going to take a few times through the stripping process. Keep at it and make sure you are not adding too much detergent when you put them through regular laundry. And always add vinegar to last rinse!

        Reply
    16. Misty says:

      Wow! I wish I’d found this years ago before throwing away several “gray” t-shirts. I have some problems with dinge, but mostly my towels become very stiff. I suspect it’s from the hard water. I’m going to try this anyway, to see what the result is!

      Reply
    18. Sue says:

      This did not work for me!☹ My water was hot, but not 140. Could that make a big difference? Very disappointed since it’s a lot of work.

      Reply
      • Mary Hunt says:

        HOT water is essential! I mean super, boiling hot. And you need to keep it hot. That means pouring a big pot of boiling water if necessary. And you bet, it is a lot of work. But done right, the results are more than worth the effort and the hot water. Can you turn your water heater up to 140 or greater, just for this occasional task? That would be ideal.

        Reply
    20. thriftysoul says:

      I’ve been battling (and complaining about) gray whites and lights ever since I got a front loading washer. That was following a move to a home with well water, as well. I have tried myriad products and methods to whiten, but not this one. I will be buying a soaking tub ASAP!

      Reply
    21. Evelyn says:

      I’ve used your technique twice with great results. The first was with some bed linens. The pillow covers had years of stains from body oils, sweat, and drool that bleach couldn’t touch, and the stains came out! Yesterday I stripped our terrycloth bathrobes. Wow, the water turned a disgusting dark grey, but the robes practically glow now. Years of body oils and coffee stains just disappeared.

      Reply
    23. Deb R. says:

      Mary, I have to tell you about a recent experience at Walmart. I stopped in front of display of assorted products that looked like they had all been selected from your column and assembled together. (I regret not taking a picture now.) A lady came along and picked up the Persil, borax, and washing soda. I asked her if she reads Mary Hunt’s posts. She said she didn’t know who Mary Hunt was, but she had seen a post about cleaning white rugs in the bathtub and these were the ingredients needed. I told her, “Yep, that’s Mary!”

      Today I saw a very similar article about laundry stripping by Speed Queen.

      Reply
    24. Pearl says:

      You know works? WineAway. It’s an organic stain and needs something that will work on that. You got to put a little scrub action on the stains too. Recently I had a big red wine spill and no Wine Away and dumped Woolite instaclean w Oxy carpet cleaner for pet stains. The red wine went away like magic. No scrubbing. This is probably less expensive if it works for tire tracks. I buy the Wine Away on Amazon.

      Reply
    26. Phyllis says:

      I’m gonna try this, but I think borax makes my fingers break out in a blistery rash. Hopefully, the post-stripping wash/rinse in the machine will remove any borax residue. If not, the rash doesn’t last forever (sigh). Thanks for the details!

      Reply
    27. Kristi McGree says:

      I did this today with a bunch of yucky sports socks and kitchen potholders. When I started, everything was tired, worn out, and kind of stinky. Wow!!!! The water became Dis-gusting(!!) and the clothes became A-mazing. I am a new fan!!

      Reply
    28. NANCY KEETON says:

      I make my own laundry soap with your recipe — borax, washing soda & blue Dawn. Will this substitute for this soaking method? In other words, does blue Dawn include the necessary enzymes? I haven’t noticed graying in my laundry for several years.

      Reply
    29. MARIE TAPSCOTT says:

      Your process brought back memories of my Mom washing lace curtains for people ,she had a plunger (yes the one for plugged drains) to stir items around. Same outcome. ( She only used that plunger for cleaning the curtains).

      Reply
    31. Betty says:

      Is this a dumb question? Could I use Cascade powdered dishwasher detergent in place of Persil? It contains sodium carbonate, sodium silicate and enzymes.

      Reply
      • Mary Hunt says:

        You could but I wouldn’t recommend it. First, there is other stuff in Cascade, it’s not in the right proportions you need for Stripping Laundry and it’s pretty pricey! The way I see it, Laundry Stripping takes a lot of time and energy. Don’t cut your results short by taking shortcuts that will most certainly affect the outcome!

        Reply
      • Mary Hunt says:

        Hi Martini … I am on a mission to come up with an enzyme addition to our DIY laundry detergent, which I think would the answer to your question. But at this time, I don’t have that option for you. Stay tuned!

        Reply
      • Ed says:

        I googled it while in the detergent aisle at Walmart Arm & Hammer with OxiClean (but only the kind with OxiClean). The small bottle (25 loads) was under $3.

        I have old hardwood floors (from before polyurethane finishes existed) and I use about a quarter cup of washing soda in the mop water. I get that same satisfied feeling after mopping that Mary describes. It pulls up so much more gunk than regular cleaners do. It gives you a sense of accomplishment when you empty the bucket. I always keep a box on hand.

        Reply
      • Mary Hunt says:

        Hi Wanda … Many washers do not give the option for water hot enough to make this process work well. Add to that, front loaders especially use so very little water with no option to increase that, which also makes laundry stripping pretty much non effective. Third, even if you were to do this and turn the washer off for the duration required, many have an automatic drain feature upon stopping and if not, a locked washer cannot bet “stirred.” All of those actions are requred for best resultsl

        Reply

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