A crisp white shirt or a perfectly cut white tee is a wardrobe classic. But have you taken a look at your white clothes lately? If they look a little grey or off-white, it may be time to brighten them. If you don’t happen to have any chlorine bleach on hand, or if you prefer to skip the chemicals, here are some alternative ways to whiten your laundry, including some all-natural methods.
White laundry can become dingy from various causes:
– Color transfer from other fabrics, especially if you wash everything together
– Detergent and fabric softener residue left in the fabric
– Environmental causes, like nicotine or air pollution
– Body oils and stains from food and drink
When it’s time to brighten your white clothing, bed sheets, and bath towels, many of us turn first to either chlorine or oxygen bleach. But there are other ways to whiten fabrics. Most of these bleach alternatives work best on natural fibers, like cotton or linen, and should only be used on white clothing without prints or contrasting trim to avoid fading. As with regular bleach, follow the instructions carefully! If you prefer to skip the store-bought products completely, there are also some proven methods for brightening laundry using supplies you may already have on hand, such as lemons and white vinegar.
1. Vinegar
Vinegar does a double work as both a whitener and a softener. Pour one glass of vinegar into the machine to bleach the clothes.
It is also recommended to pour vinegar into the washing machine and run it without clothes or washing gel several times a year to get rid of dirt and fur.
2. Vinegar and Lemon
These two elements go together beautifully and create a powerful stain remover. Mix the same amount of vinegar and lemon water and scrub the stain with them. Once the stain has disappeared or weakened, put the clothes in the washing machine.
3. Baking soda
Mix one glass of baking soda with 4 liters of water and coat your clothes for a few minutes. They will immediately become clearer.
4. Aspirin
Aspirin will help you with hangovers and also with laundry. Stir 6 tablets and place them in a bowl with water. Soak your clothes for 30 minutes in the bowl/tub before putting them in the washing machine.
5. Borax
Pour some borax into the washing machine along with the washing gel to whiten the white clothes and remove stains and dirt on them. Borax also works fine with color laundry.
6. Sunlight
Instead of putting the clothes in the dryer, hang them outside and the sun will dry and whiten the clothes in a natural way.
Sources: realsimple.com, veer.li
