Is Laundry Stripping as Good as it Looks?
Laundry day makes your home feel fresh and clean. But maybe not quite as clean as you think.
Laundry stripping is a deep-cleaning trend that has been sweeping the internet for the past several months. The method claims to clean the built-up residues from the fibres of textiles.
The TikTok user who started the trend soaked her freshly-laundered towels in warm water with a regular laundry detergent, washing soda, and borax – and the water turned dark brown.
The video prompted many of us to wonder whether we’ve been unwittingly nestling into dirty linens our entire lives. Home cleaning enthusiasts have since tried the technique on everything from clothes to rugs and second-hand couch covers.
What laundry stripping does is soak out any leftover detergent, fabric softener, minerals and natural body oils that have collected on the fabric over time. But some cleaning experts say it's unnecessary and brings out more dye than dirt.
So, I decided to test it out on a white duvet cover. I clean my sheets weekly and duvet cover once every couple of months. As a general rule, someone who sleeps in make-up and eats in bed as frequently as I do, shouldn't have white linens. But as a basic white woman in her mid-20s, fashion dictates I must.
The duvet appeared pretty white before going into the laundry strip. The strip wash recipe called for a 1:1:2 ratio mixture of borax, washing soda (sodium carbonate) and laundry detergent.
Borax is available at hardware stores and pharmacists, and the other ingredients you can find in the supermarket.
What I used:
- Greenwoods Washing Soda Crystals: ($4.99 from Countdown)
- Fab laundry liquid Frangipani 1L ($6.00 from Countdown)
- Borax ($10.99 from Bunnings)
To strip laundry, combine borax, washing soda and a regular laundry detergent in a 1:1:2 ratio in hot water.
Keep reading: www.curtainclean.co.nz...
From rugged campsite to 7.5ha resort
Grant Kilby has always loved camping. His mum was director of health at the YMCA, and he would attend YMCA camps in the school holidays. “I think it was mandatory that I was there,” he jokes.
He went on camping holidays with his parents, and later, took his own kids.
“Camping’s been in my blood.”
Poll: Is it ok to regift something that you have been given?
🎁 Holiday Gift Chat!
Do you ever regift?
What’s your take on asking for a receipt if a gift doesn’t fit?
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78.7% Yes! It's better to regift what I don't need
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21.3% No. It's the thought and effort that matters
Poll: When do you shop the sales?
Bargain hunters made the most of Boxing Day sales at Centre Place and The Base in Hamilton on Friday.
However, a marketing expert believes Boxing Day sales, long a staple of Kiwi life post-Christmas, is on the outer as Black Friday becomes more popular.
When do you shop the sales? Tell us more in the comments (adding NFP if you don't want your words used in print).
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0% Black Friday
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0% Boxing Day
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100% I don't
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