Is Laundry Stripping as Good as it Looks?
Laundry day makes your home feel fresh and clean. But maybe not quite as clean as you think.
Laundry stripping is a deep-cleaning trend that has been sweeping the internet for the past several months. The method claims to clean the built-up residues from the fibres of textiles.
The TikTok user who started the trend soaked her freshly-laundered towels in warm water with a regular laundry detergent, washing soda, and borax – and the water turned dark brown.
The video prompted many of us to wonder whether we’ve been unwittingly nestling into dirty linens our entire lives. Home cleaning enthusiasts have since tried the technique on everything from clothes to rugs and second-hand couch covers.
What laundry stripping does is soak out any leftover detergent, fabric softener, minerals and natural body oils that have collected on the fabric over time. But some cleaning experts say it's unnecessary and brings out more dye than dirt.
So, I decided to test it out on a white duvet cover. I clean my sheets weekly and duvet cover once every couple of months. As a general rule, someone who sleeps in make-up and eats in bed as frequently as I do, shouldn't have white linens. But as a basic white woman in her mid-20s, fashion dictates I must.
The duvet appeared pretty white before going into the laundry strip. The strip wash recipe called for a 1:1:2 ratio mixture of borax, washing soda (sodium carbonate) and laundry detergent.
Borax is available at hardware stores and pharmacists, and the other ingredients you can find in the supermarket.
What I used:
- Greenwoods Washing Soda Crystals: ($4.99 from Countdown)
- Fab laundry liquid Frangipani 1L ($6.00 from Countdown)
- Borax ($10.99 from Bunnings)
To strip laundry, combine borax, washing soda and a regular laundry detergent in a 1:1:2 ratio in hot water.
Keep reading: www.curtainclean.co.nz...
What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.
Poll: Should all neighbours have to contribute to improvements?
An Auckland court has ruled a woman doesn’t have to contribute towards the cost of fixing a driveway she shares with 10 neighbours.
When thinking about fences, driveways or tree felling, for example, do you think all neighbours should have to pay if the improvements directly benefit them?
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82.5% Yes
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14.7% No
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2.8% Other - I'll share below
Live Q&A: Garden maintenance with Crewcut
This Wednesday, we're having another Neighbourly Q&A session. This time with John Bracewell from Crewcut.
John Bracewell, former Black Caps coach turned Franchisee Development Manager and currently the face of Crewcut’s #Movember campaign, knows a thing or two about keeping the grass looking sharp—whether it’s on a cricket pitch or in your backyard!
As a seasoned Crewcut franchisee, John is excited to answer your lawn and gardening questions. After years of perfecting the greens on the field, he's ready to share tips on how to knock your garden out of the park. Let's just say he’s as passionate about lush lawns as he is about a good game of cricket!
John is happy to answer questions about lawn mowing, tree/hedge trimming, tidying your garden, ride on mowing, you name it! He'll be online on Wednesday, 27th of November to answer them all.
Share your question below now ⬇️
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