Adding one ingredient to washing machines can stop laundry turning crispy and hard after washing, according to cleaning experts. While baking soda is a common remedy, white vinegar is argued to work better.
Why Clothes Get Stiff
The stiffness is often due to excess laundry detergent, especially in hard water areas, leaving residue on clothes that stiffens fabric. Air drying also contributes as lack of heat from a tumble dryer means fabric fibres aren't loosened, causing laundry to dry in a rigid state.
Baking Soda's Drawbacks
Baking soda neutralises pH and removes residue, but it has downsides. Laundry detergent brand Tide warns that baking soda's high pH can damage natural, protein-based fibres like wool, cashmere, and silk, and can fade colours over time. Adding baking soda with detergent can reduce its ability to clean pH-sensitive stains like coffee, tea, and wine. Using baking soda in the rinse cycle can make fabrics rough and stiff, and under hard water conditions it may cause fibre breakage on nylon and elastane.
White Vinegar as an Alternative
White vinegar is naturally acidic and dissolves excess soap residue, making clothes softer. It is a cheaper alternative to commercial fabric softeners. Cleaning products brand Vileda states: “White vinegar is a household staple and its magic extends to your laundry room. This natural, affordable ingredient can be a simple yet powerful tool for softening clothes, removing stains and odours, and brightening colours. It's a fantastic alternative to harsher chemical solutions.”
Vileda recommends pouring 1/2 cup of white vinegar into the fabric softener compartment to leave clothes soft and reduce static. For stubborn odours in towels or gym clothes, add a cup of white vinegar with detergent during the wash cycle.
