What Is a ‘Spa Day’ for Your Laundry?
Popularized on Reddit and video-centric social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, the laundry “spa day” is a two-step deep cleaning routine in which clothing, sheets, towels, pillows, comforters, duvets, or removable furniture coverings are soaked in a solution of detergent and other laundry products. They are then laundered in the machine, using what’s called a “rehab wash,” to rinse out dirt, dinginess, and product buildup.
Laundry spa days are used to target common laundry problems like stale or unpleasant odors, stains (including old or deeply set-in ones), and dinginess and yellowing that can result from age, wear, and improper laundry techniques, such as using too much detergent or fabric softener.
Various Types of Laundry Spa Days
Just like self-care routines, laundry spa days vary. You could find a routine you love and stick to, or you might experiment with different variations of laundry spa days. These are a few to try the next time you give your favorite items some extra attention.
Remove Product Buildup
One of the best reasons for a laundry spa day is to remove product buildup on everything from clothes to sheets and towels. Product buildup results from using too much detergent and/or laundry boosters such as fabric softeners or scent beads. Over time, residue that isn’t fully rinsed from fabrics can leave a stiff feeling and a dingy appearance, as well as trap bacteria that cause unpleasant odors, even in freshly washed items.
To strip laundry product buildup out of fabric, dilute one cup of white vinegar in enough water to fully submerge the garments. The vinegar will help to break down buildup and eliminate odors and is especially effective at targeting residue from fabric softeners. After soaking items for an hour or longer, launder them as usual using only half the usual dose of detergent. Since the goal is to remove excess detergent, fabric softener, and residue from your laundry, this is the time when less is truly more.
Stain Removal
Laundry spa days are also highly effective at targeting stains, especially older and/or deeply set-in stains. It is also an excellent way to eliminate dinginess and yellowing, which happen with age, wear, and improper laundering techniques.
The best combination of products for stain removal is laundry detergent and a color-safe oxygen bleach, such as OxiClean. To activate oxygen bleach, dilute it in hot water, following the dosing instructions on the package. Then add 1 to 2 tablespoons of liquid or powder laundry detergent, taking care not to use too much, which can leave residue.
Allow the items to soak in that solution for one hour up to overnight before laundering as usual. Oxygen bleach is a slow-acting product, so the longer the items soak in the solution, the more effective the product will be for stain removal.
Odor Remediation
Odor often results from product buildup that traps bacteria, leaving clean clothes smelling less than fresh. This is a particular problem with workout gear, especially performance fabrics with stretch in them that are washed with fabric softeners. If your just-washed yoga pants still smell like last week’s practice, product buildup is most likely to blame.
Soaking clothing and other items that have taken on the dreaded “permastink” in a solution of white vinegar and water, or in a commercial odor eliminator, can help break apart buildup that has trapped odor-causing bacteria.
Mistakes to Avoid
Laundry spa days are a good choice in certain circumstances, but this type of deep cleaning shouldn’t be performed regularly—and there are some things to avoid to prevent premature wear and tear and permanent damage.
Overdosing Product
It’s tempting to pour a whole bunch of detergent, powders, and beads into a tub of water—after all, it can feel like using more products will get things cleaner, and there’s also just the fun (yes, fun!) of mixing a bunch of stuff together to make a laundry brew. But for best results, try to avoid overdosing, which is not only wasteful but also counterproductive. Soaking garments in an excessive amount of detergent will cause extensive buildup that will be difficult to rinse out, leaving significant residue behind in clothes, sheets, towels, and bulky items like pillows and comforters.
Dye Leaching
Laundry spa days are best reserved for white or light-colored items, as prolonged soaking and overexposure to detergents and stain removers can cause brightly colored and dark textiles to bleed dye. If the soaking water shows signs of dye runoff, it indicates that the items you’re treating for a spa day are not fully color-fast and should not be soaked for too long to prevent fading.
Oversoaking
Not all fabrics should be exposed to water, detergent, and laundry boosters for long periods, as this can weaken fibers over time, leading to premature wear and tear. Fabrics that have low wet strength, which is the term for fibers that become weak with too much exposure to water, include viscose, rayon, cotton, and wool. Stretch fabrics, including workout gear and swimsuits, should also not be soaked for too long. When treating these specific types of items to a spa day, cap the soak at an hour.
Improper Product Mixing
Finally, it’s important to bear safety in mind. Consult the package directions before mixing any cleaning agent, including laundry products. Chlorine bleach, in particular, should never be mixed with ammonia, nor with acids like white vinegar or lemon juice. Additionally, be aware that using harsh chemicals, including ammonia, chlorine bleach, or hydrogen peroxide, in a spa day routine is generally not advised by experts. Not only can overly harsh products cause permanent damage to fabrics, but exposure to fumes and dangerous chemical reactions can also sicken and/or kill humans and animals.
