There is nothing compared to a nuclear white garment, they look good with practically everything, but keeping that color intact is not always an easy task. The daily routine of household chores does not make us immune to mistakes, especially when we talk about putting on the washing machine. White clothes that turn grayish, yellowish stains or fabrics that suffer can be your daily life if you don’t know how to wash your clothes correctly.
Using washing machines has unwritten rules that we must follow strictly so that our clothes are not damaged. As time goes by, it is normal for our clothes or household linen to deteriorate. Especially those that we use the most such as towels, sheets, tablecloths or duvets. But if we follow a series of guidelines when doing our laundry, we will ensure that we keep our clothes safe for longer. We tell you how.
Although it is obvious, sometimes we forget that each garment has its own composition. A sweater is not made with the same fabrics as a towel or tablecloth.
To know what type of needs your clothes have, it is essential to look at the label and pay attention to the manufacturer’s instructions. To begin with, some clothes do not accept machine washing and we have to wash them by hand so that they do not get damaged. The label also tells us what type of temperature we should wash the clothes at, the recommended detergent and whether it can be put in the dryer or not. Not reading the label carefully is the first mistake we make when washing our clothes.
Do not mix colors
Another mistake that can ruin our white clothes is mixing them with black or colored clothes, even if they are light tones. Separating the laundry is very important, and a mistake can quickly ruin the garment.
If we mix it with black clothes, it is easy that when we take it out of the washing machine it has absorbed the black color and has darkened, taking on gray tones. If we mix it with brightly colored clothing, it also runs the risk of ending up pink, blue or orange, depending on the tones of the clothing we have mixed with. Even putting white and light-colored clothes in the same laundry can end up ruining them over time. Therefore, although it takes longer and is more cumbersome, it is better to separate the laundry well.
To remove all visible dirt and stains, you need to use a detergent that is capable of cleaning thoroughly. The quality of the detergent matters, as well as the quantity we use. Using more soap than necessary can make clothes worse, leaving them stiff and rough. For our white clothes, it may sometimes be useful to use a specific stain remover or powdered nuclear white.
Another very important factor is the temperature of the water. If our clothes are not very dirty, we will use cold water to keep our white clothes in better condition for longer, and it also leaves them brighter. We will use hot water for clothes that have more complicated stains or if so indicated on the label. Pay close attention because almost all washing machines have a specific program for white clothes.
How to whiten grayish clothes
But don’t worry, because if you have skipped any of those steps by mistake or over time your white clothes have changed tone, all is not lost. There are some remedies that we can implement to try to recover it and leave it like the first day.
- Bleach may be the first product that comes to mind to recover your white clothes. It is true that it is one of the fastest ways to whiten, but you have to keep in mind that it is a fairly aggressive cleaning product and can end up damaging the fabrics.
- A very effective formula to restore white to clothes that have turned gray is to use a powder bleach during washing. We will add it to the washing machine drawer or directly to the drum, as specified by the product manufacturer. We will also follow your instructions regarding quantities. These products are also very useful for eliminating bad odors from clothes.
- For more persistent stains, such as those that stick to socks, we can use two tablespoons of baking soda along with half a lemon. With this mixture we will rub the dirtiest areas and let the paste act for a few minutes. Then we can wash them in the washing machine using bleach, this way we will obtain a better result. This method is also very effective for sweat stains on white clothes.
- Another product that we can use to remove stains is vinegar, either by adding a cup during the rinse cycle or by leaving the clothes to soak in a basin with white vinegar and water. Or hydrogen peroxide, very effective for disinfecting clothes and cleaning stains on white clothes. What we will do is add a glass of hydrogen peroxide to the wash cycle, better with hot water in this case.
- Lastly, and although it may seem surprising, we can also soak our white clothes in milk for a few hours to remove stains and restore their shine.
With our clothes already clean, it is also important to follow a series of instructions when drying clothes. In general, the best solution whenever we can is to dry it outdoors and let it shine in the sun. In the case of white garments, it will help them look much brighter. Another factor that we should not overlook is taking the clothes out of the washing machine as soon as the washing cycle ends. Otherwise, we run the risk of them wrinkled more than necessary and picking up odor or moisture stains.
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