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Why add salt to your laundry: 3 advantages of this method

Ihor Romanko

How to wash clothes with salt
How to wash clothes with salt

In the days of our grandmothers, when the variety of detergents was limited, housewives used salt as an effective method for washing clothes. It was added to the detergent used to wash the clothes. But whether this "life hack" can be used now and how salt affects the operation of the washing machine, read in our article.

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Salt has several advantages when used for laundry. Let's take a look at the main ones to decide whether you should use this method:

  1. Color brightness. You can use salt when washing colored clothes if it is important to you that they do not fade. It will also help to preserve the brightness of white clothes, preventing them from turning gray. This can be especially useful if you don't have any special detergents but do have regular table salt. The optimal amount of salt to add to the washing machine is 1 tablespoon per wash cycle;
  2. Stain removal. Salt can also be an effective tool for removing stains, even the most difficult ones, such as blood or wine. To do this, pour 1-2 tablespoons of salt on the stain, cover the clothes with 1-2 liters of cold water, and leave for 30-40 minutes before washing in the machine. It is important to note that salt does not harm the clothes or the washing machine;
  3. Fabric softness. Salt can also help keep fabrics soft, similar to the effects of fabric softener, but at a much lower cost. To do this, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of salt to the washing machine during the rinse cycle, along with the detergent. The salt will help reduce water hardness and prevent limescale deposits from settling on the fabric, which will provide a softer and more pleasant touch to laundry.

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However, it is worth noting that using laundry salt has its limitations. It may be less effective in dissolving greasy stains, such as oil or greasy food stains. In such cases, it is better to use special grease stain removers.

Also, before using laundry detergent, it is recommended to check with the manufacturer of your washing machine, as some manufacturers may not recommend the use of salt in their washing machines to avoid damage to the device.

So, using salt as a laundry life hack can be an effective way to ensure color vibrancy, stain removal, and softness of fabric, especially in conditions where you don't have access to special detergents. However, it is worth paying attention to the recommendations of the washing machine manufacturer and using salt wisely, following the recommended dosages and caution.

Previously, we wrote about the mode of the washing machine, which is better not to use, so that things do not remain dirty after washing, as well as what to do after washing, so that mold and a bad smell do not appear in the washing machine.

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