Why You Should Be Putting Baking Soda in Your Washing Machine

 You probably already have a box of baking soda sitting in your kitchen for baking, deodorizing your fridge, or scrubbing your sink. But that humble, inexpensive white powder is also one of the best—and most underrated—laundry room hacks you'll ever try.

Here’s why you should start adding it to your wash cycle, and exactly how to do it.

What Does Baking Soda Actually Do in the Wash?

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a mild alkali. This simple chemical property allows it to do several remarkable things during a laundry cycle:

1. It Neutralizes Odors at the Source

That musty, sweaty, or mildewy smell clinging to your clothes is often acidic. Baking soda's alkaline nature reacts with these acidic odor molecules, neutralizing them chemically rather than just covering them up with perfume. Clothes come out smelling like nothing—which is the truest definition of "clean."

2. It Softens Hard Water

Hard water minerals (like calcium and magnesium) fight with your detergent, preventing it from lathering properly and leaving residue on your fabrics. Baking soda binds to these minerals, effectively softening the water so your laundry detergent can work up to its full potential. This means you can actually use less detergent for the same (or better) results.

3. It Gently Scours Away Residue

Baking soda is a mild abrasive. In the washing machine, it helps physically scrub away soap scum, mineral deposits, and grime that build up on the inner drum—all without scratching the metal or plastic components.

4. It Boosts Your Bleach

If you use chlorine bleach to keep your whites bright, adding baking soda raises the pH of the wash water, which actually enhances the whitening power of the bleach.

How to Use It (Two Different Ways)

Baking soda serves two distinct purposes in your laundry room. The method depends on whether you're cleaning the machine itself or washing your clothes.

Method 1: Cleaning the Washing Machine Itself (Do this monthly)

Over time, soap scum, hard water deposits, and mold can hide in the inner drum, causing that all-too-familiar musty smell. Running an empty hot cycle with baking soda is one of the best ways to fight this.

• How much: For a top-loader, use about 1 cup (approx. 200g) . For a front-loader, use ½ cup (approx. 100g) .

• How to do it: Pour the baking soda directly into the empty drum (not the detergent drawer). Select the hottest water setting and the highest water level, and run a full cycle.

• Pro tip: For an extra-deep clean, after the baking soda cycle finishes, pour 2 cups of white vinegar into the detergent dispenser and run another hot, empty cycle. Important: Do not mix baking soda and vinegar in the same cycle—they neutralize each other. Use them back-to-back for the best results.

Method 2: Adding It to Your Regular Laundry (Do this every load)

For everyday washing, simply add ½ cup of baking soda directly into the drum with your clothes at the start of the cycle.

• It will neutralize body oils and sweat acids that regular detergent leaves behind.

• It acts as a natural fabric softener, leaving towels and linens fluffy without the chemical residue of commercial softeners.

• It works wonderfully for everyday clothing and lightly soiled items.

A crucial note: Baking soda is not a replacement for laundry detergent. It lacks the surfactants needed to break down heavy grease, oil, or stubborn grass stains. Think of it as a powerful booster—use it alongside your regular liquid or powder detergent, not instead of it.

A Few Important Precautions

While baking soda is incredibly safe and eco-friendly, keep these points in mind:

• Avoid delicate fabrics: Silk, wool, and other protein-based fibers can be damaged by alkaline substances. Skip the baking soda for your delicates.

• Moderation is key: A little goes a long way. Using too much can leave a chalky residue on dark clothes and potentially stress your machine's pump over time.

• Don't skip the basics: Baking soda is great for maintenance, but if your machine has heavy, established mold or thick limescale, you may still need a commercial washing machine cleaner or a professional descaling service.

• Always ventilate: No matter what you use, the single best thing you can do for your washer is to leave the door open after a cycle to let the drum dry out. This prevents mildew far better than any additive.

The Bottom Line

Keeping a box of baking soda next to your laundry detergent is one of the cheapest, greenest, and most effective habits you can adopt. It does three jobs at once: it cleans your machine, it freshens your clothes, and it makes your detergent work harder.

Next time you toss in a load, sprinkle half a cup into the drum. Your washing machine will stay cleaner, your towels will feel fluffier, and your gym clothes won't smell like a locker room anymore. And all for about fifty cents a load.