Why Stain Buster Loves Baking Soda (and Your Laundry Will Too)

Stain Buster the friendly ghost hovered over the rows of gleaming stainless-steel washers, arms folded, eyes narrowed.

“Another musty gym bag?” he sighed, seeing a worried customer shuffle in with a duffel that could probably be smelled from outer space.

Welcome to Stain Busters Laundromat—state-of-the-art machines, brightest lights in Passaic, and, most importantly, home of a slightly dramatic but very dedicated stain-fighting ghost.

Today’s mission:
Defeat deep-down stains and stubborn odors with one of his favorite secret weapons—baking soda.

The Customer, the Gym Bag, and the Ghost

Maria hustled through the doors, eyes squinting at the massive washers lining the ailses. She’d tried everything at home—extra detergent, scent boosters, fabric softener. Her son’s basketball gear still smelled like it had lost every game.

Stain Buster drifted down from the ceiling, his bubbly “tail” swirling like fresh soap suds.

“Laundry emergency?” he asked.

“I think my washing machine gave up,” Maria said. “Nothing gets this smell out anymore. And there are these weird yellow sweat stains that just won’t budge.”

Stain Buster grinned. “Sounds like a job for baking soda and some serious technology.”

He snapped his translucent fingers, and one of the high-G-force washers lit up, ready for battle.

Why Stain Buster Loves Baking Soda (and Your Laundry Will Too)

As Maria emptied the gym bag, the ghost floated over to the Stain Busters “Stain Station,” where bottles of detergent, stain removers, and a big container of plain baking soda sat neatly labeled.

“People think baking soda is just for cookies and fridges,” he said, scooping some into his little ghostly palm. “But in the laundry room, it’s a quiet superhero.”

Here’s what he explained while he worked:

• Fights odors at the source:
  Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is mildly alkaline. That means it helps neutralize acidic odor molecules—like sweat, smoke, vomit, and sour smells—rather than just covering them with perfume.The Spruce+1

• Boosts your detergent, doesn’t replace it:
  It changes the pH of the wash water and softens it a bit, which lets your detergent work better at lifting soils and odors. But you still need real detergent—baking soda alone won’t remove everything.Tide+1

• Softens and brightens fabrics:
  Adding about ½ cup to a load can help keep clothes feeling softer and looking brighter, without extra fabric softener.Maytag+1

• Helps with stain pretreating:
  A simple paste of baking soda + water is a gentle abrasive that can help tackle sweat, deodorant, grease, and other everyday stains before they even hit the washer.Whirlpool+1

Maria watched, impressed. “So it’s not just an old-school hack. It actually does chemistry stuff?”

“Exactly,” said Stain Buster. “I may be a ghost, but I’m a science ghost.”

Step 1: Pretreat the Stains – Ghost Style

Stain Buster pointed at the yellow sweat stains on the jerseys.

“These guys? We soften them up first.”

He showed Maria how to:

1. Mix a paste

   • 2–3 tablespoons baking soda

   • Just enough water to form a spreadable paste

2. Apply directly to the stain
   He dabbed the paste onto the underarm areas and around the collar and let it sit for about 15–30 minutes. This gives the baking soda time to break down odor-causing compounds and loosen some of the stain before washing.Whirlpool+1

3. Gently rub
   He used a soft brush in tiny circles. “No need to scrub like a maniac,” he said. “Your fabric isn’t the enemy—the stain is.”

Step 2: Load Up the State-of-the-Art Washer

Maria opened the door of one of the huge, high-extract washers at Stain Busters. Inside was enough space to swallow the entire gym bag load with room to spare.

“These machines spin so fast,” Stain Buster explained, “they sling out more water than regular washers. That means your clothes come out cleaner and dry faster. Less time in the dryer, less wear on your fabrics.”

He walked her through the “recipe”:

1. Add detergent as normal

   • High-quality detergent into the dispenser.

2. Add baking soda directly to the drum

   • Around ½ cup of baking soda sprinkled directly on top of the clothes helps neutralize odors and boost cleaning power.Maytag+1

3. Choose the right cycle

   • For sweaty, smelly sports gear: warm or hot water if the fabric label allows, and a longer cycle.

The machine whirred to life, water rushing in. Stain Buster floated up and down excitedly.

“Now we let the Stain Busters tech do what it does best.”

Step 3: The Odor Exorcism

While the washer churned, Maria looked around the facility: bright lights, clean polished floors, ample seating, fast Wi-Fi, and more washers and dryers than she’d seen in any laundromat.

“So the baking soda… it’s not just making things smell nice?” she asked.

“Nope,” said Stain Buster. “It’s neutralizing smells. Big difference.”

He explained that baking soda:

• Works on musty washer smells by balancing pH and absorbing odor molecules.

• Helps with smoke, sweat, and “left in the washer too long” smells when used in the wash or as a soak.The Spruce+1

“And because it’s gentle,” he added, “it’s safe for most everyday fabrics when used properly.”

Step 4: When Clothes Smell REALLY Bad

Maria pointed to a particular pair of socks. “Okay, but what about those?”

Stain Buster grimaced. “Advanced level. For those, we bring out the pre-soak.”

Here’s what he recommended for super-stinky items:

1. Fill a tub or sink (or a large washer set to soak) with warm water.

2. Add ½–1 cup of baking soda, stirring until dissolved.

3. Soak the worst offenders for a few hours or overnight.

4. Then wash as usual with detergent and another ½ cup of baking soda in the wash.

This deep soak helps pull out deeply embedded odors before the main wash even starts.The Spruce+1

Step 5: The Big Reveal

When the washer chimed, Stain Buster floated over dramatically.

“Moment of truth.”

Maria pulled out the jerseys and socks, burying her face in the fabric.

“No way,” she said. “They just smell… clean. Not like perfume. Just… nothing.”

“Exactly what we want,” said Stain Buster. “No fake flower cloud, just fresh.”

The yellow stains had visibly faded, some gone entirely after one wash. The fabric felt softer, not crunchy or heavy with softener.

All Maria had needed was:

• A powerful, modern washer

• Solid detergent

• A simple scoop of baking soda

• And, of course, one overly enthusiastic ghost.

Bonus: Keeping Odors Away Between Washes

Before Maria left, Stain Buster shared a few pro tips to keep smells from building up:

• Don’t let wet clothes sit in the washer too long—musty smells love the dark and damp.Good Housekeeping

• Air out gym bags and hampers when possible.

• For extra freshness, sprinkle a little baking soda in the bottom of the hamper to help absorb odors until laundry day.Wicked Clean Laundry+1

“And if things ever get out of hand again,” he said, “bring the worst of it back to me. Stains and odors are scary—lucky for you, I scare them right back.”

Your Turn: Team Up with Stain Buster

Next time you’re fighting:

• Stubborn sweat stains

• Funky gym gear

• Musty towels

• Or that mysterious “what died in here?” smell

Grab:

• ½ cup baking soda for the wash

• A simple baking soda + water paste for stains

• And the power of a state-of-the-art laundromat like Stain Busters.

Let the machines handle the heavy lifting, let baking soda do the science, and let Stain Buster the friendly ghost chase the stains and smells away—so you walk out with laundry that looks, feels, and smells like new.