A lot of people keep a bottle of vinegar in the pantry, but do you have one in the laundry room too?
White vinegar has some incredible benefits when it comes to keeping clothes soft clean and bright. Take a look at all of the things vinegar can do for you with the list below.
For this trick you’ll need the following:
- White Vinegar
- Dirty Laundry
Fabric Softener
Vinegar is an incredible fabric softener and it’s a lot cheaper than the commercial stuff too!
To get that super soft feeling out of your next load of clothes, sheets, or towels just add 1 cup of white vinegar to the rinse dispenser. As an added bonus, your clothes won’t be quite so clingy! Give it a try once and you’ll start doing it with every load.
Disinfect Nasty Clothes
If you’ve got a house full of kids or anyone who likes to work out on a regular basis, chances are you’ve smelled some truly nasty dirty laundry over the years. Sometimes soap and water isn’t enough, but don’t reach for the bleach!
Vinegar is a great disinfectant that’s safer than bleach and works just as well. Simply add 1 to 2 cups of vinegar with your dirtiest dirties and you’ll remove those nasty germs and bacteria in no time.
If things are really bad, like old gym clothes that have been left in a locker all week bad, simply soak the dirty garment overnight in a sink full of warm water with a half cup of vinegar, then wash as usual.
Getting Dingy Whites White Again
Do you have some yellowish sheets that used to be white? Don’t be ashamed, it happens to everyone! Vinegar is a great way to bring new life into dingy old fabrics. That ugly color is normal and comes from a combination of regular staining and detergent residue.
Fortunately vinegar is a great way to fix and prevent ugly discoloration. Just add 1-2 cups of vinegar to your next load of whites. If things get really bad (like the picture above), soak each item overnight in a warm bath with a ratio of 5 cups water to 2 cups of vinegar. Wash as usual the next day and those white should be as good as new!
Remove Stubborn Stains
Vinegar also has some magnificent stain removing properties. If you catch the stain early, soak the spot in vinegar for a few minutes and then immediately toss it in the washing machine. The stain should come right out.
If the stain is a bit older and set in, you’ll need to do a bit more work, but the garment should still be salvageable. Fill a spray bottle with white vinegar and spray generously over the stain. Blot the stain with a white cloth, and repeat until the stain lightens. After a few rounds of spraying and blotting simply wash the garment as usual.
Clean Your Machine
Vinegar isn’t just for your clothes, it can do wonders for your washing machine as well! Once a month fill an empty machine with warm water on a basic wash cycle and pour in 5 cups of vinegar. This will disinfect the basin and remove any hard water deposits that may have built up over time. It’s a great way to keep bacteria, mold, and foul odors out of your washer and away from your clothes.
Like and share this post if you thought these laundry tips were helpful. Please leave a comment on Facebook and let us know if you have any other great uses for white vinegar around the house!