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If you’re not a fan of doing laundry, you’re definitely not alone. Washing can be exhausting, boring and sometimes it’s difficult to get rid of some stubborn stains. On top of all that, it’s hard to find a laundry detergent that cleans effectively, smells great and doesn’t cost a fortune.
However, there is a simple solution that will save you time, nerves and energy — white vinegar. This substance, which you may already have at home, can not only protect your laundry but also boost the effectiveness of washing. And best of all? It’s environmentally friendly and inexpensive. Let’s look at 10 ways white vinegar will make laundering easier.
1. Color protection
Before washing, pour half a cup of white vinegar into the washing machine drum. The vinegar will help protect the colors of your clothes and at the same time increase the effectiveness of your laundry detergent.
2. Substitute for fabric softener
You can safely use white vinegar instead of fabric softener. Just pour it into the compartment meant for fabric softener. Your laundry will be just as soft, even softer, and you won’t be burdening the environment with chemicals.
3. Stain removal
Vinegar is a great aid in removing stains and sweat from white laundry. By adding white vinegar to the wash you’ll get a cleaner, brighter white.
4. Preventing residue buildup
One deciliter of vinegar added to the wash helps prevent the formation of detergent residue on your clothes. No more white marks on freshly washed laundry.
5. Neutralizing odors
Do you have clothes that smell, for example, of cigarette smoke? Vinegar neutralizes unpleasant odors and leaves your laundry fresh and clean.
6. Pre-soak for extra dirty laundry
If you have really soiled laundry, prepare a pre-soak. Mix half a cup of vinegar in warm water and let the laundry soak overnight. The next day wash it as usual.
7. Removing pet hair
If you have pets at home, you know how difficult it is to get their hair off clothing. Vinegar will handle this problem and leave your laundry free of pet hair.
8. Preventing static electricity
Thanks to its acid content, vinegar helps eliminate static electricity that can cling to clothing, which is especially useful when washing synthetic materials.
9. Care for delicate laundry
Add 6 tablespoons of vinegar to hand washing and let it sit for half an hour. Then proceed as usual. You can use this trick on swimsuits or underwear as well.
10. Cleaning and descaling the washing machine
Vinegar is a great cleaner for your automatic washing machine too. Pour it into an empty washer and run a high-temperature cycle. This removes limescale and detergent residues without using chemicals.