Emma Miller
In the age of the washing machine, laundry has long ceased to be something complicated and routine. If our mothers and grandmothers once boiled the laundry in huge pots to achieve at least some whiteness, nowadays everything is much easier and more prosaic. And if you consider the huge selection of all kinds of laundry products, it seems that we already know everything about how to do laundry correctly.
Why add vinegar to laundry
The main function of vinegar when washing is to dissolve grease and remove stains. For spot pollution, it is enough to moisten a cotton swab with a solution of vinegar and water in a ratio of 1:1 and leave it for 15 minutes, after which the thing can be washed in the machine in the usual mode.
If we talk about how vinegar affects clothing, in this case, acetic acid reacts with alkali. Simply put, vinegar destroys the soapy layer that has accumulated on your clothes over several washes. This layer is completely invisible to the eye, but it contributes to the fact that things start to get dirty much faster. If you notice that your outfit even after washing is not the same as usual, but a little slippery, as if there was an invisible film on it – it’s time to use vinegar.
There is also an opinion that washing with vinegar in the washing machine helps to remove limescale.
Washing with vinegar – how to determine the correct proportions
Regardless of whether you have to wash with vinegar in the washing machine or in the basin – try not to use pure vinegar. First, it can discolor the fabric, and second, vinegar itself has a fairly strong smell, which will then be difficult to remove.
Experienced housewives advise soaking to use 50-70 ml of vinegar per 5 liters of cold water. The dosage when washing in the machine – no more than 100 ml. per process. However, in this case, it is desirable to include a double rinse mode.
How to remove the smell with the help of vinegar
Washing with vinegar from the smell – this is not a new invention, our mothers and grandmothers came to this when there was no such abundance of laundry detergents in stores, and no one ever heard of conditioners.
To remove the bad smell from the fabric, it is sufficient to add 100 ml of vinegar to the washing machine along with the detergent.
Washing with vinegar is perfectly safe for almost all types of fabrics. However, keep in mind that vinegar is acidic, and its excessive use can ruin both the washing machine and your closet.
Can I Wash Kitchen Towels with Vinegar?
Yes, you can, but hostesses disagree on how to add vinegar when washing towels. Some argue that the most reliable way is to soak kitchen towels in a solution of vinegar diluted with water at a ratio of 1:1. Others insist that no water should be added, but rather soak the towel in pure vinegar for 30 minutes, after which it will be sufficient to wash it by hand or machine.
Another option for washing towels is to soak them in vinegar with the addition of baking soda. This method is especially appreciated by those who are trying to wash white things or want to return them to their pristine whiteness.
Can vinegar be used when washing black things?
Theoretically, it is possible, but you should do it very carefully, otherwise, you risk ruining the color of the fabric. Do not forget that vinegar is an acid. Its excessive use will make the colors on the fabric less bright, so if you do not know how to wash black things with vinegar – do not overdo it. Never soak a black thing in pure vinegar and do not pour vinegar on the stain.
In this case, the vinegar can work as a bleach, and you’ll just ruin the thing. Add 2-3 tablespoons of vinegar to a bowl of cold water and soak the black thing for an hour, then wash it either by hand or in a machine.
Vinegar for disinfecting – how to do it right
There is no consensus on whether vinegar really disinfects things, and in some cases, medics advise using a hot iron rather than vinegar for disinfection. For example, if we are talking about baby diapers, pediatricians advise washing them with baby detergents, and after drying, be sure to iron them. In this case, we are not talking about any vinegar.
But if we are not talking about diapers or onesies, but about less delicate things, and you do not know how to disinfect things with vinegar, simply soak them in a solution of vinegar and cold water, and then rinse thoroughly.
