Laundry stripping videos are satisfying to watch on TikTok, but professional cleaners say the hack often isn't necessary

• Laundry stripping is a method for deep cleaning clothing and linens that has taken TikTok by storm.
• It involves mixing a load with water and borax for hours to strip away gunk, creating a murky bath.
• Experts see the appeal of this hack, but they say it's not the best way to take care of laundry.

A satisfying deep-cleaning trend called laundry stripping is sweeping the internet.

People across TikTok are trying the technique - which cleans the residue that builds up in the fibers of clothes and textiles - after user @MissLaurenElms' posted a now-viral video using the method on towels in April 2020, according to Good Housekeeping, which notes that the method has been around for years.

At the time of writing, the hashtag #laundrystripping has 58.3 million views on TikTok, and that number is growing with more videos going up in the last week.

One video posted by TikTok user @emmast_john that shows a couch cover being stripped is racking up millions of views. The video from August 2020 - which has 26.9 million views and 5 million likes at the time of writing - shows the couch cover being dunked into a bathtub full of water and cleaning products. The water turns a dark-brown color from the residue.

According to a Good Morning America article that breaks down how to try the method at home, to start stripping linens, clothes, or towels, fill a bathtub with hot water, add borax, washing soda, and detergent, then dump in your laundry to soak until it cools. After about four hours, toss your laundry in the washing machine for a final spin. When that's done, your laundry should be squeaky clean.

Experts say laundry stripping isn't always necessary

While it may be satisfying to watch TikTok users' bathtubs turn dark from the muck in their towels and sheets, cleaning professionals don't recommend making laundry stripping part of your routine.

"Everyone loves a really good before and after with some juicy, dirty stuff coming out of their sheets," Melissa Maker, a professional cleaner and author of "Clean My Space," told Insider. "But it's not something you should do on a regular basis."

The point of laundry stripping is to get rid of buildup, but that buildup typically comes from everyday laundry malpractices, according to Maker.

"If you have sheets or towels that are really in trouble and you're trying to revive them, it would make sense to strip them," she said. "But if you're using an effective laundry detergent on a regular basis and you're using the right amount you shouldn't need to strip your laundry."

Read more: 15 ways to clean your home with products you already have in your pantry

Maker said people often use too much detergent, and it lingers in the fibers of the laundry.

"Your washing machine is designed specifically to use a certain amount of water, and it expects that you're using the right amount of detergent," she said. "If there's more detergent, more water is needed, but your machine is not going to know that, and the remaining detergent will settle back into the clothing."

If that's the case, then your clothes go in the dryer with detergent still in them.

"That's when you'll notice your clothes, sheets, or towels feel cakey or stiff," Maker said.

Read more: The best cleaning products for kitchen and laundry appliances

Bailey Carson, head of cleaning for the household services app Handy, agrees that good laundry practices will keep you from relying on this hack.

"If you're sorting your clothes and textiles properly and using deep-cleaning detergents, then the things that necessitate laundry stripping - detergent buildup, dryer sheet residue, or actual dirt and grime buildup - will be rare," Carson said. "Laundry stripping can take up a huge chunk of a busy day, so it's best to tackle preventative measures first."