- This is what's left in my bathtub.
(Haley grimace)
(bright bouncy music)
Hi, my name is Haley Sprankle.
And I work for Wirecutter
and yes, I'm in my bathroom
and yes, my clothes are in my bathtub.
Laundry stripping has been
trending for a solid year now.
Most importantly on TikTok
with over 140 million views and counting
I guess watching gross stuff
fill up your bathtub really scratches
that visual itch, huh?
What laundry stripping intends to do
is remove any excess laundry detergent,
fabric softener, body oils
or even hard water minerals that have built-up
in your clothes over time.
But does that mean that it works?
Before I fill up my own bathtub
I wanted to chat with our in-house experts
to understand their take on laundry stripping.
(upbeat lively music)
(bell chimes)
- Hey!
- Hi, Hailey!
- Hey, Everybody!
(upbeat lively music continues)
It's this really gross fascinating project
that people are doing
where they take their laundry
and it could be anything.
Basically the point is to get out whatever
your washer isn't getting out for you.
How do you strip your laundry?
This process involves filling
up your bathtub with enough hot water
to completely cover your clothes.
Pouring in a mixture of half a cup of Borax,
half a cup of washing soda
and a small amount of laundry detergent.
Then you make sure everything is properly mixed
up and let your laundry sit for four hours.
Once the time is up,
you want to ring out your clothes well
and then run them through a normal wash
and dry cycle in your washer and dryer.
- So Liam, I'm really trying to figure out
if this is the right thing I should do
for my clothes.
And I figure you'd be our
resident expert on that.
So can you tell me a little bit
about your title and what you do at Wirecutter?
- Yeah, I'm a Senior Writer at Wirecutter.
I write almost entirely about appliances
but I know something about laundry.
So, I can try to help.
- I Wanted to know from you Liam,
if you thought that laundry stripping
was bad for your clothes?
- Laundry is like incredibly complex.
The different fabrics reacts with
the different ingredients
and the different detergents
and the additives that you use.
So, I think there is a possibility
that it could damage certain kinds of clothes
but it's probably fine most of the time.
I think another possible reason people feel
like they might have to do laundry stripping is
because they use too much detergent
and the residue gets leftover on the clothes.
(bright bouncy music)
When I've talk to
the washing machine manufacturers,
biggest dose a lot of them recommend
is two tablespoons of HE detergent,
High-efficiency detergent.
If it feels kind of crunchy
or if it makes you kind of itchy
or it's just like generally stiff
and just doesn't feel good to wear,
its dirty because you're using
too much detergent.
Most of the research and like reporting I've done
on it points toward that as being the culprit
for a lot of like bad feeling laundry.
Fabric softener, I think that's actually one
of the main culprits.
That is basically like adding a coating
to your clothes.
If there's anything that's not rinsed out
completely, it's just trap.
(upbeat lively music)
- So Sarah, tell me what you do for Wirecutter?
- Yeah, I'm a Staff Writer on Appliances.
- Do you recommend always using the least amount
of detergent?
- Use less detergent always,
just use two tablespoon.
If you're hand washing, use a lot less
it'll go a long way.
Some detergent manufacturers, they're going to
lie on the label but remember they're selling
a product and they want you to buy more of it.
There's actually a really good photo
in the laundry detergent guide that compares
how much Kirkland tells you to use versus
how much like Persil or Tide wants you to use.
It's a huge difference.
Not all detergents are created equal for sure
but most of them will get the job done.
Which, public no.
Do not buy Tide in the yellow bottle.
- This laundry stripping,
do you think that it would be beneficial?
- I'd say go for it,
if you're going to have fun with it.
I have a feeling you're not going to notice
like your towel is being softer.
You're just going to note how disgusting you are
which is fine.
'Cause we all are.
(whimsical bouncy music)
- Hi, Jackie.
- Hi!
- Can you tell me what you do for Wirecutter?
- Yeah, I'm Jackie Reeve.
I'm a Senior Staff Writer on the Home Goods team.
And so I am our resident textile tester.
I test bedding sheets, towels,
all that good stuff.
- This laundry stripping,
do you think that it would be beneficial?
It doesn't feel necessary to me
but if it makes people feel better
about what you know, they're wearing
and if they don't mind the fact
that it might shorten its lifespan.
I mean, what happens between you
and your laundry is between you and your laundry.
You know, so it's not for me to say.
I would also say when you get stuff
and it's new, wash it right away.
For bedding, at least.
And this is probably true for a lot of clothes
all bedding towels,
they come with finishes on them
when they're brand new out of the package
to make them feel really smooth and soft
or like for a towel to make it feel
really soft and dense and look very lustrous.
And so if you wash those things when they're new
rather than using them right away.
You know, if you have finishes
on something and then you put those sheets
on your bed and sleep on them
you're adding your skin cells
and any oils on top of these finishes
and conditioners that are already
in these products.
It's just like an extra layer of buildup
that over time.
You know, if it doesn't get addressed right away
it could add up.
- Maybe I didn't really see a difference
in my clothes after laundry stripping,
just regular detergent and warm or cold water
should get your clothes clean just fine.
But if you want to add laundry
stripping to your routine, that's a okay too.
All of our experts seem to think
that if it's making you feel more comfortable
in your clothes, go for it.
Laundry is personal, what you wear
and how you feel in your clothes
is very important to you.
If it works for you, then it works for you.
Thanks for watching our video on
laundry stripping.
Don't forget to check out our other videos
and be sure to like, and subscribe.