Are your pillows in terrible condition? Try to recover them with a deep cleansing method shown on TikTok
It's called by many as "laundry stripping" and there are those who simply call it "soaking": whatever you call it, it is a deep cleaning technique that is popular on TikTok and can be the method to try when nothing else gives you the desired results. And it's also what helps when you don't have a washing machine that is large enough to hold bulky items. So, what exactly is this "laundry stripping" technique that has become so widely publicized and so popular on social media networks?
Essentially, it is nothing more than an intensive pre-wash, where the garments are left to soak for several hours in plenty of warm water into which some commonly used products have been added. It works with clothes, blankets, rugs and even pillows, as a TikTok clip showed. In the clip, pillows in nightmarish condition are saved using this method.
In the video from TikTokker @pwincesslexx's account, we see the result of the laundry stripping method on a pair of cushions that are 5 years old (and are in a pitiful condition): before the treatment, they have a dirty color that could make your eyes water.
The woman then proceeds to fill a tub with water to, more or less, the halfway mark (generally hot water is used), and then she pours into this the following:
- Laundry detergent (liquid detergent, in this case, but the powdered type is fine too).
- Perfumed beads specially made for laundry (Downy Scent Booster Beads, are a popular choice).
- Powdered active oxygen stain remover (like Vanish powder, for example).
Typically, in this type of video, people also use (in combination with each other) washing machine detergent capsules, baking soda and borax. The latter (borax) and the active oxygen stain remover are always used.
When it comes to quantities used, these vary a little from person to person demonstrating this method, but it should be noted that all are are generally very generous in the amounts used of the various products. It is not clear, however, that appreciable results would not be obtained by using lesser amounts - you will just need to experiment a bit.
How do you proceed? The steps are really very simple:
- All the ingredients are dissolved into the water in the tub.
- The woman then puts the cushions in the water to soak, taking care to turn them over so they are soaked properly.
- Then one just needs to wait for as as possible (or as long as necessary). In the case of this video, the woman soaked the pillows for 24 hours.
- Then, she squeezes each pillow out a little and puts them in the washing machine for a normal wash cycle.
Obviously, this is a procedure only suitable for cushions that can be washed in a washing machine, i.e. some traditional ones and more modern types. It is not recommended to do this with latex or memory foam pillows, and in any case, make sure you can wash them by reading the manufacturers' instructions.
Take note: each type of pillow has definitive expiration date, depending on the type and use made of it. Therefore, if they are now very worn, as well as very dirty, it may be preferable to replace the pillows rather than wasting time and resources washing them.
