How to Strip Clothes Without Damaging the Fabric

You want to strip clothes to remove buildup. Maybe your towels aren’t absorbing water, your clothes feel stiff or look dingy, or you notice a lingering odor. Stripping clothes removes accumulated residue from detergent, fabric softener, and hard water minerals. Here’s how to strip clothes without damaging the fabric.

Stripping clothes is the process of soaking clothes in a mixture of borax, washing soda, and laundry detergent to remove accumulated buildup from fabric fibers. Buildup comes from using too much detergent, using fabric softener, and washing in hard water. The key to stripping clothes is using the right mixture, soaking for the right amount of time, and rinsing thoroughly.

To strip clothes, fill a tub with hot water, add borax, washing soda, and Tide Free and Gentle, add the clothes, soak for 4 to 6 hours, stir occasionally, drain and rinse thoroughly, and wash normally. Don’t strip delicate fabrics, don’t use hot water on protein-stained clothes, and don’t skip the rinsing step.

What You Need for Stripping Clothes

The Stripping Mixture

You need three ingredients for the stripping mixture:

• Borax: 1/4 cup
• Washing soda (sodium carbonate): 1/4 cup
• Laundry detergent: 1/4 cup of Tide Free and Gentle

Additional Supplies

• A large tub or sink
• Hot water
• A stirring tool (long spoon or stick)
• Arm and Hammer Baking Soda (optional, for extra deodorizing)
• White vinegar (for rinsing)

Step-by-Step: Stripping Clothes

Step 1: Sort Clothes

Strip clothes in batches by color (whites, lights, darks) and fabric type. Don’t mix colors, which can bleed during the long soak.

Step 2: Fill the Tub

Fill a large tub or sink with hot water. Use enough water to fully submerge the clothes.

Step 3: Add the Stripping Mixture

Add 1/4 cup borax, 1/4 cup washing soda, and 1/4 cup Tide Free and Gentle to the hot water. Stir to dissolve. Add half a cup of baking soda for extra deodorizing if desired.

Step 4: Add the Clothes

Add the clothes to the tub. Submerge them fully. Stir to make sure all clothes are soaked through.

Step 5: Soak for 4 to 6 Hours

Let the clothes soak for 4 to 6 hours. Stir every hour to agitate the clothes and release buildup. You’ll see the water turn cloudy or yellow as buildup is released.

Step 6: Drain and Rinse

Drain the tub and rinse the clothes thoroughly with clean water. Rinse at least twice to remove all the stripping mixture.

Step 7: Wash Normally

Wash the stripped clothes with Tide Free and Gentle in hot water. Add half a cup of baking soda to the wash.

Step 8: Add Vinegar to the Rinse

Add half a cup of white vinegar to the fabric softener dispenser for the rinse. Vinegar removes any remaining residue.

Step 9: Dry Normally

Dry the clothes using the appropriate method for the fabric type.

Step 10: Clean the Machine After

After washing stripped clothes, clean the machine with affresh Washing Machine Cleaner to remove any loosened buildup.

What Clothes to Strip

Good Candidates for Stripping

• Towels (lose absorbency from softener buildup)
• Sheets and bedding
• T-shirts and everyday clothes
• Socks and underwear
• Cloth diapers
• Athletic wear (loses wicking from softener)

What Not to Strip

• Delicate fabrics (silk, lace)
• Wool and cashmere
• Dry clean only items
• Clothes with dyes that might bleed
• Flame-resistant children’s sleepwear (stripping removes the flame-resistant coating)

How to Prevent Buildup

Use Less Detergent

Use 1 to 2 tablespoons of Tide Free and Gentle per load. Too much detergent leaves residue.

Don’t Use Fabric Softener

Fabric softener leaves a waxy residue that builds up over time. Use white vinegar instead.

Use the Right Water Temperature

Use hot water for whites, towels, and bedding. Hot water dissolves detergent better.

Add Vinegar to the Rinse

Add half a cup of white vinegar to every rinse. Vinegar removes detergent residue.

Clean the Machine Monthly

Clean the washer monthly with affresh Washing Machine Cleaner to prevent buildup in the machine.

Use the Right Stain Removers

Use OxiClean Max Force Spray for stains. Use Dawn Ultra Dish Soap for grease. Use Shout Advanced Grease Busting Foam for food stains. Use Amodex Ink and Stain Remover for ink. Use Lysol Laundry Sanitizer for disinfecting.

What Not to Do

Don’t strip delicate fabrics. Stripping is too harsh for silk, lace, and wool. Strip sturdy fabrics only.

Don’t strip flame-resistant sleepwear. Stripping removes the flame-resistant coating from children’s sleepwear.

Don’t use hot water on protein-stained clothes. Hot water sets protein stains. Remove stains first, then strip.

Don’t skip the rinsing step. The stripping mixture must be fully rinsed out. Rinse at least twice.

Don’t strip too often. Stripping is a deep clean, not a regular routine. Strip every 3 to 6 months at most.

Don’t mix colors. Colors can bleed during the long soak. Strip by color group.

FAQ

What does stripping clothes mean? Stripping clothes is soaking them in a mixture of borax, washing soda, and laundry detergent to remove accumulated buildup from detergent, fabric softener, and hard water minerals.

How do you strip clothes? Fill a tub with hot water, add 1/4 cup borax, 1/4 cup washing soda, and 1/4 cup Tide Free and Gentle, add the clothes, soak for 4 to 6 hours, stir occasionally, drain and rinse thoroughly, and wash normally.

How often should you strip clothes? Strip clothes every 3 to 6 months at most. Stripping is a deep clean, not a regular routine. Prevent buildup by using less detergent and avoiding fabric softener.

What clothes should you strip? Strip towels, sheets, everyday clothes, socks, and athletic wear. Don’t strip delicate fabrics, wool, dry clean only items, or flame-resistant sleepwear.

Why do clothes need stripping? Clothes need stripping when buildup from too much detergent, fabric softener, or hard water makes them feel stiff, look dingy, lose absorbency, or develop odors.

References

1. Tide. “Laundry Stripping Guide.” tide.com.
2. The Spruce. “How to Strip Laundry.” thespruce.com.
3. Good Housekeeping. “Laundry Stripping Guide.” goodhousekeeping.com.
4. Arm and Hammer. “Baking Soda Guide.” armandhammer.com.