As the buzz around home and laundry hacks reach an incredible roar, another ingredient has successfully joined the ranks. In the same way that vinegar can be tapped for almost anything under the sun, baking soda can make your life easier too!
Aside from being a star ingredient in your favorite banana bread and its usefulness in skincare, baking soda is now glorified for helping solve different laundry woes.
Here are some of the best uses of baking soda in laundry:
1. It Is A Fabric Softener
Are you interested in creating your own fabric softener? This could be a good option, especially if you have skin allergies and is sensitive to most commercial products.
You can combine some of the most versatile household items to create a natural and non-irritating fabric softener.
You will need 2 cups of kosher salt mixed with 25 drops of essential oil of your choice, preferably with an antibacterial property. Add ½ cup of baking soda. This mixture is more than sufficient for 5-10 uses.
2. It Cleans Sweat Stains
If you own a plain white tee, you are familiar with those unsightly rings around the armpits due to sweating. Instead of endlessly buying a new piece, you can create an excellent sweat stain remover using baking soda laundry detergent.
Just add 4 tablespoons of baking soda to ¼ cup of warm water to create a paste-like substance. Wet the stain with water and then apply the paste. Leave it for around 30 minutes to one hour. Finished by rinsing the paste off and wash it using a regular machine.
3. It Removes Odors
Adding ½ cup of baking soda to the rinse cycle can help remove odors naturally. This is perfect for gym clothes, musty old towels, and bathing suits soaked in chlorine.
If your clothes smell like sweat or smoke, soak them in a baking soda solution overnight. That is 1 cup of baking soda in 1 gallon of water.
If you are washing sports bras and leggings, use baking soda and vinegar in laundry. Add ½ cup each without detergent and then wash on a regular cycle.
4. It Brightens Aged Linens and Other Fabrics
Baking soda is very effective at removing stains from fine linens caused by aging. Unlike commercially prepared detergents, this natural cleaner can help keep fabrics in pristine condition. Add ½ cup of baking soda if you are using a top-loading machine.
You can also pre-treat your linens by rubbing them with a paste made of baking soda and water.
5. It Neutralizes Acids
Acid spills and stains on clothing may come from different sources, including vomit, urine, and toilet bowl cleaner. You have to rinse it quickly and use baking soda to neutralize the acid and prevent damage.
6. It Keeps Your Machine Clean
Aside from cleaning your clothes, it can also help wash your machine. Make a paste of baking soda and water. Apply it to a cloth or sponge and scrub the surfaces inside your machine. The same mixture is effective against the enameled surfaces outside the machine or dryer.
You can also mix vinegar and baking soda to clean and freshen your washing machine thoroughly. Set it on the hot water cycle at the largest load setting, then add 4 cups of white vinegar. Run the machine for a minute, then add ½ cup of baking soda. Run the machine again for another minute, then stop the cycle. Allow the water mixture to sit in the machine for an hour. Once done soaking, restart the cycle completely, then conclude with another hot water cycle to rinse completely.
If you live in Durango and Farmington and need some help with your laundry, Kelly’s Dry Cleaners offer a wide range of services and always take our clients’ needs seriously. Give us a call at (970) 903-1642 or (505) 564-3333.
