You’ve probably heard that your laundry can benefit from a little extra vinegar — but how true are those claims?
Well, depending on how you use it, vinegar can actually have a lot of great benefits for your clothes. In this post, we’ll explore some of the more popular (and easy to apply) uses, and give a few tips on how you can include vinegar in your laundry repertoire.
Use Vinegar For…
Which costs less, two medium loads or one large load?
Softening Your Fabric
One of the most popular and useful ways to include vinegar in your laundry is to use it as a substitute for fabric softener. Simply substitute vinegar where you’d normally use fabric softener (roughly 1/2 of a cup in the rinse cycle), and add a fragrance if you want. This is a great way to avoid adding extra chemicals to your wash, or if you find yourself allergic to the fragrances used by big-box brands.
Getting Rid of Rancid Smells
We’ve all been there — after a day at the pool, or a particular hectic morning — where you come home and smell something a little off. Lo and behold, your wet towels have gone rancid, and now everything smells musty, moldy, and it won’t go away. Vinegar can help!
Take your wet clothes down to your laundromat with some vinegar in hand and wash them all on a hot water cycle. Then, wash a second time with normal laundry detergent, and voila! The smell is gone, and your fresh, clean clothes are ready to go.
Preserving Bright Colored Clothes
Keeping your colorful clothes vibrant is always a challenge, especially if you have kids. Once again, strategically using some vinegar can help. Adding 1/2 of a cup of vinegar in the rinse cycle of your wash can help lift any remaining dirt or stains, and will leave your clothes looking brighter.
Helping Remove Pesky Pet Hair
Have pets that can’t help but shed? You don’t have to live with all that hair through every laundry cycle thanks to vinegar. Just as before, add 1/2 of a cup to the final rinse cycle and enjoy pet-free clothes.
Getting Rid of Stains on White Clothes
Last but not least, vinegar can make a great stain remover for white clothes that are full of sweat stains or looking a little grey. Simple boil some water, add a full cup of vinegar, and then soak your clothes overnight. The next day, take them by your laundromat and wash like you normally would — then enjoy your clothes’ new life!
