Vinegar is an incredibly versatile household item with a myriad of uses, including in the laundry room. Here are the top 11 reasons why you should be using vinegar when doing your laundry, along with the many benefits it provides.
1. Removes Odors
One of the best things about using vinegar in your laundry is its ability to remove stubborn odors. Things like sweat, mildew, smoke, and even leftover cooking smells can linger in fabrics. Adding 1/2 cup of white vinegar to your laundry’s rinse cycle will help eliminate those offensive odors by neutralizing the bacteria causing them. Your clothes will come out smelling fresh and clean.
2. Acts as a Fabric Softener
Vinegar naturally softens fabrics. The acetic acid in vinegar helps break apart residue from detergents and minerals from hard water that can make clothes stiff and rough. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar during the rinse cycle and your laundry will come out soft and free of detergent buildup. It works great as a natural fabric softener.
3. Whitens Whites
Let vinegar help restore dinginess and brighten your white clothes and linens. The mild acid dissolves residue that makes whites appear dull. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar to your bleach or detergent cycle to safely whiten without using harsh chemicals. It’s effective at whitening towels, sheets, socks and t-shirts.
4. Reduces Lint & Static
Vinegar’s antistatic properties help reduce lint and static cling. To minimize lint on your dark clothes, add 1/2 cup vinegar to the rinse cycle. For static reduction, either add vinegar to the rinse or lightly spray garments with a vinegar and water solution before ironing.
5. Cleans the Washing Machine
Over time, residue from soaps and fabric softeners can build up inside your washing machine leading to mildew and clogged hoses. Clean out the grime by running a wash cycle on hot with 2 cups of vinegar. For front-loading machines, leave the door open between washes to allow moisture to evaporate.
6. Extends Life of Clothes
The acetic acid in vinegar acts as a natural bleach alternative that is safe for most fabrics. Using vinegar can help extend the life of your clothes by being gentler on fabrics like wool, silk and cotton blends. The natural brightening helps fabrics maintain vibrancy.
7. Removes Stains & Discoloration
Vinegar can help remove many common laundry stains and discoloration without harsh chemicals. Soak white clothes in vinegar before washing to lift out yellowing. Use vinegar and water to pretreat old stains, sweat marks and food spills before washing. It even helps brighten dingy socks.
8. Keeps Colors from Running
When doing a load of new brightly colored clothes or wanting to prevent colors from bleeding, add 1 cup of white vinegar to the cycle. The vinegar will set the dyes so colors stay vivid and won’t run onto other clothes in the wash.
9. Softens Mineral Buildup
For those living in a hard water area, vinegar helps dissolve mineral deposits and salt buildup from the calcium and magnesium in the water. This helps extend the lifespan of your washer and prevents clogging.
10. Deodorizes Musty Smells
Vinegar’s antimicrobial properties make it great for eliminating musty, dank smells that can occur in towels, sheets, athletic wear and other laundry. Soak the smelly items in a vinegar solution before washing, or add vinegar to the rinse cycle.
11. Environmentally Friendly
One of the greatest benefits of using vinegar in your laundry is it’s a non-toxic and eco-friendly option. Vinegar is made from fermented plant-based materials and contains no harsh chemicals, bleach, synthetic fragrances or dyes. It’s safe for septic systems and the environment.
Additional Benefits of Vinegar in Laundry:
- Safe for all washing machine types
- Natural antibacterial properties kill germs
- Prevents fading of clothes over time
- Helps remove mold and mildew in machines
- Can be used on all fabric types
- Fresh, clean scent
- Inexpensive and available at any grocery store
- Works as a great pre-treater for stains
- Softens scrubs and towels
By taking advantage of the cleaning and brightening power of vinegar, you can have fresh, sanitized laundry without unnatural chemicals. Give your clothes and washing machine some vinegar love today!
Frequently Asked Questions about Using Vinegar in Laundry
What type of vinegar should be used in laundry?
White distilled vinegar works best for laundry purposes. It contains 5% acetic acid which provides cleaning and deodorizing properties. Avoid darker vinegars like balsamic and apple cider which may stain fabrics.
How much vinegar should you add to the washing machine?
For a standard load, add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle. For HE machines, use 1/4 to 1/3 cup. For extra cleaning power, you can add up to 1 cup of vinegar.
Does vinegar act as a disinfectant on laundry?
Yes, vinegar is a natural antibacterial agent and will kill 99% of bacteria in clothes and fabrics. This helps remove odors by eliminating the bacteria causing it.
Can vinegar damage or fade clothes?
Vinegar is safe to use on most washable fabrics. However, vinegar may fade prints or dark fabrics over time with repeated use. Test vinegar on an inconspicuous area first.
Can vinegar substitute laundry detergent?
No, vinegar does not contain surfactants needed to clean grease and oils. Use vinegar as a laundry booster along with regular detergent. The vinegar will help brighten, deodorize and soften.
Does vinegar remove grease and oil stains?
Not effectively on its own. For best results, pretreat grease stains with a mix of dish soap and vinegar before washing to help lift the stain.
What laundry stains does vinegar remove best?
Vinegar excels at removing body soil, sweat, ketchup, mustard, coffee, tea, wine, deodorant marks, mold, mildew, and food dyes. Be sure to pretreat stains before washing.
Can vinegar be combined with bleach?
It’s best not to combine vinegar with bleach. The vinegar will cancel out the bleaching effects. Use vinegar in a separate laundry cycle.
Does vinegar soften hard water?
Vinegar helps rinse away any mineral deposits left behind from hard water. This helps reduce stiffness in fabrics. But vinegar does not alter the mineral composition or soften hard water itself.
Can vinegar damage a washing machine?
No, vinegar is safe for all washing machine types when used properly. Always dilute vinegar with water and don’t use more than recommended. Straight concentrated vinegar could damage rubber hoses over time.
Conclusion
There you have it – the top 11 reasons why you should be using vinegar in your laundry routine along with the multitude of benefits it provides your clothes, linens and washing machine. Vinegar is an economical, eco-friendly way to achieve cleaner, fresher smelling laundry without harsh chemicals. Give it a try, your clothes will thank you!