The "Laundry Stripping" Trend: Why It Fixes Synthetics But Destroys Me

The "Laundry Stripping" Trend: Why It Fixes Synthetics But Destroys Merino Wool

If you have spent any time on TikTok or Instagram lately, you have likely seen the oddly satisfying—yet deeply disturbing—videos of "laundry stripping." Users soak their seemingly clean gym gear in a bathtub, only for the water to turn a murky, swampy brown within hours. This viral stripping laundry recipe usually involves a potent cocktail of Borax, washing soda, and heavy-duty detergent.

While the visual evidence suggests a deep clean, this trend is a massive red flag for your wardrobe. It is a desperate solution to a problem caused by synthetic fabrics. More importantly, if you are wondering, "can you laundry strip merino wool?" the answer is a definitive no. Applying this process to natural protein fibers is a recipe for irreversible textile destruction.

Why Does Synthetic Activewear Need "Stripping"?

The reason laundry stripping activewear became a trend is that polyester, nylon, and spandex are fundamentally "oleophilic"—they love oil. Unlike natural fibers, these petroleum-based plastics repel water but cling to body oils, dead skin cells, and sweat. Over time, these organic materials get trapped inside the non-porous plastic fibers, creating a "biofilm."

Standard cold-water cycles cannot penetrate this biofilm. This leads to the infamous "permastink" where your leggings smell fresh out of the dryer but begin to reek the moment your body heat reactivates the bacteria. As we often say, gym wear smell isn't you — it's the wrong fabric. To remove buildup from gym clothes made of plastic, people resort to harsh, high-pH soaks to literally dissolve the accumulated gunk.

The Stripping Science: A Biofilm Battlefield

Polyester/Nylon: These are non-porous plastics. They trap odors in the weave and surface coatings.
The Soak: A borax soak workout clothes routine uses high alkalinity to break down oils.
The Result: The murky water is a mix of hard water minerals, leftover detergent, and trapped body oils that the washing machine couldn't reach.

The Crucial Warning: Why Stripping Destroys Merino Wool

While a high-pH soak might "save" a pair of $100 polyester leggings, it will fundamentally dissolve a Merino wool garment. Merino is a biological protein fiber, made of keratin—the same stuff as your hair. Keratin is highly sensitive to pH levels.

Borax and washing soda are highly alkaline (high pH). When you submerge Merino in these substances, the alkaline solution attacks the "scales" of the wool fiber. This causes the fibers to swell, lose their natural elasticity, and eventually break down at a molecular level. If you attempt to laundry strip activewear made of wool, you will likely end up with a garment that is brittle, misshapen, and prone to "pilling" or developing holes.

Furthermore, many of the chemicals used in these viral recipes strip away lanolin—the natural waxy coating on wool that provides its water-repellent and soft-to-the-touch qualities. Once this is gone, the "performance" of your natural gear is neutralized. For better ways to maintain your gear, learn how to get smell out of workout clothes (and stop it coming back) without using destructive chemicals.

Merino: The Fabric That Doesn't Need "Stripping"

The irony of the laundry stripping trend is that it highlights a problem that doesn't exist with Merino wool. Merino is naturally antimicrobial and odor-resistant. Because it is a porous "biofabric," it absorbs moisture vapor before it even turns into liquid sweat, preventing the bacteria-laden biofilm from forming in the first place.

At Estroni, we advocate for a "Low-Tox" approach to movement. Most synthetic activewear relies on chemical finishes—like silver ions or PFAS—to mimic what Merino does naturally. When those finishes wash off, the odor returns, leading people to try harsh stripping methods. Merino doesn't need a chemical "fix" because the performance is built into the fiber itself. This is why Merino activewear needs less washing, which extends the life of the garment and protects the environment from microplastic shedding.

Why Estroni Merino is Different

While 100% Merino is beautiful, it can sometimes lack the structural "snap-back" needed for high-intensity gym sessions. This is why we use a 95% Merino and 5% Elastane blend. This tiny percentage of elastane provides the durability and recovery needed for leggings and sports bras without sacrificing the natural benefits of the wool. You get the comfort of a natural fiber with the performance of a technical textile—minus the "permastink" and the need for a bathtub full of Borax.

Stop Stripping, Start Choosing Better Fibers

Laundry stripping is a symptom of a larger issue: our reliance on "plastic" clothing that isn't compatible with human biology. If your workout clothes require a four-hour chemical soak just to smell "okay," it’s time to look at the ingredient list of your wardrobe.

By switching to Merino-rich activewear, you aren't just avoiding the hassle of a borax soak workout clothes routine; you are choosing a fabric that works with your body's cooling system, protects your skin microbiome, and stays fresh for days with nothing more than a simple air-dry. Save the deep-cleaning science experiments for your old polyester—and give your skin the natural, breathable performance it deserves.