How to Strip Laundry: Recipe, Safety and Whether It Works

To strip laundry, dissolve 1/4 cup borax, 1/4 cup washing soda and 1/2 cup powdered detergent in a tub of the hottest water the fabric allows, then soak clean towels or sheets for 4-5 hours until the water cools (Arm & Hammer). Rinse with no added detergent and dry without dryer sheets.

It removes residue from detergent, softener, minerals and body oils. It does not remove stains, and it is rarely needed if you dose detergent correctly (Arm & Hammer; Whirlpool).

Key takeaways

• The recipe is 1/4 cup borax, 1/4 cup washing soda and 1/2 cup powdered detergent (a 1:1:2 ratio) in a half-full to three-quarters-full tub.
• Soak 4-5 hours, until the water has cooled, and stir about once an hour.
• Use hot water only on items whose care label allows it, and strip light and dark items separately.
• Liquid detergent does not work in this recipe, and stripping does not remove stains.
• Measuring detergent and adding an extra rinse prevents most buildup in the first place.

What is laundry stripping and what does it do?

Laundry stripping is a deep-cleaning soak that pulls built-up residue out of fabrics that are already clean. Arm & Hammer says the residue comes from detergent, fabric softener, hard-water minerals and body oils, and that fluffy items such as towels, sheets and bathrobes collect the most (Arm & Hammer).

The murky water is the residue coming out of the fibers. The same maker says the three powders work together in hot water to bond to the buildup and pull it from the fabric (Arm & Hammer).

Signs that it may help:

• Towels that have lost absorbency, which can be a film from dryer sheets and softener.
• Stiff or sticky towels that no longer feel soft.
• Dingy sheets. The mix is not a bleach, so it will not whiten fabric.
• A musty smell that stays after washing.

All four signs come from the maker's guide (Arm & Hammer). Hard water is a common cause. The American Cleaning Institute says minerals in hard water react with soap to form a curd that shows up as a white powder, stiffens fabric and sticks inside washers (American Cleaning Institute).

How do you strip laundry? The recipe, step by step

You need powdered detergent, borax, washing soda (sodium carbonate), hot water and a bathtub or bucket. The maker's ratio is 2 parts powdered detergent to 1 part borax to 1 part washing soda, which is the standard tub recipe below (Arm & Hammer). Do not use a powdered detergent that contains bleach (Arm & Hammer).

Amounts are from the maker's recipe for a standard-size tub (Arm & Hammer). For a bucket, keep the 1:1:2 ratio and scale down.

1. Check labels. Make sure every item can take hot water, and strip light and dark items separately.
2. Fill the tub half to three-quarters full with the hottest water the fabrics can handle.
3. Add the three powders and stir until they dissolve. Use a long handle, because the water is hot.
4. Add clean items, wet or dry, and push them under. Do not overcrowd the tub; run two batches instead.
5. Soak 4-5 hours until the water cools. Push the items down and stir about once an hour.
6. Wring and move them to the washer. Add no detergent or softener, and run a rinse cycle, using a double rinse if the machine has one.
7. Tumble dry with no dryer sheets, then rinse out the tub.

Every step above follows the maker's instructions (Arm & Hammer). Strip towels and sheets in separate batches, because their textures differ (Arm & Hammer).

Can you strip laundry without borax, or with vinegar, baking soda or OxiClean?

The only recipe we found from a maker or agency uses all three powders, so we do not give a substitution recipe. Here is what the sources support.

Can I strip clothes with just borax?

The maker's recipe calls for borax, washing soda and powdered detergent together (Arm & Hammer). No source we read supports a borax-only soak. For borax on its own in a regular load, see our guide to borax for laundry.

Can you strip laundry without borax?

Borax is one of three ingredients in the recipe (Arm & Hammer), and we found no tested borax-free version from a maker, agency or extension service. If you want to avoid borax, the safer move is to cut buildup at the source with correct dosing (see below). Our post on washing soda for laundry covers that ingredient alone.

Can I use vinegar and baking soda, or OxiClean instead of washing soda?

We found no maker or agency guidance for a vinegar and baking soda soak, or for swapping an oxygen booster for washing soda, so we do not recommend either as a stripping method. Washing soda is sodium carbonate, a different compound from baking soda (UF Health). Our guides to vinegar in laundry and baking soda in laundry cover what those do in a normal wash.

What kind of detergent should you use?

Powdered. The maker says liquid detergent cannot be used, because the recipe relies on powders working together (Arm & Hammer). Pick one without bleach.

Can you strip laundry in your washing machine?

The maker's method soaks the items in a tub, then uses the washer only for the rinse (Arm & Hammer). We found no maker or agency instructions for running the soak inside a washer drum, so we stick to the tub method.

Which items should you strip, and which should you skip?

Start with sheets and towels. Thicker, denser natural fibers such as cotton absorb more residue than thin or synthetic fabrics, and longer fibers collect it faster (Arm & Hammer). The maker lists these as most likely to benefit:

• Bath towels, hand towels, washcloths and bath mats
• Blankets, duvet covers, mattress pads, sheets and pillowcases
• Bathrobes, workout clothes and cloth diapers
• Pillows, if the care label allows it

Skip anything whose label calls for cold, cool or warm water, and anything delicate or prone to shrinking. Hot water can fade or shrink those items (Arm & Hammer). Stripping also does not remove stains, so treat stains and wash the item first (Arm & Hammer). For bulky bedding, see our guide to washing a comforter at a laundromat.

Does laundry stripping work, and what are the downsides?

It works on residue, and the maker says it is meant for exactly that. It does not work on stains or dinginess caused by dirt, and it is not a bleach (Arm & Hammer). Whether it is worth doing depends on why the fabric looks or feels wrong.

Downsides to weigh:

• Time: the soak alone is 4-5 hours, plus the rinse and dry (Arm & Hammer).
• Hot water limits: not every fabric can take it, as covered above.
• Handling chemicals: borax and washing soda both need care (see the safety section).
• It treats the symptom. If the cause is too much detergent or hard water, the buildup returns.

On the last point, Whirlpool says too much detergent is hard to rinse out and can cause oversudsing, poor rinsing and poor cleaning (Whirlpool).

Does laundry stripping get rid of smell?

It can remove odors trapped in residue. The maker says stripping helps with towels and sheets that smell musty even after washing (Arm & Hammer). If the smell comes from the machine or damp storage, see how to get mildew smell out of clothes.

Is laundry stripping safe? Borax and washing soda precautions

The ingredients are common household products, but both irritate at full strength. Handle them as you would any powder cleaner.

Borax

Poison Control says borax is not banned in the US, but the EPA classifies it as moderate acute toxicity, which can cause harm in higher doses, especially if swallowed or in the eyes (Poison Control). It also says the European Union listed borax as a Substance of Very High Concern for reproductive toxicity in December 2010 (Poison Control). Use it as directed and keep it away from children and pets (Poison Control).

Washing soda

UF Health describes sodium carbonate as usually not very toxic in small amounts, with skin and eye contact causing burning and pain (UF Health).

If you get either one on skin or in eyes

• Eyes: rinse with room-temperature water for at least 15 minutes (Poison Control).
• Skin: flush with plenty of water, and wash with soap and water for borax (UF Health; Poison Control).
• Swallowed: call poison control at 1-800-222-1222 (Poison Control).

Scoop powders gently so you do not breathe the dust, and the hot soak should be done where children cannot reach the tub.

How do you prevent buildup so you do not need to strip?

Measure detergent, give the load room, and add an extra rinse when suds remain. Whirlpool says to follow the detergent maker's dose for load size and soil level, and warns that overloading the washer hinders proper rinsing (Whirlpool). The American Cleaning Institute adds that too much detergent or too little can leave clothes less clean than the right amount (American Cleaning Institute).

More habits that cut buildup:

• Use an extra rinse cycle to flush leftover detergent (Whirlpool).
• Check water temperature. Water below 60°F does not dissolve detergents well, especially powders (Whirlpool).
• Clean the washer at least once a month, more often with hard water (Whirlpool). See how to clean a washing machine.
• Do not overload. Clothes need room to move (American Cleaning Institute).

What if you have hard water?

Washington State University Extension classes water above 7 grains of hardness per gallon as hard and above 10.5 as very hard, and says the hardness minerals lodge in fabric and make it stiff and rough (Washington State University Extension). The American Cleaning Institute suggests adding slightly more detergent than the label says, or a water softener or detergent booster, and says your local water utility or Cooperative Extension office can tell you your hardness (American Cleaning Institute). If you also use fabric softener, our comparison of softener, dryer sheets and dryer balls explains the film they leave.

Where does a laundromat fit in?

Stripping happens in a tub, but the rinse and dry stages need machine room. Whirlpool says tightly packed clothing can trap detergent and prevent it from dissolving or rinsing out (Whirlpool). For a set of bath towels or a duvet, a large washer gives them space. As of October 2026, more than 4,000 listings in the LaundroMaps directory report large-capacity machines (LaundroMaps directory data). Use the laundromat finder to find a laundromat with large-capacity washers near you.

If you would rather skip the soak, a wash-and-fold service will wash bulky linens for you, though ask whether they offer this deep clean first. Rules about what you may put in a shared machine vary, so ask the attendant before running a borax-and-soda load.

Frequently asked questions

What is 3 ingredient laundry stripping?

It is the standard recipe: borax, washing soda and powdered laundry detergent dissolved in hot water. The ratio is 1 part borax, 1 part washing soda and 2 parts detergent. Items soak 4-5 hours.

How long does laundry stripping take?

The soak takes 4-5 hours, until the water cools, and you stir about once an hour. Then run a rinse cycle with no detergent and tumble dry without dryer sheets.

Is laundry stripping necessary?

Usually not. Buildup comes mostly from too much detergent or softener, or hard water, so measuring detergent and adding an extra rinse prevents most of it. Strip when towels or sheets stay stiff, dull or musty after washing.

Does stripping laundry remove stains?

No. The maker says stripping removes residue from oils, detergent, minerals and softener, not stains. Treat and wash stains first, then strip the clean item.

Can you use liquid detergent for laundry stripping?

No. The recipe needs powdered detergent to work with the other powders. Choose a powder without bleach.

How we researched this

We read the American Cleaning Institute's laundry guide, Washington State University Extension's water-softening publication, Whirlpool's detergent guidance, a washing-soda maker's stripping recipe, Poison Control's borate page and UF Health's sodium carbonate page, plus LaundroMaps directory counts, on October 14, 2026. We cite six outside sources. We did not test the method ourselves, and we found no extension or agency study of laundry stripping, so the recipe comes from the product maker. We prioritized agency, extension and trade-association sources for safety and hard water claims.

Sources

• Arm & Hammer -- How to Strip Your Laundry with this Easy Recipe
• Whirlpool -- Preventing Detergent from Re-depositing on Clothing
• American Cleaning Institute -- Laundry Basics
• UF Health -- Sodium Carbonate Poisoning
• Poison Control (National Capital Poison Center) -- Borates, borax, and boric acid: Are they safe?
• Washington State University Extension -- Home Water Softening
• LaundroMaps directory data -- 13,000+ US laundromat listings, October 2026

Related guides

• How to wash towels: the routine that keeps towels from needing a strip.