About Vinegar
Natural products are becoming increasingly popular as more people have adverse reactions to laundry detergents and other store-bought chemical-based laundry products. We see more and more concoctions of homemade laundry detergents coming into our laundromats and think it’s a good idea to talk about them so that others can uncover the benefits of this approach. Natural products are typically less expensive and far less likely to cause adverse reactions, such as skin rashes.
One such natural product is vinegar. Vinegar is inexpensive, generally hypoallergenic except to those specifically allergic to vinegar, and it is environmentally friendly. It is an acid with a relatively high pH level. As such, it is effective for many laundry uses, but it is important to remember that any acid can damage clothing. This is why you typically want to use vinegar when diluted when doing your wash. The only time you might want to try a direct application is if you are removing a stain, and even then, you should spot test it to ensure it does not damage the clothing.
Here are several uses for vinegar when doing your wash.
It typically makes clothes softer. Some people report that it is less agitating for those with sensitive skin who may be irritated by harsh fabric softeners. Approximately 1 cup of vinegar added to the rinse cycle of your laundry will help you to have softer clothes.
It can be effective at removing stains. Vinegar can be effective at removing stains from clothes. It can help to break down tough stains like grass, wine, and coffee. Simply apply vinegar directly to the stain (remember to spot-test it first), let it sit for a few minutes, then wash the item as you usually would.
It helps to fights odors. Vinegar is a natural deodorizer and can help to eliminate unpleasant odors from clothes. This is especially helpful for workout clothes, towels, and other items that tend to get smelly. Add approximately 1 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle to help neutralize odors.
It is reported to brightens whites. Vinegar can also be effective at brightening white clothesby adding approximately 1 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle of your white laundry to help keep them looking fresh and bright.
It can help to loosen pet hair. Add approximately 1 cup of vinegar to the wash cycle to help loosen pet hair and make it easier to remove during the wash.
As with any recommendation, you should test these approaches. You can do that by testing it in smaller loads of laundry first to see if it gives you the desired results. There is a lot of upside to considering vinegar because it is relatively inexpensive and a natural product. For those that use it, it can be a great addition to your laundry routine. Give it a try and see the benefits for yourself!
