Okay, y’all. I have the very best laundry tip to share that you are not going to believe the difference it makes in your laundry.
I’ve been using this method for my laundry for a little over a year and can not believe the difference it has made.
I never, ever, ever want to go back.
Like ever.
Are you ready for the tip?
Vinegar.
Plain ol distilled white vinegar is a huge life saver, or should I say, laundry saver.
When we built our house, we bought a new washer and dryer set for our laundry room. I was beyond thrilled with this “new and improved” design and just knew that it was the best thing since sliced bread in the laundry department.
Well, after a little while I started noticing a musty smell in our laundry.
The towels seemed to be the worst.
It was horrible!
If you’ve ever had that same problem, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
I tried everything from using less detergent, cleaning out the seals of my washing machine at least once a month, buying washing machine cleaner, to calling a repairman. Then, in a conversation one day while talking to my Mama about my Grandmother hanging clothes on a drying line and ironing my Granddaddy’s overalls until they could stand up by themselves, Mama mentioned that my Grandmother was a firm believer in using white vinegar in her laundry.
Why in the world had I forgotten that little fact.
When I began using it in my laundry, I noticed no more mildew smell from my front-load washing machine, my towels seemed fluffier, and whites whiter. As a bonus during the fall and winter when we’ve been outside around our firepit, there was no more residual smell of smoke on our clothes afterward.
Using Vinegar in Laundry
I simply add 1/4 cup of distilled white vinegar into each load of laundry.
For sheets, towels, and stained linens, I pour distilled white vinegar into the fabric softener dispenser of my washing machine.
As with any change in your laundry routine, I suggest you read your machine’s manual to make sure there are no issues with using vinegar in your washing machine.
You said you add the detergent and vinegar into the dispenser. I have a top loader. I assume I jut pour the vinegar into the wash water along with the detergent? Or should I add the vinegar to the fabric softener dispenser that’s in the agitator? (I’ve never used liquid fabric softener so wasn’t sure). Can’t wait to try this!
I keep forgetting about this. Thanks for the reminder. Pinned it!
Vinegar is also a natural disinfectant. I use it in every load to kill germs and bacteria that get on clothing. I put it in my dishwasher.
When to add the vinegar? Still need soap powder?
I was so excited to get my new washer until all my clothes started to smell awfullll….after reading hundreds of complaints and remedies I realized the problem had to do with the fabric softener dispenser…I stopped putting softener into the dispenser and started using a fabric softener ball…I no longer have horrible smelling laundry but have wondered what I would do if my refillable ball ever broke because I have not ever seen another one…I am anxious to try the vinegar and looking forward to good results…thanks
I hope it helps you, Pat!
Pat I saw the Downy balls at Walmart just the other day.
Since you said vinegar makes the whites whiter, I was wondering… It doesn’t bleach the colors?
I’ve not had any issues with it bleaching the colors, Sophia.
Alright thanks
To start I hate the smell of vinegar. I am hesitant to use it in the fabric softener tray… I will give A little bit of filler info- we have a 1 yr old samsung he front loading washer and dryer (their top of the line options with steam, etc.) – we also do the self clean option reguarly. The washer smells fine but Blankets, shirts, and especially towels smell either like mildew or wet dog. I want to use the vinegar but there are 4 places to put the vinegar:
1. Prewash.
2. Wash Detergent
3. Bleach or
4 fabric softener.
Each compartment has max fill lines so I am not sure 1/2 cup will fit in all of them. My questions are: which compartment do i fill, how much do i put in so that I don’t stink like vinegar, and do i use anything else in the wash (i.e.- vinegar in the fabric softener but still use detergent; or vinegar in the detergent and also add detergent and put fabric softener in the fab softener compartment—- you get the point) Please help! Thanks
My husband has greasy stinky work clothes that regular detergent just wont cut, someone told me to try vinegar in the rinse cycle but would it benefit me more to add it to the bleach dispenser instead?
We have been using vinegar in the laundry for over a year now. I love the way our clothing feels and I no longer need dryer sheets. We just use dryer balls. The whites look amazing and the vinegar will help get out the smell of anything.
My saintly husband does the lion’s share of the laundry in our house, so I’m going to post this on his Facebook wall right this minute. 🙂 Thanks Robyn!