How to make linen and clothes white again in the wash: Carolina McCauley

An Australian cleaning lady shared her ultimate laundry hack to keep white people white in the laundry.

Perth’s Carolina McCauley showed how to make her homemade “laundry whitening blocks,” which she said keeps her white clothes and linens looking new.

The organized mom uses a mixture of baking soda, borax, oxy-bleach and water to make the blocks, which she pops in the machine with her whites instead of detergent and stain remover.

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Cleaning queen Carolina McCauley (pictured) has shared how she keeps her whites white throughout a wash using her homemade laundry blocks

Cleaning queen Carolina McCauley (pictured) has shared how she keeps her whites white throughout a wash using her homemade laundry blocks

The mom-of-two uses a mixture of baking soda, borax, oxy-bleach and water to make the blocks, which she then pops in the machine with her whites instead of detergent and stain remover

The mom-of-two uses a mixture of baking soda, borax, oxy-bleach and water to make the blocks, which she then pops in the machine with her whites instead of detergent and stain remover

In a bowl, Carolina adds one cup of baking soda with one cup of borax, a type of salt used to clean and remove stains, and half a cup of oxy, or oxygenated, bleach, a powerful whitening agent used in many laundry detergents.

Then she slowly adds water to the powder and mixes until it has a wet, sandy consistency.

Carolina packs the wash solution into a silicone mold or ice cube tray and lets it dry.

In a bowl, Carolina adds one cup of baking soda with one cup of borax, a type of salt used to clean and remove stains, and half a cup of oxy, or oxygenated, bleach, a powerful whitening agent used in many laundry detergents

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In a bowl, Carolina mixes 1 cup baking soda, 1 cup borax, and 1/2 cup oxy-bleach, then slowly adds water until the solution has a wet, sandy consistency

Carolina packs the wash solution into a silicone mold or ice cube tray and lets it dry

Carolina packs the wash solution into a silicone mold or ice cube tray and lets it dry

She makes sure to store the blocks in a dry place and puts them in the machine’s drum each time she washes a load of whites.

“This wonder block will replace your laundry detergent and stain remover,” she wrote in the clip, which was posted to her popular social media pages.

Hundreds of Carolina’s 2.6 million followers were amazed by the easy recipe, which one said they can’t wait to try.

She makes sure to store the blocks in a dry place and puts them in the machine's drum each time she washes a load of whites

Hundreds of Carolina's 2.6 million followers were amazed by the simple recipe, which one said they can't wait to try.

She makes sure to store the blocks in a dry place and puts them in the machine’s drum each time she washes a load of whites

Is Borax Safe to Use at Home?

What is borax?

Borax (also known as boron, sodium borate or sodium tetraborate) is a mineral found in nature.

The compound has multiple uses, although it’s most commonly found in multipurpose cleaning products, cosmetics, and homemade slime. Borax has powerful antifungal properties.

Is Borax Safe?

Despite being a naturally occurring substance, borax is not 100 percent safe. Accidental exposure to it can cause skin irritation, respiratory problems, and eye problems.

It is particularly harmful/toxic if swallowed or inhaled. If you have children or pets at home, make sure you keep borax in a place where they can’t reach it. Also, be sure to wear rubber gloves when handling borax, especially if you have open wounds or broken skin.

Borax is banned in the UK because it is a “potentially harmful” substance, but it is legal to sell in Australia. However, it is only legal to sell borax in the form of household cleaners or pesticides; Borax as a food additive is banned in the AU.

What is borax used for?

The main use for borax is in household cleaning. There are many companies that make borax-based cleaning products such as surface sprays, dish soap, and laundry detergent.

Use borax as an ant killer or for general pest control or as a water softener. Its antifungal properties also make it a good choice for treating human mildew or fungal infections.

Other uses for borax include enamel icings, as a ceramic component, coating for jerky, and even as an emulsifier or preservative in cosmetic products like moisturizers, scrubs, and shampoos.

Source: bhg.com.au

Another asked what the best water temperature to use for white clothing and sheets, and Carolina recommended a cold wash.

Previously, another cleaning pro shared his tips and tricks for whitening laundry to keep whites shiny and spotless.

Brisbane native Dina Santos revealed her little-known trick of adding salt and baking soda to any load of white sheets or clothing in a video posted to her popular Instagram page.

The home stylist also recommended not overloading the drum and washing whites warm to keep them looking as fresh and clean as ever.

Brisbane mom Dina Santos has shared her secrets to keeping white sheets and clothes looking fresh using two little-known ingredients you probably have in your closet by now

Brisbane mom Dina Santos has shared her secrets to keeping white sheets and clothes looking fresh using two little-known ingredients you probably have in your closet by now

In a video posted to Instagram, the home stylist recommended not overloading the drum

Dina said one should be careful to put washing liquids or powders in the correct compartment in the detergent drawer according to the machine's instructions

In a video posted to Instagram, the home stylist recommended not overloading the drum and being careful to put washing liquids or powders in the right compartments

“Add 2 full teaspoons of baking soda and 2 flakes of salt (I swear ladies this works wonders and your whites come out beautifully)” suggested the mom-of-two.

“Put all your whites in the wash compartment and make sure you never overload it,” she wrote in the clip.

Dina said one should be careful to put washing liquids or powders in the correct compartment in the detergent drawer according to the machine’s instructions.

She used a detergent capsule and scent enhancers that go straight into the drum with her linens.

“Add 2 full teaspoons of baking soda and 2 flakes of salt (I swear ladies this works wonders and your whites come out beautifully)” suggested the mom-of-two.

Then she puts two tablespoons each of salt and baking soda in the detergent drawer

Dina said the little-known ingredients

She then adds her “magic” ingredients, two tablespoons each of salt and baking soda, which she said “work wonders and make your whites come out nice.”

The clever mom of two then suggested choosing a warm water temperature and starting a cycle as usual to keep your whites looking fresh

The clever mom of two then suggested choosing a warm water temperature and starting a cycle as usual to keep your whites looking fresh

Dina said adding “magic” salt and baking soda to the detergent drawer “works wonders” on her white folks.

‘Then choose a warm temperature setting and wash as usual.’

Dina’s clip has garnered thousands of views and hundreds of comments from many of her followers who are grateful for sharing the clever hacks.

“This is such a fabulous tip. Can’t wait to try it out,” wrote cleaning queen Mama Mila.

“Baking soda is so good,” replied one fan, while another said, “Gotta try this! I have never used salt.

“Ohhh I’m so bad at overloading,” admitted a third.

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