We love Ayurvedic bodywork therapies and home self-care practices, but we don’t love oily sheets and oily clothing. What to do? We’ll tell you!
Materials for washing oil-free clothing and linens:
- 1⁄4 c. CitraSolv (this is orange oil, which is a natural degreaser)
- 1⁄2 c. OxyClean (or similar product)
- detergent as usual
Directions for (old style) top-loading washing machines
Load your oily fabrics into the washing machine. Fill the machine up to its fullest amount using hot water. Add CitraSolv, OxyClean, and your usual detergent. Close the lid, and begin the longest cycle available to you. Once the initial agitation has stopped, pull out the knob, and let everything soak for a good thirty minutes to provide as much contact time with water and cleaning/degreasing agents as possible. After this soaking, push the knob back in, and let the entire cycle finish normally. Transfer your fabrics to the dryer and dry as usual. Your fabrics should be oil-free and pleasant-smelling.
Directions for (new-fangled) front-loading washing machines
Load your oily fabrics into the washing machine. Fill the detergent bin with the CitraSolv, OxyClean, and your usual detergent. Set your wash program for the longest, most intense cycle you have available—something like “Heavy Duty.” If you have options for Extra Rinse or Extra Spin, choose those. You want as much contact time with water and cleaning/degreasing agents as possible. Also choose hot water for your wash water. Let the cycle run normally. Transfer your fabrics to the dryer and dry as usual. Your fabrics should be oil-free and pleasant-smelling.
