How to Boost the Cleaning Power of Laundry Detergent

Baking Soda Laundry Detergent Booster

• 1

  Place your laundry in the washing machine and fill the machine with water that's temperature appropriate for the fabric being laundered.

• 2

  Add 1/2 cup of baking soda along with your usual amount of powdered or liquid detergent to the washing machine and allow the machine to start a wash cycle. The minerals in the baking soda increases the laundry detergent’s cleaning power by softening the water, according to Consumer Reports.

• 3

  Add another 1/2 cup of baking soda to the washer at the start of the "rinse cycle" to boost the detergent's odor removing power.

White Vinegar Laundry Detergent Booster

• 4

  Fill the washing machine with water and add your regular powdered or liquid laundry detergent. The temperature of the water depends on the type of fabric being washed, so read the fabric's labels.

• 5

  Insert the laundry into the washing machine and wash the fabric on a washing cycle appropriate for the material being washed according to the instructions on the fabric's label.

• 6

  Add 1/4 cup of white vinegar to the washer once the last rinse cycle starts. According to Mother Earth News, the vinegar boosts the cleaning power of the detergent by preventing the growth of mold and mildew, removing yellowed stains, and making your clothes softer.

Lemon Juice and Club Soda Laundry Detergent Booster

• 7

  Place your laundry in the washing machine and fill the washer with water. Read the labels on the fabric being washed to determine the water temperature setting.

• 8

  Add your regular amount of laundry detergent to the washing machine and start the washing machine on a cycle that is appropriate for the type of fabric being washed.

• 9

  Add 1/2 cup of lemon juice and 1 cup of club soda when the rinse cycle begins. This will boost the whitening power of your detergent naturally.

Commercial Laundry Detergent Booster

• 10

  Read the labels of the garments being laundered to ensure you use the correct water temperature and washing cycle, to determine if the garment can be treated with a commercial laundry detergent booster and, if so, the type of commercial detergent booster that can be used.

• 11

  Load your laundry into a washing machine filled the water and your regular amount of liquid or powdered detergent.

• 12

  Add a commercial laundry booster, such as regular bleach, color-safe bleach or an oxygen-based laundry booster to your laundry load by following the directions on the label. Then start the washing machine on the appropriate wash cycle. Commercial laundry boosters have additional cleaning powers on their own in addition to enhancing the power of the laundry detergent.