Laundry stripping is the process of soaking fabric, usually sheets or bedding, in a mixture of borax, washing soda, and powdered laundry detergent. The fabric is soaked for several hours in hot water, and the high alkaline environment helps break down grease, calcium, and other residues.

While laundry stripping can be effective at refreshing items and removing buildup, it is not usually necessary if you are washing your items properly on a regular basis. Just make sure to use the right amount of detergent and not overload the washing machine.

However, it can be effective at refreshing items and removing a buildup of grime or minerals from hard water. If you want to try laundry stripping, here’s how:

1. Dissolve 1 part borax, 1 part washing soda and 2 parts powdered laundry detergent (no bleach) in water as hot as is safe for the fabric (check the label!). Washing powder will be more effective at this, but baking powder could also be used.
2. Soak for several hours or until the water has cooled. Stir occasionally.
3. Drain the water, then rinse and dry. Some of the murky water could be dye that runs in hot water, so be careful not to mix lights and darks when doing this. Also, keeping something in a warm, wet environment for hours can breed mold and some things can retain a surprising amount of water, so be very careful to dry it out completely.

NOTE: Not appropriate for all fabrics. It can cause dark fabrics to fade due to the dye running. It can strip wool of its natural oils. And it can damage delicate fabrics and cause spandex in workout clothes to break down faster.