Usually, reaching for the medicine cabinet means someone has a headache, or needs a plaster. But did you know aspirin is a powerful stain-buster on laundry and can efficiently tackle mold on your clothes?
Here, our professional cleaners explain why it works and how to use it to do laundry and keep mold at bay.
Why is aspirin effective at removing stains and killing mold?
As Deyan Dimitrov, cleaning and laundry expert and CEO of Laundryheap explains, 'When it comes to stubborn stains and pesky mould in laundry, you don’t need to spend a fortune on expensive removers. In fact, the solution might already be in your medicine cabinet – aspirin.'
This unassuming tablet is the cure for a wide number of laundry and household woes, from getting a stain out of a white shirt to removing mold stains from fabrics.
Deyan explains, 'Aspirin contains acetylsalicylic acid, which helps break down stains, brighten whites, and even tackle mould spores lurking in fabric,' he says. 'It’s a game-changer for anyone dealing with yellowed shirts, sweat stains,' or getting mildew smells out of clothes and towels.
The best part? Aspirin, such as the Equate Safety Coated Aspirin Pain and Fever Relief Tablets available at Walmart, is very budget-friendly, making it a cheap alternative to costly stain removers, helping you to save money at home.
Additionally, says Deyan, 'It's also eco-friendly, free from harsh chemicals or artificial whiteners, and gentle on fabrics, unlike bleach, which can weaken fibers,' making using it an excellent non-toxic home essential to make a home less toxic.
How to use aspirin on stains
Next time you set up a stain station, there are plenty of good reasons to include aspirin in your arsenal. To use it, Deyan advises, crush five to six uncoated aspirin tablets and dissolve them in a bowl of warm water. 'Soak stained clothing in the solution for a few hours,' he advises, 'or overnight for tougher marks.'
Then, as anyone familiar with the golden rules of stain removal will know, all that's left to do is wash your garments as usual in your machine. Voila – stains will be gone with no damage or discoloration.
For another all-natural solution, Chiana Dickson, Solved content editor here at Homes & Gardens, recently tested a glycerin stain removal method and was 'blown away' by the results.
All prices correct at time of publication.
Using a mortar and pestle like this gorgeous, non-toxic option is by far the easiest way to crush aspirin for laundry purposes.
This unscented liquid glycerin oil not only softens and moisturizes skin, you can also use it to tackle years-old stains.
When removing tough stains, a heavy-duty scrub brush like this is ideal for lifting them out with minimal effort.
How to use aspirin to remove mold
Did you know aspirin can help plants fight off fungal infections? 'Many gardeners add aspirin to water when growing tomatoes to prevent disease because its antifungal properties stop mould from spreading,' says Deyan. 'This same principle applies to fabric.'
In fact, he advises, aspirin is great for removing mold and mildew from clothes and curtains, and even for removing mold from the rubber seal on a washing machine.
'Just crush five aspirin tablets and mix them with water to create a paste,' he advises. 'You can also add white vinegar or lemon juice for an extra boost. Apply the paste to affected areas, leave for 30 minutes, then wash as usual. You can also add dissolved aspirin to your detergent drawer to deep-clean your washing machine.'
This also works well when cleaning a washing machine that smells.
Sometimes, you might be needing something a little stronger. These washing machine cleaning tablets cleans deep inside the pump, valve, tub, drum, agitator, filter and hose, and are septic-tank safe and U.S. EPA Safer Choice-certified.
While you're rooting around in there, why not spend some time organizing your medicine cabinet to keep your supplies accessible.
