What Is Laundry Stripping—and Is It a Safe Way to Wash Clothes? This method supposedly deep cleans your garments and linens—and leaves some shocking residue in its wake. Laundry stripping has become a popular deep-cleaning trend—and for good reason. It promises to remove stubborn buildup from towels, sheets, and workout clothes, leaving them looking and feeling refreshed. The process involves soaking clean laundry in hot water with a mix of detergent, washing soda, and borax to pull out residue from detergent, body oil, and minerals. While it's not something you'll want to do every week, it can be a helpful occasional reset for heavily used fabrics. We asked cleaning experts how laundry stripping works and when to try it. Ryan Lupberger, CEO of Cleancult Marilee Nelson, cleaning expert, environmental consultant, and co-founder of Branch Basics Jennifer Ahoni, Tide scientist with Procter & Gamble 18 of Our Best Laundry Tips to Keep Your Clothes and Linens Looking Good as New Credit: Ktmophoto / Getty Images How Laundry Stripping Works Laundry stripping involves soaking your laundry to remove dirt, grime, and detergent or softener residue, explains Ryan Lupberger, the CEO of Cleancult. There are a few different ways to approach the method. The first, which is the more natural route, involves