Top 11 Reasons to Use Vinegar in Laundry and its Benefits (2024)

Cleaning

How to use vinegar in laundry, and where to avoid it

• 01 of 11

  Banish Mildew Odor

  

  Adding vinegar during the wash cycle can get rid of any moldy or sour odors on towels.Fill the washer with hot water (use warm water for dark-colored towels). Add 2 cups of distilled whitevinegar and run a completecycle. Run a second complete cycle with detergent.

  This works well for small amounts of mildew and sour smells. For larger mold issues and stains, you'll need to use a more aggressive treatment.

• 02 of 11

  Dissolve Soap Residue

  

  The acetic acid in distilled white vinegar can dissolve residues (alkalies) left in fabrics by soaps and detergents. Add 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar to the fabric softener dispenser, or add the vinegar manually at the beginning of the rinse cycle.
  

• 03 of 11

  Brighten and Whiten Clothes

  

  Vinegar can be used to brighten dingy clothes. To get white cotton dishcloths, underwear, and socks white again, add 1 cup of distilled white vinegar to 1 gallon of water in a large pot. Heat the solution to boiling, turn off the heat, and add the dingy items. Allow them to soak overnight, and then launder as usual.

• 04 of 11

  Naturally Soften Fabrics

  

  Distilled white vinegar acts as a natural fabric softener by removing trapped body soil and detergent residue that leaves laundry feeling scratchy. Use 1/2 cup in the final rinse cycle instead of a commercial fabric softener.

  Continue to 5 of 11 below.

• 05 of 11

  Reduce Lint and Pet Hair

  

  Using vinegar in the rinse cycle will help prevent lint and pet hair from clinging to clothes. Add 1/2 cup of white distilled vinegar to the fabric softener dispenser or directly to the washer at the start of the rinse cycle. Do not combine with a commercial fabric softener.
  

• 06 of 11

  See Also

  How to Tie-dye with Bleach (Reverse Tie-dye)

  Fight Underarm Odor

  

  Vinegar can be sprayed onto clothes to remove perspiration odor and stains on washable white clothes. Fill a spray bottle with undiluted distilled white vinegar, and keep it on hand in the laundry room. Spray the vinegar directly on the underarm areas, and allow it to work for at least 10 minutes beforetossing the garment into the washing machine.

  If the fabric feels stiff before washing, use a soft-bristled brush (an old toothbrush works well) to break up the residue. The vinegar helps to cut through residual deodorant left on clothing and prevent underarm yellowing.

• 07 of 11

  Erase Hem Lines

  

  Vinegar helps hide marks from clothing alterations. To get rid of the tiny holes left along a seam or hemline when a garment is altered, dampen a white cloth with distilled white vinegar, place it under the fabric on an ironing board, and press. Select the correct ironing temperature for the fabric and use a pressing cloth on top of the fabric to prevent shiny marks.

• 08 of 11

  Keep Dark Clothes Dark

  

  Vinegar helps prevent dullness on dark-colored clothes by removing soap and detergent residue. Add 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar to the final rinse cycle.

  Continue to 9 of 11 below.

• 09 of 11

  Get Rid of Strong Odors

  

  Vinegar helps remove strong odors like cigarette smoke, farm odors, and fast-food cooking odors. Fill the washer tub or a large sink with warm water and add 1 to 2 cups of distilled white vinegar depending on the size of the laundry load. Add the stinky clothes and allow them to soak overnight. Drain the washer and then wash the laundry as usual with a heavy-duty enzyme-based detergent.

  To help remove odors from dry-clean-only clothes and furnishings like pillows and drapes, fill the bathtub with very hot water and add 2 cups of vinegar. Hang the clothes or fabric above the steaming water, and shut the door so the steam can penetrate the fibers.

• 10 of 11

  Clean Your Washing Machine

  

  Remove soap scum and mineral deposits that build up in your washing machine hoses by using vinegar. Four times per year, remove soap scum and clean the hoses by running a complete wash cycle with the washer empty usinghot water and 2 cups of distilled white vinegar.

  If you have automatic detergent or fabric softener dispensers, placethe distilled white vinegar in the dispensers to dissolve any residue buildup that may limit performance.

  Warning

  Some washer manufacturers warn that using vinegar too often can damage rubber gaskets and seals. Check your user manual.

• 11 of 11

  Clean a Sputtering Iron

  

  Use vinegar to dissolve mineral deposits that can clog an iron's steam vents and spray nozzles. Fill the water chamber with a solution of equal parts distilled white vinegar and distilled water. Set the iron in an upright position on a heatproof surface, and let it steam for about five minutes.

  When the iron is cool, rinse the tank with distilled water. Refill the iron and shake water through the vents onto an old cloth. Finally, iron an old cloth for several minutes to expel any residue before moving on to ironing wearable garments.