Can You Wash Clothes with Baking Soda & Vinegar?
Baking soda and vinegar are two essential household items that are useful for for many common chores. Their versatility means you can use them for washing clothes, too. But can it replace your traditional detergent?
What is Baking Soda?
Baking soda is a natural, non-toxic cleaning agent. It is a common ingredient in many cleaning products, but you can also use it on its own. It helps to loosen dirt and debris and neutralize odors. Baking soda helps to enhance your traditional detergent, removing odors and loosening set-in stains.
What is Vinegar?
Vinegar is a popular natural alternative to traditional cleaning products. It has disinfecting and deodorizing properties and can help to remove grease and odors. You don’t need to use much to get the job done – even just a small amount of vinegar can make a big difference.
Can You Wash Clothes With Baking Soda & Vinegar?
Yes! Baking soda and vinegar are both effective for washing clothes and are much gentler on fabrics than traditional detergents. Here is the best way to use them:
1. Pre-Soak: Before washing, add 1/2 cup of baking soda to a bucket of cold water and soak the clothes in it for 30 minutes. This will help to loosen dirt and grime.
2. Wash: Add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the washing machine with your clothes and run the cycle as usual. This will help to disinfect and deodorize the fabrics.
3. Rinse: Run another cycle with just cold water to rinse out the vinegar. This will ensure that the clothes don’t smell like vinegar.
4. Dry: Hang the clothes up or put them in the dryer as usual.
When to Use Baking Soda & Vinegar for Washing Clothes
Baking soda and vinegar are great for many laundry tasks. Here are a few scenarios in which they can be used:
- Delicate fabrics: Baking soda and vinegar are gentler on delicate items like wool and silk.
- Stubborn stains: Stains like blood and grass can be hard to remove. Soak them in a baking soda solution for 30 minutes before washing to loosen the dirt.
- Stale smells: Baking soda is great for absorbing odors. Add half a cup of baking soda to the dirty load to remove any stale smells.
Conclusion
Baking soda and vinegar are two great alternatives to traditional detergents. While they are not as effective as a store-bought detergent, they can be used for a variety of different tasks. For delicate fabrics, stubborn stains, or just a freshening up of your clothes, baking soda and vinegar will get the job done.