How to clean white?
When you have white clothes, you have to be aware that very quickly they can get dirty and turn yellow over time or poor maintenance.
Food, dirt, paint, liquid stains, yellow stains, greyish stains… So here are all of our tips and tricks for cleaning white clothes.
If you are not used to washing white clothes in the washing machine then here is what I suggest you before cleaning white clothes:
- Do a normal vacuum wash, in hot water and especially without clothes.
- Add an antibacterial detergent or a little bleach to the vacuum wash.
- Thoroughly clean the entire inside of the tub, around the door and the edges.
What temperature to wash a white garment?
Now that the washing machine is clean and cleaned, you can start washing the whites with hot water (hot water at 60°C) and with a detergent specially designed for white clothes.
2. Vinegar to wash a stained white garment
For a stained white garment, such as a t-shirt for example, you can detach it with white vinegar.
- Add equal parts water and white vinegar to a sink or basin.
- Immerse the white garment in the mixture and leave to act for several minutes.
- Rinse and finish washing the white in the machine.
If the stain persists when the water and vinegar mixture comes out, rub the stain with Marseille soap before finishing in the washing machine.
Also works on “very” stubborn stains?
For a stubborn stain on a white fabric like chocolate or wine, follow this link to discover effective tips: How to remove a chocolate stain from white?
3. Sweat stain on a white garment
Sweat stains are very common but of course they are much more visible on a white garment than a dark colored t-shirt for example.
Here’s how to clean a sweat stain from a white garment:
- Fill the sink or the bottom of the bathtub with very cold water and add 1 cup of liquid dish soap.
- Soak the white garment and let it act for a good hour.
- Rinse the garment and the sweat stain should be completely gone.
This trick is very effective in restoring shine and whiteness to a garment.
4. Clean white clothes with yeast
A really handy trick to get the whiteness of clothes back is yeast. Yes yes, yeast!
- Add 2 tablespoons of commercial yeast to the laundry.
- Machine wash clothes in cold water.
This trick will whiten white clothes and remove the grayish and yellowish tint from the white.
5. Baking soda to whiten clothes
To clean and even whiten a white garment, baking soda is a very interesting product to test. Relatively easy, here’s how:
- Boil some water and add 5 or 6 teaspoons of baking soda to it.
- Leave to cool and add the white laundry you want to whiten.
- Remove the cloth and run through the washing machine to complete the cleaning.
6. Soda crystals in the laundry
Another handy trick for washing white clothes in the washing machine is to add a little soda crystals to your detergent.
So for whiter clothes here is what to do:
- Pour about 125 ml of soda crystals in each of your loads.
- Put your white clothes in the machine on the normal cycle.
You will quickly see a difference in your white clothes which will be whiter and brighter thanks to this trick.
7. Use lemon to clean gray and yellow laundry
Lemon has a very effective stain-removing power against yellow and gray stains on white clothes. Here’s how to loosen dullness with lemon:
- Fill a basin or the bottom of the kitchen sink with water and lemon juice.
- Soak the white laundry until the grayish or yellowish stains disappear.
- Rinse and do a normal wash of white linen in the washing machine.
For stubborn stains on the collar or under the armpits you can rub them with pure lemon juice or directly with half a lemon.
For other fabrics and tips for removing yellow traces here is an article to read: How to remove a yellow stain from white clothes?
8. Soak white clothes in milk
Do you know the milk trick? Indeed, milk is a natural product that can be used to make your clothes white again.
I don’t really like waste, especially food waste, but this trick is still very effective for whitening white linen.
Simply soak white clothes in a milk bath to make them whiter and shinier.
Do you have a white silk garment at home that you want to clean or rather whiten? Hydrogen peroxide is THE solution!
- Mix hot water and hydrogen peroxide in a basin or sink.
- Soak your silk garments for 1 to 2 hours.
- Rinse well and dry the garment on a rack.
In the end, your silk garment will be well cleaned and above all very white.
Have you ever stained clothing with bleach? Here are some handy tips to know: Remove a stain of bleach.