Here’s a secret: for the most effective and efficient wash, you’ll need to do more than just toss your clothes into the washer and let it run.
Pre-soaking your laundry can help loosen dirt, lift stains, and brighten whites or colours. That means you don’t need to run longer wash cycles or use excess detergent to get clean clothing.
If you pre-soak your laundry, it also minimises the risk of stains transferring or setting during washes.
Step up your laundry game to get the cleanest, freshest clothes and linens for your home. Pick your laundry soaker out of our round-up below!
Laundry Soakers vs. Laundry Stain Removers
A laundry soaker is something you use when pre-soaking your laundry! It helps loosen dirt, brighten colours, and lighten or remove stains.
You can have standalone soakers or combination products that act as laundry soakers and stain removers.
A laundry stain remover is a product used to pre-treat stains on dirty laundry before you toss things in the washing machine. Some products target specific types of stains such as red wine or sweat.
Stain removers can also be more effective at tackling old/set stains and difficult ones like dye or ink.
Laundry stain removers may be used to soak or may be spot-applied directly to stains on fabric.
Why You Should Pre-Soak Your Laundry
Pre-soaking your dirty clothes and linens in a laundry soaker (or laundry stain remover) makes washing them a lot more efficient.
Soaking allows the product to fully penetrate the fabric and loosen any dirt or stains. Sometimes, it can lift stains off entirely.
This means you won’t have to wash the clothes as long, whether by hand or in the washing machine. It also minimises the risk of dirt or stains transferring onto other laundry items.
Soaking also helps revitalise fabrics that have dulled over time. The laundry soaker removes any built-up oils, dead skin, and product residue to revitalise a fabric’s appearance.
However, pre-soaking isn’t always necessary. If your laundry items are only mildly dirty or fairly new, this step is optional.
Pre-soaking is best for clothes and linens with heavy organic stains or heavily dulled fabric.
Pre-Soaking for Laundry Stripping
“Laundry stripping” is a soaking process that “strips” fabrics of any built-up residue from detergents, body oils, and other dirt.
It’s best used on clothes that feel stiff, look dull, or aren’t washing well. Any fabric that feels like it has detergent residue also needs stripping.
Laundry stripping also works for heavy stains, extreme dirt, and fabrics with lingering odours (like your gym clothes).
Do not strip delicate fabrics, such as silk, lace, or anything that needs hand washing. Test coloured items first or ensure the dyes are colourfast.
Laundry stripping is also not recommended for any fabric that cannot be washed in hot water.
NOTE: Laundry stripping can be quite harsh, so you should wait at least 4 months in between the process.
Best Laundry Soakers in Australia
Tackle stained clothes and extra-dirty linens with the power of a good laundry soaker.
Here’s a round-up of the top laundry soakers in Australia – and some DIY options as well!
Best Overall Laundry Soaker: Sard Super Power Stain Remover Soaker
Sard is a staple in many Aussie homes, and their Stain Remover Soaker packs a punch!
This unscented product can tackle the toughest stains on both whites and colours. You can also use it as an in-wash stain remover and wash booster – it works at all wash temperatures.
As a pre-wash soaker, the Sard Super Power Stain Remover Soaker is effective at removing stains of all types. From grease to wine to grass stains, trust that Sard will come to the rescue.
This laundry soaker also has antibacterial properties that help sanitise your laundry and fight odour-causing bacteria.
Best Budget Laundry Soaker: Ecostore Ultra-Sensitive Laundry Soaker & Stain Remover
This laundry soaker costs just $1.25 per 100g, but gives you dermatologically-tested cleaning power.
The Ecostore Ultra-Sensitive Laundry Soaker and Stain Remover is formulated for sensitive skin, so it’s fragrance-free and allergy-friendly.
It’s formulated with plant and mineral ingredients that are non-toxic, biodegradable, and phosphate-free.
Ecostore’s laundry soaker works thanks to sodium carbonate peroxide, which acts like oxygen bleach without the harsh chemicals.
The product is also approved by Sensitive Choice® for sensitive skin and allergies.
Best Bulk Laundry Soaker: Kin Kin Naturals Eco Laundry Soaker
Bask in the refreshing scent of Kin Kin Naturals’ Eucalypt and Lime Laundry Soaker and Stain Remover. This bulk product comes in a value pack of 2.5kg.
The plant-based formula uses sodium percarbonate, an oxygen-releasing soda, instead of chlorine bleach. It also contains washing soda, sodium citrate, and baking soda for an all-natural clean.
Kin Kin Naturals’ laundry soaker brightens white clothes and boosts colours. It’s skin-friendly while being tough on stains and residue.
Moreover, the formula is greywater and septic-safe!
Best Natural Laundry Soaker: Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Liquid Soap
Castile soap has a lot of uses – and that includes laundry. Mix 1 cup of castile soap for every 2.5 litres of hot water to create an all-natural laundry soaker.
Dr. Bronner’s castile soap is sustainably sourced and made with fair-trade ingredients. It’s also got no synthetic preservatives or detergents, just a plant-based formula.
Sandalwood is one of the more popular scents, but the liquid castile soap comes in other fragrances, as well as a fragrance-free option.
Best of all, castile soap is super versatile, so one bottle can go a long way when cleaning your home!
Best DIY Laundry Soaker: Washing soda and sodium percarbonate
If you prefer to stick to homemade products, you can absolutely DIY a laundry soaker!
Mix together the following:
- 1 cup (or 250g) baking soda
- 2 cups (or 500g) sodium percarbonate (oxygen bleach)
- 2 cups (or 500g) washing soda
- Preferred essential oil (optional)
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, mixing gently but thoroughly. Dissolve 2-4 tbsp in hot water to pre-soak your laundry.
Store the remaining laundry soaker in an airtight container.
NOTE: Avoid using this on clothing with metal accessories, such as zippers.
Best Laundry Soaker for Baby Clothes: OxiClean Baby Stain Soaker
Get your baby’s clothes, diapers, and bedding clean and fresh with OxiClean’s Baby Stain Soaker!
The product is free of chlorine, perfumes, and dyes, so it’s safe to use for sensitive skin and delicate fabrics. It’s also colour-safe and works with all washing machines!
This water-activated product can tackle anything from dried formula to diaper stains.
Simply pre-soak the items following the instructions, before washing them as usual. Do not soak clothes, diapers, and bedding together.
Best Refillable Laundry Soaker: Zero Co Fabric Soaker & Wash Booster
Zero Co stands out both for its eco-friendly products and its refill program. You can choose a subscription option that fits your schedule, and Zero Co will deliver you product refills at your convenience.
Their Fabric Soaker & Wash Booster combo works as a soaker and stain remover. It shines the most when brightening your whites, but it works on coloured fabrics too!
The laundry soaker powder is vegan, eco-friendly, and greywater-safe. It’s made entirely of biodegradable surfactants and enzymes – no bleach here!
Plus, the packaging is made from recycled and ocean plastic, so you’re saving your laundry and the planet.
Best Laundry Stripper for Soaking: Laundry borax and enzyme detergent
If your fabrics are feeling stiff, dull, or gummy, you may need to do some laundry stripping.
To make a DIY laundry stripper, fill your tub halfway with hot water. Then mix in a quarter-cup of laundry borax, a quarter-cup of washing soda, and half a cup of an enzyme-based laundry detergent.
The detergent should be in powder form. Try OMO Active Clean Washing Powder or Cold Power Advanced Clean Powder Laundry Detergent.
You can choose to strip wash your laundry before or after the wash cycle. Soaking laundry beforehand removes dirt and build-up so the items are easier to wash in the machine.
Squeeze out excess moisture and cleaning solution from the laundry before tossing them into the washing machine.
Stripping after the wash cycle removes any leftover dirt and any residue from the detergent. However, you’ll need to return the laundry to the washing machine for a final rinse.
Essential Laundry Tips
Use a good, effective laundry detergent for thorough cleaning with minimal residue. Choose one that’s appropriate for your clothing and household needs, especially if you have allergies or sensitive skin.
Avoid using fabric softener, since this could leave a residue on fabric that attracts dirt and dust.
Depending on the stain, you may want to use a specific stain removal method instead of a general soak.
If you can get to the stain ASAP, it’s better to treat the stain as-is instead of waiting to soak it alongside other items. Some common stains include blood stains, red wine stains, and coffee stains.
For homeowners who hire house cleaning services, you can ask them to give your laundry a soak while they clean your home. Then you can pop the soaked items right into the washing machine when they’re done, easy-peasy.
