How to use white vinegar in laundry
8 Earth-Friendly Uses and Benefits
One of the best alternatives to commercial laundry detergents is probably in your pantry right now: vinegar.
You can wash your laundry with distilled, white vinegar as well as apple cider vinegar. Vinegar has a number of benefits, both as a food and as a cleaning aid.
Vinegar works by loosening zinc salts or aluminum chloride, which means that dirt won’t stick to your clothing. In addition to this, vinegar has antibacterial properties.
Washing your clothing with vinegar will leave your clothes odorless — and no, they won’t smell like vinegar. What’s more is that vinegar is relatively cheap and environmentally friendly.
Keep reading to discover 8 earth-friendly uses and benefits of vinegar for your laundry.
To clean your clothes with vinegar, put 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar in your washing machine’s detergent compartment. You don’t need to add any other detergents.
Won’t stain clothing
Vinegar doesn’t usually stain clothes, but it is acidic, so you shouldn’t pour it directly onto clothing without first diluting it.
If you don’t have a laundry detergent compartment in your washing machine, mix 1/2 cup of vinegar with a cup of water before pouring it onto your clothing.
Hypoallergenic
Washing your clothes with vinegar is a great way to avoid using harsh chemicals. If you have sensitive skin, certain detergents can irritate your skin and cause an allergic rash called contact dermatitis. If you seem to be allergic to washing detergents, vinegar might be a good substitute.
Earth-friendly
Vinegar is also earth-friendly. Research shows that the harsh chemicals in certain laundry detergents are harmful to the environment.
If you only use vinegar and other environmentally safe detergents, you can rest assured that it won’t end up poisoning wildlife or harming plants. In fact, water from the washing machine can be added to your lawn, and it won’t harm your plants or animals.
Soap buildup can result in blue or white streaks appearing on your clothing. It can also turn your white clothing yellow and cause dark clothing to fade.
Prevent streaking and yellowing
Vinegar can loosen soap buildup and prevent it from clinging to your clothes.
To remove soapy buildup on clothing, soak your clothes in a solution of 1 cup vinegar to 1 gallon of water before washing them in the machine.
You can use vinegar to remove stains on clothing. As with soapy buildup, dirt and food particles can become loosened when they come into contact with vinegar, allowing the water to carry it away.
Dilute 1 cup of vinegar with a gallon of water. Pretreat stains by pouring the solution directly onto the stain or work it into the stain with a clean cloth. Then, wash your clothing as usual.
Vinegar can be used to bleach laundry, making white clothing brighter and reducing stains.
Brighten your clothing
Make a bleach-like solution by combining 1/2 cup of vinegar, 1/2 cup of lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of borax. Add this to your washing machine. You can also soak your clothes in this solution and a gallon of water.
Vinegar seems to neutralize odors, leaving your clothing smelling clean. It can reduce odors from smoke, pets, and sweat. Add 1/2 to 1 cup of vinegar to your laundry to deodorize smelly clothes.
Remove odors
As mentioned before, vinegar won’t leave any smell on your clothes, but you can add a few drops of essential oils if you want your clothing to be fragrant.
You can replace fabric softener with vinegar. It can soften fabrics without using the harsh chemicals often found in commercial fabric softeners. Vinegar also prevents static, which means that lint and pet hair is less likely to cling to your clothing.
Prevent static and lint buildup
When washing your clothing, add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the fabric softener compartment just before the last rinse cycle. If you’d like your clothes to have a mild scent, add four or five drops of essential oil into the fabric softener compartment.
Over time, detergents, sunlight, and wear-and-tear can cause bright clothing to fade.
To use vinegar to help with fading, simply add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the load of laundry.
A clean washing machine means cleaner laundry. Vinegar can be used to clean your washing machine, as well as many other household appliances.
Run your washing machine without any clothing in it. Use hot water and a cup of vinegar. This will reduce the lint and soap buildup in the machine.
Before using vinegar to wash your clothing, make sure you don’t have an allergy to vinegar. While this allergy is rare, it can affect some people.
To prevent stains, it’s best to dilute the vinegar with some water. It’s also important to note that you shouldn’t use red wine vinegar, brown vinegar, or balsamic vinegar on clothing, as these varieties can all stain.
Stick to white vinegar and apple cider vinegar when it comes to laundry.
Vinegar is an excellent substitute for laundry detergent — it’s inexpensive, effective, and earth-friendly. It can be used for a range of detergent needs, including as a bleach, deodorizer, and a fabric softener.
Top 10 Reasons to Use Vinegar in Laundry
Using vinegar in laundry will whiten, brighten, reduce odors, and soften clothes without harsh chemicals. Vinegar is inexpensive, and it's safe to use in both standard and high-efficiency washers. When buying vinegar for laundry, choose distilled white vinegar. It contains no tannins (natural plant dyes) that can stain clothes. If you only have cider vinegar, use less and dilute it with water before pouring directly on clothes.
Here are 10 reasons to add vinegar to your laundry routine.
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01 of 10
Banish Mildew Odor
The Spruce / Taylor Nebrija
Leaving wet towels in a hamper or a load of wet clothing in the washer can create mildew growth and a moldy smell.
To get everything smelling fresh, fill the washer with hot water, add 2 cups of distilled white vinegar, and run a complete wash cycle. Run a second complete cycle with detergent added. This works well for small amounts of mold and sour smells. For larger mold issues and stains, you'll need to use a more aggressive treatment.
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02 of 10
Brighten and Whiten Clothes
The Spruce / Ana-Maria Stanciu
The acetic acid in distilled white vinegar is so mild that it will not harm washable fabrics. Yet it is strong enough to dissolve residues (alkalies) left by ingredients in soaps and detergents. Adding just 1/2 cup of vinegar to the final rinse will result in brighter, clearer colors. Add the distilled white vinegar to the fabric softener dispenser, or add the vinegar manually at the beginning of the rinse cycle.
The mild acetic acid in vinegar also acts as a whitener and brightener for gray, dingy clothes. To get stained white socks and dingy dishcloths white again, add 1 cup of white distilled vinegar to a large pot of water.
Heat to boiling, and add the dingy items. Allow them to soak overnight, and then launder as usual. This method should only be used on 100 percent cotton fabric. -
03 of 10
Naturally Soften Fabrics
The Spruce / Margot Cavin
If you don't like the idea of using heavily scented commercial fabric softeners but want softer clothes, distilled white vinegar acts as a natural fabric softener and leaves no residue on laundry. Just add 1/2 cup to the final rinse cycle.
If you do like a light scent, add a couple of drops of an essential oil like lavender to the bottle of vinegar.
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04 of 10
Reduce Lint and Pet Hair
The Spruce / Kori Livingston
Just 1/2 cup of white distilled vinegar in the rinse cycle will help prevent lint and pet hair from clinging to clothes.
It also helps get rid of the excessive lint if you accidentally washed something dark with some lint-producing towels.
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05 of 10
Fight Underarm Odor
The Spruce / Ana-Maria Stanciu
Fill a spray bottle with undiluted distilled white vinegar, and keep it on hand in the laundry room to remove perspiration odor and stains on washable clothing.
Spray the vinegar directly on the fabric on the inside of the underarm areas, and allow it to work for at least 10 minutes before tossing the garment into the washing machine. If the fabric feels stiff before washing, use a soft-bristle brush to break up the residue. The vinegar will help to cut through residual deodorant left on clothing and prevent underarm yellowing. -
06 of 10
Erase Hem Lines
Kentaroo Tryman / Maskot / Getty ImagesTo get rid of the tiny holes left along a seam or hemline when a garment is altered, moisten a white cloth with distilled white vinegar, place it under the fabric, and press. Select the correct ironing temperature, and use a pressing cloth on top of the fabric to prevent scorching.
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07 of 10
Keep Dark Clothing Dark
The Spruce / Letícia Almeida
Adding 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar to the final rinse cycle will remove soap and detergent residue that makes washable black clothes look dull.
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08 of 10
Get Rid of Smoke Odors
The Spruce / Ana-Maria Stanciu
If your washable clothing reeks of cigarette or cigar smoke odor, add 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar to the wash cycle. For dry clean-only clothes and furnishings like pillows and drapes, fill the bathtub with very hot water and add 1 cup vinegar. Hang the clothes or fabric above the steaming water, and shut the door so the steam can penetrate the fibers.
Distilled white vinegar is also effective in removing heavy smoke odors in the air following a kitchen or other small household fire.
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09 of 10
Clean Your Washing Machine
The Spruce / Fiona Campbell
A clean washer equals cleaner laundry. Soap scum and mineral deposits can build up in the hoses of your washer restricting water flow and performance. Four times per year, remove soap scum and clean the hoses by running a complete wash cycle with the washer empty using hot water and 2 cups of distilled white vinegar.
If you have automatic detergent or fabric softener dispensers, place distilled white vinegar in the dispensers to dissolve any residue buildup that may limit performance.
Use vinegar to clean more frequently to help freshen a front load washer with musty odors.
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10 of 10
Clean Your Iron
The Spruce / Taylor Nebrija
Mineral deposits can clog an iron's steam vents and spray nozzles. To clean an iron and remove those deposits, fill the water chamber with a solution of equal parts distilled white vinegar and distilled water. Set the iron in an upright position on a heatproof surface, and let it steam for about five minutes.
When the iron is cool, rinse the tank with distilled water. Refill the iron and shake water through the vents onto an old cloth. Finally, iron an old cloth for several minutes to expel any residue before moving on to ironing wearable garments.
To remove scorch marks from the faceplate of an iron, rub with a paste of equal parts distilled white vinegar and salt.
Finish by wiping down the faceplate with a cloth dampened with full-strength distilled white vinegar.
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10 Laundry and Rinse Hacks
Add 9% vinegar to your laundry list along with laundry detergent and bleach. You can use this cheap and versatile remedy for almost everything: from duvet covers and towels to underwear and clothes for newborns.
Anna Zalesskaya
Vinegar refreshes paints, removes soap deposits, bleaches, acts as a conditioner - and this is not a complete list of his laundry superpowers! nine0003
Contents of the article
Vinegar freshens up paint
Add ½ cup of vinegar to your washing machine for a better wash. Laundry detergent will work much more efficiently and wash better, and vinegar, when washed in a typewriter, will protect fabrics from fading and dissolve soap deposits that form on fabrics due to frequent washing and improper dosage of washing powder.
Vinegar can be used instead of fabric softener
If you add ½ cup of vinegar to the conditioner compartment while rinsing, it will work as well as fabric softener. It is especially good to wash towels with vinegar in the washing machine.
Vinegar removes static charge
If clothes are constantly sticky to the body, ½ cup of vinegar in the wash will help. Depending on what result you want to achieve: remove static electricity, soften fabrics or wash the washing machine itself, vinegar can be added to any compartment of the washing machine and used in combination with powder. nine0003
Vinegar removes soap scum
Acetic acid breaks down soap scum that develops over time on clothes after several washes. And the presence of plaque on towels, sheets and duvet covers can irritate sensitive (especially children's) skin and cause an allergic reaction.
To get rid of plaque, you can add a glass of vinegar during washing.
Vinegar helps to remove pet hair from fabrics
Vinegar not only stops things from becoming electrified and sticky, it also helps to get rid of hair adhering to clothes. Pour in ½ cup of washing machine vinegar while rinsing, and this will help to more effectively remove stubborn hair from clothes. nine0003
Vinegar acts as bleach
Why else add vinegar to your laundry? For example, to maintain whiteness and get rid of yellow streaks on white fabric. In case of yellow spots, ½ cup of table vinegar added to the water during rinsing will help you.
Vinegar is a great stain remover
Don't worry if you spill coffee on your favorite blouse. Keep a spray bottle of vinegar at home. They can treat stains from coffee, wine, chocolate or jam.
Apply vinegar to the stain and leave for 10 minutes. After that, it will be possible to wash the item as usual, without fear that any traces will remain from the stain. Washing with vinegar is safe for cotton and polyester fabrics. If you accidentally stain your clothes with deodorant, pour vinegar on a rag and wipe the stain. nine0003
Vinegar is great at neutralizing odors
Vinegar is great at neutralizing tobacco or mildew odors. Add 1 cup of vinegar while rinsing and odors will be gone. Vinegar is useful when washing curtains or sofa cushions if someone smoked in the room.
Vinegar protects clothes from staining
Clothes made of brightly colored fabrics are known to shed a lot. Did you accidentally put a red towel along with the rest of the linen? Expect your socks and T-shirts to turn pink after washing. If you are afraid that some thing will shed and stain other fabrics, soak it in vinegar for 15-20 minutes before washing in the machine.
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Vinegar suitable for delicate items
Use vinegar for delicate underwear or swimwear. Add ¼ cup to warm water and soak for 15-30 minutes. Rinse well and hang to dry.
Vinegar cares for the washing machine
Vinegar can also be added during washing to prevent soap and lime deposits from settling on the walls and parts of the washing machine. The washing machine will be in perfect order if once a month you pour a glass of vinegar into the powder dispenser and run the standard wash program without laundry. nine0003
Have you ever washed clothes with vinegar?
Washing with vinegar in the washing machine automatic
Entrepreneurial housewives often use some products not quite for their intended purpose and at the same time quite successfully. So, for example, there is a version that adding vinegar to a washing machine is very profitable, since the consumption is minimal, and the quality of washing is excellent.
But whether washing with vinegar is really safe remains to be seen.
How bad is vinegar for appliances?
When it comes to the dangers of this or that remedy, then everything depends on the proportion. Of course, if you pour a liter of acetic acid into the machine, it will be of little use. But if you know exactly how much vinegar to pour, and follow the dosage, do not part and use vinegar in necessary situations, then there will be no harm to the machine. On the contrary, the property of vinegar to soften water, with regular use of the solution, will save you from problems with the formation of scale and limescale on the internal parts of the machine. Therefore, you need to add vinegar to the washing machine! nine0003
Attention! Thus, periodically vinegar is not only harmless to the machine, but even useful. It can also be used for washing and cleaning the contents of the machine, and not just for washing. To do this, you need to pour vinegar into the powder container and run the run program without laundry.
Undoubtedly, any acid is quite a strong remedy. But vinegar in any case is much less aggressive than dry powders, bleaches and other factory detergents. This is evidenced by the frequent use by housewives of washing with vinegar precisely delicate fabrics. But finding a suitable gentle remedy for them is sometimes not so easy. nine0003
The only negative is the smell. It remains on things after washing, and inside the machine, and spreads around the apartment after opening the hatch cover. However, acetic acid is very volatile and the smell dissipates quickly. If, for some reason, things continue to smell unpleasant, after the first wash with ordinary powder, the “aroma” will disappear.
Laundry benefits of vinegar
As mentioned above, one of the main advantages of a 9% vinegar solution is the ability to soften water. But there are also other, lesser known, but no less important abilities:
- Air conditioner replacement. After washing with vinegar, things become soft.
- Antistatic properties.
- The ability to remove stubborn sweat or perfume odors.
- Whitening properties without damage.
- Antibacterial properties.
In addition, with time and experience, many housewives have discovered the abilities of vinegar solution that are absolutely indispensable in everyday life: fixing bright colors on clothes and removing greasy stains. So, for example, washing a new multi-colored thing with vinegar, you will save it from the risk of shedding for a long time. nine0112 And if you put a greasy stain on your clothes, don't panic. Just pour vinegar over the dirt and then wash: the oil stain is gone!
Applications
It is very important to know how to use vinegar depending on what properties you want to see in action. After all, the final result depends on proper operation, and this is extremely important!
- Air conditioner. It is better to wash newly purchased items in this way in order to give them antistatic properties and get rid of factory impregnation.
Add a glass of vinegar to the conditioner compartment and wash the laundry as usual. nine0100 - Whitening. To bleach fabrics that have yellowed over time, vinegar should be added directly to the drum. Even if the machine is completely filled, one glass is enough for an excellent result.
- Disinfection. To carry out an antibacterial treatment, pour two glasses of solution into the conventional detergent compartment and start the “Rinse clothes” mode. Proceed in the same way if you want to disinfect machine parts.
- Stain removal. Just soak them in vinegar and wait a few minutes. If not completely removed, repeat the procedure. nine0100
- Care SM. It is enough to use acetic acid for such purposes once a month. Your machine will be in perfect condition, you can be sure. Pour five cups of vinegar into the main powder compartment and carry out a normal wash without laundry. Such a measure is good not only for the prevention of the formation of pollution, but also for their complete elimination.
Even the most neglected case can be "treated" with vinegar, and this is really amazing. - If there are no specific goals, a complex care solution can be used. It is enough just to add vinegar in small quantities to the main powder. Then it will perform both the functions of conditioning when rinsing clothes, and the functions of a bleach, and even a disinfectant. Isn't it a miracle? nine0100
It is important to strictly observe the dosage of the product, otherwise things can be ruined.
As you can see, it is not for nothing that many of the properties of vinegar remain undisclosed, because it is not profitable for detergent manufacturers to have such a much cheaper and much more effective competitor. But it’s worth saying that you don’t need to completely abandon conventional laundry detergents, after all, you can’t go anywhere without them.
Effective and hypoallergenic
Good news for new mothers! Unlike most powders and detergents, which contain some amount of chemical allergens, vinegar is completely safe for children.
