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...
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
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53.7% Human-centred experience and communication
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14.6% Critical thinking
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29.1% Resilience and adaptability
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2.6% Other - I will share below!
Annuyal Book Sale -Tauranga Rotary Club
The annual Rotary second-hand Book Sale is on again, Sat 28th Feb and Sun 1st March. Come and get cheap reads for yourself and the kids!
We still need books to sell - also art, jigsaws and music. Proceeds go to a range of local activities including K Valley conservation, Riding for the Disabled, and Foodbank.
Drop off points are:
Farmlands Tauriko and Te Puna
Wet&Forget, Chapel St
Caltex Greerton, Bayfair and Katikati
Z Energy, 11th Ave
Philips Garage, Fraser St
BP Delta, Cherrywood
Villa 71, Bob Owens Village, Bethlehem
Bunnings on Cameron Rd
20 Ririnui Place, Maungatapu
Papamoa Sports & Rec Centre, in Gordon Spratt Reserve
The Coffee Club, Omokoroa
Challenge Service Station, Omokoroa
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
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