How to Deep Clean, Deodorize and Remove Bacteria Naturally From Laundry Baskets

Today we want to share a basic cleaning idea for your hampers and laundry baskets.  We like to take our empty baskets and give them a natural deodorizing and bacteria removing deep clean.

Dirty laundry is gross, especially certain loads like the kitchen rags. Some of our baskets don’t look too dirty, but others (like the wet kitchen rags and dirty white socks basket) can get some dirt piling up on the bottom. But bacteria and germs can’t be seen and so we like to do this quick cleaning process for all of them to reduce the bacteria and germ-spreading, while cleaning them at the same time!

We have these hampers that have these deep crevices, and these are the ones that collect the most dirt in the bottom!

Here’s what you need to clean and deodorize at the same time:

• borax – just sprinkle enough in the bottom  – like around 1/4 cup!
•  vinegar – pour enough vinegar in to cover the borax and have a thin layer across the bottom of your basket

How to Clean and Deodorize the Microwave:

• I wash these in the tub, so place them in the tub.
• Then just pour those two ingredients in, starting with the borax.
• Swish it around to mix the vinegar and borax and have a thin layer covering the bottom
• Then let it sit for about 10 minutes
• Come back and shake it harder to give some good resistant swishing.  This will break up the dirt in the crevices and help it all come loose.

Me shaking my dirty hamper and getting that hiding dirt out of the crevices that no tool will reach. 

• Then pour water into it and swish harder.
• Then dump it out and add some water for a water swishing rinse.

My water swishing rinse! 

• Dump out the water and place upside down to dry.
• For deeper cleaning, after the above process to rid of hidden dirt and bacteria, you can then wash your whole hamper/basket with warm soapy water (dish soap) and scrub, wipe with a rag and rinse – basically like a giant dish!
• Then dry upside down on a towel.
• That’s it!

They are all clean!

Note: The rim on the second hamper is actually a handwritten Sharpie directly on the basket that is slowly being washed away from this process of washing – which is why there are methods to remove permanent marker from almost anything instructions HERE.

But I do want to keep this labeling for sorting purposes, so I have to go back through every once in a while and re-write it! 

And yes, these are old, cheap hampers that are breaking apart.  Thus the lack of handles, breakage – but they are still working, so I guess I will keep them a bit longer! Hopefully it just shows we are real and not Martha Stewart. 🙂

See more Homemade Products and Cleaning Ideas