It’s gross, but also completely satisfying.
Laundry stripping has been making waves on social media for some time, and those who use the method swear by it. In a recent segment on Global News’s The Morning Show, DIY expert Jen Tryon broke down exactly what this method is.
“The pictures say it all,” she said.
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The pictures Tryon refers to are images that people are sharing on social media of bathtubs full of brown water.
So what, exactly, is laundry stripping? According to Tryon, laundry stripping involves filling your tub with water and mixing in borax powder, washing soda and laundry detergent.
She says you can “strip” everything from clean sheets to towels and textiles. The point of laundry stripping is to remove any residue left on clean clothing, towels and sheets.
Tryon says in about an hour, the tub water will turn brown.
“Let it sit for a minimum of four hours,” she said. “You’re going to want to use clean laundry.”
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She says after you let your clothing or linens sit, remove excess water and throw them into the laundry machine with no soap.
“No soap… that’s what you’re seeing in that sludge, all the old soap that gets stuck in your clothes that you can’t get rid of,” she said. “You think your clothes are clean, but they’re really not.”
She adds that when you laundry-strip dark clothes, your water while likely turn black first due to dye, but in four hours, the tub will once again be brown.
And if you do have more time generally for at-home laundry experiments, you can also try some of these laundry hacks.
READ MORE: A smart way to reduce drying time and other laundry hacks
Lifestyle blogger Angela Lanter previously told Global News that some pantry items can be used for cleaning staples like towels.
“I add the vinegar directly to the drum and skip detergent and softener,” she said.
“After that cycle is complete, add 1/2 cup of baking soda (again, directly to drum) and run on normal cycle with hot water. Skip the detergent and softener again. After the second cycle is complete, dry as normal.”
To learn more about how to laundry strip, watch the full video above.