Stripping Clothes: A Repeatable Care Routine

You want to strip clothes to remove buildup and restore absorbency. Maybe your towels aren’t absorbing water, your clothes feel stiff, or your whites look dingy. Stripping clothes is a deep cleaning method that removes buildup from detergent, fabric softener, minerals, and body oils. Here’s a repeatable care routine for stripping clothes.

Stripping clothes is a deep cleaning method that uses hot water, borax, washing soda, and detergent to remove buildup from detergent, fabric softener, minerals, and body oils that regular washing doesn’t remove. The buildup makes clothes feel stiff, look dingy, and lose absorbency. The key is using the right ingredients, the right water temperature, and the right soaking time.

To strip clothes, fill a tub with hot water, add borax, washing soda, and Tide Free and Gentle, add clothes, soak for 4 to 6 hours, stir occasionally, rinse thoroughly, wash with Tide Free and Gentle, add vinegar to the rinse, and dry. Don’t strip delicates, don’t use hot water on protein-stained clothes, and don’t strip too often.

What Stripping Removes

Detergent Buildup

Excess detergent leaves residue on clothes that builds up over time, making them feel stiff and look dingy.

Fabric Softener Buildup

Fabric softener leaves a waxy coating on clothes that reduces absorbency and makes them feel stiff.

Mineral Deposits

Hard water leaves mineral deposits on clothes that make them feel rough and look dull.

Body Oils

Body oils build up on clothes over time, especially on workout clothes and towels, making them retain odors.

Bacteria and Odors

Bacteria build up on clothes, especially towels and workout clothes, causing persistent odors that regular washing doesn’t remove.

What You Need for Stripping

Ingredients

• Borax: 1/4 cup (sodium borate, available in the laundry aisle)
• Washing soda: 1/4 cup (sodium carbonate, not baking soda)
• Detergent: 1/4 cup Tide Free and Gentle

Equipment

• Large tub or bathtub: Big enough to hold the clothes and water
• Hot water: The hottest water you can get from the tap
• Long-handled spoon: For stirring
• Gloves: For protecting your hands

Step-by-Step: Stripping Clothes

Step 1: Sort Clothes

Strip clothes by type. Strip towels together, workout clothes together, and whites together. Don’t strip delicates, wool, or silk.

Step 2: Fill the Tub

Fill a large tub or bathtub with hot water. Use the hottest water you can get from the tap.

Step 3: Add Ingredients

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.

Step 4: Add Clothes

Add the clothes to the tub. Make sure all clothes are fully submerged.

Step 5: Soak for 4 to 6 Hours

Soak the clothes for 4 to 6 hours. Stir occasionally (every 30 to 60 minutes) to agitate the clothes and help the solution work.

Step 6: Watch the Water

The water will turn gray or yellow as the buildup is released from the clothes. This is normal and means the stripping is working.

Step 7: Drain and Rinse

Drain the tub and rinse the clothes thoroughly with cold water. Rinse until the water runs clear and no residue remains.

Step 8: Wash in the Machine

Wash the stripped clothes with Tide Free and Gentle in warm water. This removes any remaining residue.

Step 9: 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 10: Add Lysol for Disinfecting

Add Lysol Laundry Sanitizer to the rinse for disinfecting.

Step 11: Dry Normally

Dry the clothes according to the care label. Dry towels in the dryer on high heat. Dry workout clothes on low heat or air dry.

Step 12: Clean the Machine After

Clean the washer with affresh Washing Machine Cleaner after stripping clothes to remove any residue.

What to Strip

Towels

Towels are the most common item to strip. They build up detergent, fabric softener, and body oils quickly, losing absorbency.

Workout Clothes

Workout clothes build up body oils and bacteria, retaining odors that regular washing doesn’t remove.

Whites

Whites build up detergent and mineral deposits, looking dingy over time. Stripping restores brightness.

Sheets and Bedding

Sheets and bedding build up body oils and detergent, feeling stiff and retaining odors.

Cloth Diapers

Cloth diapers build up detergent and minerals, reducing absorbency and causing odors.

What Not to Strip

Delicates

Don’t strip silk, lace, or fine knits. The hot water and chemicals can damage delicate fibers.

Wool

Don’t strip wool. The hot water and agitation can shrink and felt wool.

Flame-Resistant Clothes

Don’t strip flame-resistant clothes. The chemicals can remove the flame-resistant coating.

Waterproof Items

Don’t strip waterproof items. The chemicals can remove the waterproof coating.

Colored Clothes (Use Caution)

Use caution when stripping colored clothes. The hot water and chemicals can fade colors. Test on a small area first.

How Often to Strip Clothes

Item	How Often
Towels	Every 2 to 3 months
Workout clothes	Every 2 to 3 months
Whites	Every 3 to 6 months
Sheets and bedding	Every 3 to 6 months
Cloth diapers	Every 2 to 4 weeks

Additional Products for Laundry Care

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 Arm and Hammer Baking Soda for deodorizing.

How to Prevent Buildup That Requires Stripping

Use Less Detergent

Use 1 to 2 tablespoons of Tide Free and Gentle per load. Excess detergent leaves residue that builds up over time.

Don’t Use Fabric Softener

Fabric softener leaves a waxy coating that builds up on clothes. Use white vinegar instead.

Use the Right Water Temperature

Use hot water for towels and whites to prevent buildup. Use warm water for most loads.

Add Vinegar to the Rinse

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

Clean the Machine Monthly

Clean the washer monthly with affresh to prevent residue buildup in the machine.

Don’t Overload the Washer

Overloading reduces cleaning performance and increases residue buildup. Load loosely.

What Not to Do

Don’t strip delicates. The hot water and chemicals can damage delicate fibers. Hand wash delicates instead.

Don’t use hot water on protein-stained clothes. If clothes have blood, sweat, or dairy stains, use cold water. Hot water sets protein stains.

Don’t strip too often. Stripping every load is unnecessary and can damage clothes. Strip every 2 to 6 months depending on the item.

Don’t use fabric softener. Fabric softener causes the buildup that stripping removes. Use white vinegar instead.

Don’t use too much detergent. Excess detergent causes the buildup that stripping removes. Use 1 to 2 tablespoons.

Don’t skip the rinse. After stripping, rinse thoroughly to remove all chemicals and residue.

Don’t mix colors when stripping. The hot water can cause dye transfer. Strip similar colors together.

FAQ

What is stripping clothes? Stripping clothes is a deep cleaning method that uses hot water, borax, washing soda, and detergent to remove buildup from detergent, fabric softener, minerals, and body oils that regular washing doesn’t remove.

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 clothes, soak for 4 to 6 hours, stir occasionally, drain and rinse thoroughly, wash with Tide Free and Gentle, add vinegar to the rinse, and dry.

How often should you strip clothes? Strip towels and workout clothes every 2 to 3 months. Strip whites and bedding every 3 to 6 months. Strip cloth diapers every 2 to 4 weeks. Don’t strip more often than needed.

What does stripping clothes remove? Stripping clothes removes detergent buildup, fabric softener buildup, mineral deposits, body oils, and bacteria that regular washing doesn’t remove.

Can you strip all clothes? No. Don’t strip delicates, wool, flame-resistant clothes, or waterproof items. Use caution when stripping colored clothes, as hot water can fade colors.

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. Whirlpool. “Laundry Care Guide.” whirlpool.com.