Baking Soda in Laundry: What Works and What to Avoid

You ran out of fabric softener and your towels smell like a gym locker. A friend mentioned baking soda as a laundry additive, so you dumped half a box into the wash. The towels came out softer and fresher than they had in months. But the next load came out with a white residue on dark clothes, and you’re not sure what went wrong.

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a mild alkaline powder that deodorizes, softens water, and boosts detergent performance in laundry. It works by neutralizing acidic odor compounds and helping detergent dissolve more effectively in hard water.

To use baking soda in laundry, add half a cup to the wash drum along with your regular detergent. Use it to boost cleaning power, fight odors, and soften fabric. Don’t use it as a replacement for detergent, and don’t use more than half a cup per load.

What Baking Soda Does in Laundry

Deodorizes. Baking soda neutralizes acidic odor compounds (the molecules that make sweat, mildew, and food smells linger in fabric). It doesn’t mask odors with fragrance. It chemically neutralizes them.

Softens water. Hard water contains minerals that interfere with detergent. Baking soda helps by binding with some of those minerals, allowing the detergent to work more effectively. This means your clothes get cleaner with the same amount of detergent.

Boosts detergent. Baking soda is mildly alkaline, and most detergents work better in alkaline conditions. Adding baking soda raises the pH of the wash water slightly, which helps the detergent break down grease and oil more effectively.

Softens fabric. Baking soda can help soften fabric by reducing the mineral buildup that makes clothes feel stiff. It’s a gentler alternative to fabric softener, which coats fibers in a waxy film.

How to Use Baking Soda in Your Laundry

As a detergent booster: Add half a cup of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda to the wash drum before adding clothes. Add your regular detergent to the dispenser as usual. The baking soda works alongside the detergent to boost cleaning and deodorizing.

For odor removal: For clothes with strong odors (gym clothes, towels, mildewed items), soak them in a solution of half a cup of baking soda and a gallon of warm water for 30 minutes before washing. Then wash with your regular detergent and add another half cup of baking soda to the wash.

As a stain pre-treatment: Make a paste of baking soda and water and apply it to stains before washing. Let it sit for 30 minutes, then wash. This works best on oil-based stains and organic stains like blood and sweat.

As a fabric softener alternative: Add half a cup of baking soda to the rinse cycle instead of fabric softener. It softens fabric without the waxy residue that fabric softener leaves behind.

What Baking Soda Cannot Do

Baking soda is not a replacement for detergent. It doesn’t contain surfactants, which are the active ingredients that lift dirt and oil from fabric. Using baking soda alone will leave clothes less clean than using detergent.

Baking soda also doesn’t kill bacteria or mold. It deodorizes by neutralizing odor compounds, but it doesn’t sanitize. If you need to kill bacteria (gym clothes, sick-bed linens), use a laundry sanitizer like Lysol Laundry Sanitizer instead.

When to Skip Baking Soda

On dark clothes. Baking soda can leave a white residue on dark fabrics if not fully dissolved or rinsed. If you use it on dark loads, make sure it’s fully dissolved before adding clothes, and use an extra rinse cycle.

On delicate fabrics. Silk and wool can be damaged by the mild abrasiveness of baking soda. Skip it on these fabrics and use a gentle detergent instead.

With chlorine bleach. Mixing baking soda with chlorine bleach can create unwanted chemical reactions. If you’re using bleach, skip the baking soda in that load.

In high-efficiency washers. Some HE washer manufacturers warn against using baking soda regularly because it can leave residue in internal components. If you have an HE washer, use baking soda sparingly and run a monthly cleaning cycle with affresh tablets.

Baking Soda vs. Other Laundry Additives

Additive	What It Does	Best For	Cost
Baking soda	Deodorizes, softens water, boosts detergent	Everyday loads, odor control	Very low
White vinegar	Kills mildew, removes buildup	Mildew odors, hard water	Very low
Oxygen bleach	Removes stains, brightens	Stain removal, whites	Low
Fabric softener	Softens, reduces static	Softening, reducing static	Low
Laundry sanitizer	Kills bacteria	Gym clothes, sick-bed linens	Moderate

FAQ

Can you use baking soda in laundry? Yes. Add half a cup of baking soda to the wash drum along with your regular detergent. It deodorizes, softens water, and boosts detergent performance. Don’t use it as a replacement for detergent.

How much baking soda should I add to my laundry? Half a cup per load is the standard amount. For heavily soiled or strong-smelling loads, you can use up to 1 cup. Using more than that can leave a white residue on clothes.

Can baking soda replace laundry detergent? No. Baking soda doesn’t contain surfactants, which are the active ingredients that lift dirt and oil from fabric. Use it as a booster alongside detergent, not as a replacement.

Does baking soda remove odors from clothes? Yes. Baking soda neutralizes acidic odor compounds that cause sweat, mildew, and food smells. For strong odors, soak clothes in baking soda and water for 30 minutes before washing.

Can you use baking soda instead of fabric softener? Yes. Add half a cup of baking soda to the rinse cycle. It softens fabric by reducing mineral buildup without leaving the waxy residue that fabric softener leaves behind.

Will baking soda damage my washing machine? Regular use of baking soda in high-efficiency washers can leave residue in internal components. Use it sparingly and run a monthly cleaning cycle with a washing machine cleaner tablet to prevent buildup.

Can you mix baking soda and vinegar in laundry? You can use both in the same load (baking soda in the wash cycle, vinegar in the rinse cycle), but don’t mix them in the same dispenser. They react and neutralize each other, reducing the effectiveness of both.

References

1. Whirlpool. “How to Use Baking Soda in Laundry.” whirlpool.com.
2. The Spruce. “How to Use Baking Soda in Laundry.” thespruce.com.
3. Arm & Hammer. “Laundry Tips.” armandhammer.com.
4. Tide. “How to Remove Odors from Clothes.” tide.com.