ALMOST nothing is more frustrating than seeing pristine white linens and clothes slowly but surely turn gray and yellow with each wear and wash.
Plenty of additive laundry products claim to stave off this process, but the cheapest and most effective may have been in your kitchen this whole time.
Vinegar’s natural properties make it a perfect replacement for the entire family’s laundry[/caption]
Even the toughest stains can be taken out with the right amount of vinegar applied in just the right way[/caption]
All you need to combat the yellowing process white linens and clothes go through is plain old white vinegar.
While the primary benefit is keeping whites as fresh as possible, it also offers a slew of other benefits that may replace multiple products in your laundry room.
The most obvious product is chlorine bleach, which is most people’s first choice to keep clothes white without damaging them excessively.
One benefit of replacing bleach with vinegar is eliminating an unnecessary chemical from the wash cycle. Vinegar being an all natural product gets you the same results while going one step closer to chemical-free.
A product which has grown exponentially in popularity since entering the market is “scent beads,” which promise to not only enhance the smell of clothing and linens but do so for up to several weeks after the wash.
However, some of these products only mask the odors instead of breaking them down.
Vinegar does break them down at a molecular level, and leaves no trace of neither these odors nor its characteristic and, to some, off-putting smell.
Vinegar can also replace fabric softener since it breaks down minerals and detergent residues trapped in clothing fibers which make them rough to the touch.
This makes it an ideal replacement for fabric softener in the cases of those with sensitive skin or allergies, as fabric softeners can contain fragrances, silicones, or chemicals which aggravate these issues.
While the benefits of adding vinegar to the wash cycle may be obvious, there is some nuance to how to use it.
For whiteness, add roughly 3/4 of a cup into the detergent compartment, either with or instead of fabric softener, before washing in approximately 140 degree water.
For freshness, add roughly 1/3 of a cup to the fabric softener compartment of your machine before washing. In cases of heavy soiling for either of these uses, repeat the cycle with the same measurements.
Other nuances include the kinds of fabrics that are safe to clean vinegar with and what products it can be mixed with.
The single biggest product to avoid mixing vinegar with is bleach, as mixing the two or the latter with any acid will create toxic chlorine gas.
Cleaning hacks and tips
Here are some tips to help you when you clean your home next:
- How to clean your shower to ensure it’s always sparkling
- What to do to get rid of nasty odors in your home
- Here’s how to get your home smelling like fresh laundry
- You’re cleaning your pots and pans all wrong – here’s a trick to remove the residue
- These are five hacks to ensure your kitchen is spotless
- What you need to know when cleaning your bathroom
- This trick will ensure your washing machine is clean and smells great
- This cheap, easy trick will remove your mold from grout without scrubbing
- These simple items will make your carpet clean and look brand new
- This ‘lazy’ hack will ensure your oven is clean for pennies
It’s also best to exercise caution when cleaning silk, wool, and other delicate fabrics with vinegar. Testing its effect on the specific fabric in question is best done first in an inconspicuous are of the item.
Colored items require similar caution, especially if new or particularly bright. While most colored items will be fine, it’s possible that exposing them to vinegar may damage or discolor them.
Adding a glass of vinegar also helps clean your washing machine itself by breaking down limescale, powder residues, and mold in areas such as the rubber sealing gasket for the door.
This not only leaves your laundry smelling better than it otherwise would, but can extend the life of your overall machine and specific parts within it.
While vinegar is a great first step to eliminating store bought products, it can be taken even further with the addition of homemade laundry detergent.
Homeowners wanting to further cut costs in the laundry room need only look to an industry expert and his five biggest money saving and clothes cleaning tips.
