Whiten your bra to a perfect white
White lingerie looks beautiful, but requires special care. Not every white bra is machine washable, and it is not always possible to keep the original whiteness by hand. If you do not know how to whiten a bra at home, then we will tell you simple and affordable ways, the effectiveness of which has been tested in practice.
How and how you can whiten a bra at home
You can quickly whiten delicate white items with inexpensive products found in every home. This list includes soda, salt, whiteness, as well as first aid drugs from the first aid kit: ammonia, aspirin and hydrogen peroxide. We also propose to consider the modern method of whitening things using oxygen or optical means. So, let's take a closer look at how to whiten a white bra at home quickly, inexpensively and effectively.
With whiteness
Whiteness is an inexpensive bleach that removes even old stains of different origins. If the bra has turned yellow from frequent wear or has become grayish from regular washings, then soaking in whiteness is guaranteed to return it to its original fresh look.
For the whitening procedure you will need:
- 3 liters of warm water (up to 35 degrees);
- 1 tbsp. a spoonful of dry bleach and powder, you can also take 100 ml of liquid.
Pour water into a container and dissolve the bleach and powder in it. Place the bra in the solution for half an hour. Then you can wash it using conditioner to remove the chlorine smell.
Important! Whiteness works in completely cold water (then you need to soak the thing for 1 hour), but it cannot be used in hot water.
The use of oxygen agents
Organic oxygen bleaches belong to the next generation of household products, as they are absolutely harmless to the environment and effective in home use. The main component of such agents is oxygen-based substances, for example sodium percarbonate. Organic bleaches work with hot water to help remove organic stains on linen, cotton and heavyweight fabrics.
To whiten your bra with oxygen, you will need:
- 1.5-2.5 tbsp. tablespoons of organic bleach;
- 8-10 liters of hot water (60-90 degrees depending on the fabric).
Pour hot water into the container: for synthetics, the temperature should be up to 70 degrees, for linen, cotton, satin, chintz - up to 90 degrees). Dissolve the product in water and place the delicate item in it for half an hour. Use 2.5 scoops for synthetics and 1.5 scoops for natural fabrics.
Important! Oxygen bleach should not be used on silk clothes and linen.
Optical brighteners
Optical aids do not remove stains like other bleaches, but they do help bring your laundry back to its snow-white color by removing untidy yellowness. The whitening process with optical aids is closer to dyeing, so they are effective if things are faded or discolored. The active ingredients absorb ultraviolet rays, transforming them into blue and violet. In practice, they make colorless materials snow-white, and give colored ones brightness and contrast.
To wash laundry with an optical detergent, use water with a temperature of no more than 60 degrees and follow the instructions carefully. The proportions for each product may differ, so read carefully how much to use per liter of water, so as not to harm things. If you do not follow the instructions, the laundry may become gray or discolored.
Soda and salt
Ordinary soda and salt can be used not only in cooking, but also for bleaching lace and guipure linen. This way of washing things can be called sparing, because soda and salt are less aggressive than whiteness and other household chemicals. But for this reason, the products may not be effective for dense fabrics: linen, cotton, knitwear, some types of synthetics.
What you need:
- 5-6 liters of water;
- 5 st. tablespoons of salt and soda;
- 2 tbsp. tablespoons of powder.
Mix all the ingredients in water and soak the item for 20-30 minutes. Then wash the laundry and rinse well. You can also bleach your laundry with baking soda only. You will need two tablespoons of baking soda per liter of water. Leave the bra in the solution for 1-2 hours to get rid of the gray or yellow tint of the fabric.
Important! A solution of soda and salt will be the best option for very capricious and delicate fabrics that cannot be machine washed or bleached with aggressive chemicals.
Hydrogen peroxide
Some of the products in the first aid kit will not only help with cuts and scrapes, but will also be useful for washing whites. For example, hydrogen peroxide can help wash synthetic and lace bras. The substance acts softly, and therefore the fibers of the tissues will not suffer, and things will not lose their shape.
What you need:
- 2 tbsp. spoons of 3% hydrogen peroxide;
- 1 liter of cool water.
In the solution, you need to leave the laundry for half an hour, and then wash and rinse as usual.
Important! The product will help to gently whiten delicate items, but may not be effective for removing old stains.
Ammonia
Another pharmacy preparation that comes in handy if you need to lighten yellowed linen. But it is important to remember that ammonia is known for a pungent smell that can remain after the procedure. In this case, use fabric softener to eliminate the side effect.
What you need:
- 1 tbsp. spoon of active ingredient;
- 1 liter of water.
Make a solution of a liter of water and a spoonful of rubbing alcohol, then soak your bra in it. After 10 hours, wash your laundry with conditioner, rinse and dry on a string.
Despite the fact that the method seems to be very time-consuming, it is effective against old stains, dirt, yellowness and grayness. After soaking in water with alcohol, the linen is perfectly washed and will look like new.
Aspirin tablets
Surprisingly, ordinary aspirin easily removes not only sweat stains, deodorant or yellowness from frequent wear, but also with difficult stains, for example, from blood or wine. It's all about acetylsalicylic acid, which is the main active ingredient in aspirin tablets.
What do you need:
- 5-7 aspirin tablets;
- 5-8 liters of cool water.
Dissolve the aspirin in water and soak the laundry for 10 hours, preferably overnight. Then wash your bra in warm water and powder or conditioner.
To remove blood and other stains, soak clothing in cold water and aspirin for 6-7 hours.
These simple methods exist to whiten a bra at home effectively and cost-effectively.
Features of whitening different types of bra fabric
In order to properly clean the product, it is important to consider the type of fabric, otherwise you can damage things and make it unusable. For example, some materials, for example, silk and satin, are not recommended to be whitened categorically, others, on the contrary, respond well to such procedures. Let's take a look at the basic rules for cleaning bras made of different fabrics at home.
Lace
Lace and satin linen can be bleached with soda and salt, peroxide, ammonia and acetylsalicylic acid. Do not use aggressive household chemicals for lace underwear to remove yellowness. When bleaching, soak garments in cool water, as hot water can make garments stiffer.
Guipure
Guipure belongs to synthetic materials and all of the above products, including concentrated bleaches, are suitable for washing it. If the underwear is expensive and consists of combined materials, then use gentle methods: soda, salt, aspirin, hydrogen peroxide, so as not to harm delicate fabrics.
Cotton
Everyday cotton bra can be bleached with whiteness, optical, oxygen and other bleaches without fear of damage. Follow the standard instructions and do not leave the laundry in the chemical solution for more than half an hour. You can also use ammonia for intense whitening. Mild chemicals like baking soda or hydrogen peroxide may not work well with cotton.
Synthetic
For synthetics, almost all products are suitable, including whiteness and organic bleaches. But you should not get carried away with this procedure, as frequent bleaching thinns the fibers, which harms the tissues. Synthetics are bleached in summer water so as not to spoil the fiber structure.
Note! Washing in hot water (above 40 degrees) gradually turns white clothes gray, therefore it is recommended to wash the laundry in summer water.
Now you know how to give new life to white bras that don't look as good as they used to. Proven methods will bring whiteness and freshness back to your everyday and elegant underwear made from natural and synthetic materials.
VIDEO: How to whiten a bra at home.