While your clothes are mostly clean after a wash, they are still pretty gross at fiber level. Fabrics collect oils, dirt, bacteria, and mineral build-up that are not removed by a regular wash cycle, leaving your towels crunchy and gym clothes stinky! And get this – laundry detergent and fabric softener are also culprits. They continuously build up with every wash.
So, what can we do to deep clean our clothes and fabrics? Strip them of all their nastiness the @gocleanco way!
Please note that some of these products are affiliate links. Consider these brands our friends with benefits. When you buy from these links, we make a small commission at no extra cost to you. We use this commission to pay our staff, produce content, and of course, buy our cleaning supplies. Pretty neat, huh?
What is Laundry Stripping?
Laundry stripping is best described as an aggressive form of cleaning your laundry that removes built-up soil, body oils, sweat, and grime from the individual, tightly-woven fibers of your clothing.
The process, which is oddly satisfying and incredibly repulsing at the same time, pulls minerals from your clothes using a specific concoction of household cleaning supplies and hot water. Here’s our stripping recipe:

- Powdered Tide (USA) (Canada)
- Borax Laundry Detergent and Booster (USA) (Canada)
- Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (USA) (Canada)
- Calgon Liquid Softener (USA) (Canada)
*Use this recipe for bathtubs and top load washing machines. Adjust the recipe for larger or smaller capacity loads.
The borax mixture combines with the hot water to remove built-up residue that isn’t removed through a typical load of laundry. This includes residue left behind from detergent and fabric softeners. The overall process typically takes between 4 to 6 hours.
- Hot water opens up and loosens fibers and helps remove any non-mineral build-up, such as soap scum.
- Borax detergent and Arm & Hammer washing soda (or baking soda) bind to minerals and pull them out as solid particles to be rinsed down the drain.
- While powdered Tide and Calgon Liquid water softener work with Borax and washing soda by dissolving minerals, so they don’t stay stuck in your clothes.
Stripping should be done every several months along with your regular laundry routine.
Trust me, after your clothes soak for a few hours in this mixture, you will be shocked at how dirty the water gets! (And maybe how raunchy it smells, too.) But it’s worth it!
You can strip almost everything – everyday clothing and intimates, workout clothes, sports equipment, bedding, towels, rugs, and more. Everything is fair game. Just make sure you have similar colors together as dyes can run.
Pro Tip: Do not strip anything with a silkscreen logo as they will come off. Also, check your tags! Don’t strip anything that can’t be washed in hot water such as wool or leathers.
Tub Stripping
You will need a bathtub, wash basin or container large enough for the load you want to strip. The water should be deep enough to submerge your items in.
- Sort your clothes by color (you do NOT want to strip your grandma’s white tablecloths with red pants) and place them in a tub with hot water until submerged.
- Add the stripping recipe, stir until it dissolves (use a long mixing spoon), and let soak for at least 4 hours. Stir the water every hour.
- Drain the tub, wring everything out and place them in your washing machine.
- Run a complete cycle with no laundry soap or fabric softener and dry as you normally would.

Top Loader Stripping
If you own a top loader, you can also use it to strip! Some models have a safety feature that will drain the water once it reaches a certain level or after a period of time. If it drains, then refer back to tub stripping instead.
- Throw your CLEAN, color-sorted clothes into the machine, fill with water so your fabric is submerged and add the stripping recipe. Give it a bit of a stir and let sit for 4 hours with the lid open.
- Stir every hour. If you have an old-school machine, close the lid for 30 seconds every hour to stir it up a bit. Otherwise just use your hands (with gloves).
- After 4 hours, close the lid and complete the washing cycle.
- Run a second cycle with no soap to rinse everything well. Dry as usual.
Other Tips for Keeping Clothes Fresher Longer
Laundry stripping is effective, but it’s also a PROCESS. I totally get that (and nobody expects you to strip your laundry every week). Having said that, there are a number of things you can do to keep your clothes fresher longer (in addition to stripping). Here are some helpful tips:
- Clean your washer from time to time. Front loading washers are especially difficult to keep clean, but it’s something that has to be done. Otherwise, you’re just tossing dirty clothes into a dirty drum and expecting them to magically appear clean.
- STOP using liquid detergent!! (Especially if you’re using a front loader – it gunks it up.) The liquid stuff creates a lot more buildup than the powder. In the #CleaningArmy, we’re all about Powdered Tide®.
- If you’re committed to liquid detergent for whatever reason, STOP using so much! This stuff is super concentrated and you don’t need nearly as much as you think.
- Every two or three months, add in some vinegar and ½ cup of borax (in place of detergent) to your rinse cycle.
Join the #CleaningArmy
Who knew watching clean water turn dirty could be so satisfying?! It won’t make a locker room smell any better, but your kids will be fresher! Be sure to keep our laundry handbook handy when doing all your laundry. It includes many tips and tricks for keeping your clothes spiffy.
Also, for a full breakdown on how to clean every room in your home – including the laundry room – check out our brand new Basic Training interactive course.
You’ll get step-by-step walkthroughs, downloadable checklists, and a comprehensive breakdown of all of the products and supplies we use!
– Denise @gocleanco
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Follow @GoCleanCo for seriously satisfying videos and top-secret tips. Don’t be shy, come say hi.
gocleanco
Jan 19
How often to you mop your floors? Be honest cause I’ll come over and check if you are lying. #cleaningmotivation
gocleanco
Jan 18
Fancy New product Alert: Downy Rinse & Refresh is @downy ‘s biggest innovation in the last 30 years. Now, listen up because this isn’t like regular Downy, it is actually not a fabric softener, even though it goes in the fabric softener drawer! Rinse & Refresh helps with mega stubborn STINKY laundry by removing residue that traps in odour. It’s the perfect compliment to everyday smelly laundry like gym clothes, hockey clothes or that load of towels you left sitting in the washer overnight and actually removes odour three times better than laundry detergent alone. Come watch my stories today — I rounded up my teenage nephews hockey gear 😷and we will put it through the ringer. (Pun intended). What is your stinkiest laundry problem? Let me know in the comments and we can get researching 👩🏼🔬 #DownyPartner
gocleanco
Jan 12
Bleach, Pray, Love (and a little elbow grease) 💕 #cleaningmotivation
gocleanco
Dec 31
Wishing you a Tide-ey New Year. Fun fact about me: I live for Mondays. A fresh new week laid before me gives me motivation to get shit done. And January is the BIGGEST Monday of them all. Many people like to reflect on the last year but I like to look ahead and set some realistic and serious goals for myself. Take a deep breath and wake up from your Christmas haze and write down 5 things you want to get done in 2023…(or make a lock screen saver vision board like I do every year!) You don’t always have to join a gym you know. Maybe you want to clean your attic. Or take more naps. Be more present for your kids. Make your bed each morning. These goals can be small but impactful and have a domino effect throughout your life. Start small. The big stuff will follow. Thank you for sticking with me on this wild ride. We have so much in store for the #cleaningarmy in 2023 so buckle up! P.S. Lets pretend this photo was taken today cause I’m currently in my house coat cleaning everyone’s AirPods. 📸 cred @substanceyyc 💕
gocleanco
Dec 29
Are you team Boxing Day Christmas decor tear down or Team January tear down? I took mine down before we left and I’m currently feeling like it was hands down, my most genius idea of 2022. Now to tackle the worlds largest pile of laundry and prep my life for 2023 🎉 #christmascleanup
gocleanco
Dec 28
Have the itch to purge after the holidays? Me TOO! The team at 1-800-GOT-JUNK? can help you have a fresh start for 2023 by getting rid of any unwanted items - even Christmas trees (as long as they fit in the truck)! They are fast, efficient, and reliable making it SO worth it in my books. I would recommend 1-800-GOT-JUNK? to anyone who is feeling overwhelmed with too much stuff in their lives. They handle all the heavy lifting by removing your items right from where they are located, and they recycle and donate! There's no better way to ring in the new year than with a decluttered space! @1800gotjunk #sponsored
gocleanco
Dec 24
Wax removal incase your drunk uncle knocks over a candle tonight. #merrychristmaseve
gocleanco
Dec 17
Christmas Gift Ideas that don’t cost any money: 1. Clean the kitchen after Christmas dinner and tell the Chef to go sit down. They will refuse but you have to firmly tell them to GET OUT OF THE KITCHEN and you can figure out where the pots and pans go without their help. 2. Offer to watch your friends kids this week if you are one of those lucky people who did all their shopping in July are ready for 🎅🏻 . (No one will say no to this.) 3. Go clean someone who is having a tough times house. They will probably decline because they are overwhelmed or embarrassed. They should not be. Tell them it’s an Act of Service and you love them and want to help. Or just show up and kick them out. That always works. 😈 The best way to spread Christmas Cheer is vacuuming loud for all to hear. 🎅🏻🤶🏻🎄 You folks have any other ideas? I love a good act of service, let me know in the comments!
gocleanco
Dec 14
I always keep @swiffer on hand for a quick tidy up before company comes during the holidays (every person who comes over here white gloves my baseboards now—including my mother) or when I don’t want to drag out the vacuum. They are great for the daily tidy, they can get into nearly every tight spot! What many people don’t know is that @swiffer also picks up and removes 95% of allergens. My fave is the Swiffer Dusters Super Extender Handle Starter Kit which extends up to six feet so you can get those hard to reach up high (or down low) tricky spots! #swifferpartner #sponsored
gocleanco
Dec 10
@cfcanada is offering gift wrapping by donation at the following malls this holiday season. My 6 year old niece has #cysticfibrosis and @cfcalgary is near and dear to my ❤️ so please pop in and let someone else do your wrapping this year. One less thing on your plate. 🎁 Locations: Calgary: South Centre Mall and Northlands Mall Edmonton: Londonderry Mall Winnipeg: Kildonan Place
gocleanco
Dec 9
It’s no secret that we’re huge fans of @clorox_canada around here @gocleanco and we’ve been using it since the beginning. Clorox® Bleach is derived from sodium chloride - common table salt, and during household use this product breaks down to mostly salt and water. My mind was blown to learn that you could use Clorox® Disinfecting Concentrated Bleach to prolong the life of a fresh cut Christmas tree, so naturally I had to try it. You’ll need: 1.9 L hot water, 1/2 Tbsp Clorox® Disinfecting Concentrated Bleach, 1 cup corn syrup, ⅛ cup powdered chelated iron (check your local nursery). Make sure to protect your floor and work area before you start. Cut at least ½ inch off the bottom of your tree, especially if it’s been a few hours since it was cut down. Add ⅛ cup chelated iron and 1 cup of corn syrup to a large container (think juice jug), and then add 1.9 L of hot water. Finally, add 1/2 Tbsp Clorox® Disinfecting Concentrated Bleach and stir to mix. Once your tree is in its stand and you know it isn’t going anywhere, add the solution to the tree stand. Never let your tree dry out and mix up a fresh batch of solution when needed. #yeahbleachdoesthat, #ad
gocleanco
Dec 9
Polished up real ✨ nice ✨
gocleanco
Dec 6
The season has officially landed and we are here to help you through it! Reminder that we have tons of tips on the blog to get your home ready for guests and the holidays. But also: Real friends don’t care if your baseboards are dirty. 🤭
gocleanco
Nov 30
After the Fall Cleaning Challenge my team and I had a lot of stuff to purge! So we called 1-800-GOT-JUNK? and the fellas got to work. Did you know that they are a full service Junk Removal company that actually comes into your basement, garage, attic and you can just stand there and point out what needs to go and they’ll remove it right from where it’s located? ? They price based on volume so you only pay for how much room your items take up in the truck. Plus they then take the items to their warehouse and sort through what can be donated, reused and recycled! You can save money and space before the Holidays with my code: SARAH47 for $47 off your next Junk Removal. Create some space to breathe for yourself before the big guy comes! 🎅🏻 #sponsored @1800gotjunk Cannot be combined with other offers. Offer ends Dec 2, 2022. Offer not valid on standard item pricing or minimum loads.
gocleanco
Nov 23
Is your refrigerator running? 😆 Probably not very well if this is how the vents look! Reminder that your fridge has air vents that can get clogged up with pet hair and dust, when they are clogged, it hinders its efficiency. Before you load it up with food this weekend, pull it out (watch your floors!) and take a peek 👀
gocleanco
Nov 15
#sponsored @bissellclean has hooked the #cleaningarmy up with a bundle deal and you are gonna love it! The bundle includes The CleanView® Swivel Rewind Pet Reach, (one of my fav carpet vacs you see me using all the time), MyAir® Personal Air Purifier (a fav of the #cleaningarmy’s) and their new Pet Stain Eraser™ PowerBrush all bundled together for a cool 20% off. Check out my stories where I put some of my fav BISSELL® products to the test.
gocleanco
Oct 24
Cleaning is such a scary job I don’t even bother asking him to help anymore. #happyhalloween
gocleanco
Oct 21
Not me using Catch Up Week to answer emails and clean my suckers out. 😵💫 Reminder that if you have fallen behind that’s OKAY and you are only human and can only do so many things in a day. What did you use Catch Up Week for? Lemme know ⤵️
gocleanco
Oct 18
The 2023 Cleaning Army Calendar is here! This is a limited print run so get it while it’s 🔥. Who snagged one this morning? #cleaningarmy
gocleanco
Oct 13
Not gonna lie I was nervous about this one. I mean cowhide? Faux or not, it’s still hairy and how was that going to stand up to chocolate?! It was touch and go at first but as per usual @ruggable does NOT disappoint. Even in the aftermath of a candy bar this rug is soft and just as gorgeous as when it came out of the box. 👏 Bravo @ruggable. As always @ruggable has a code for the #cleaningarmy GOCLEAN10. #ruggablepartner