Whitening whites at home

White things lose their attractive appearance over time, even if they are properly cared for. Much depends on the quality of the material, but yellowing or gray tint can be found in different fabrics. In addition, clothes can shed. There are many ways to bleach whites. This can be done with professional bleaches or using available products.

how to bleach things
New white textiles always look stylish, but constant use and regular washing results in a loss of whiteness.

How to soak laundry correctly

Regardless of which recipe you use, there are a few rules to follow. Perform whitening, observing the following guidelines:

  • Pre-sort the fabric. Dark wardrobe items should not get into the basin with bleaching agents. There should be no colored clothes - only light ones. In addition, it is important to consider the degree of contamination.
  • Linen or cotton with synthetics cannot be washed. Sort fabrics based on whether they are natural or not. Also keep in mind that woolen clothing does not belong where knitwear is soaked.
  • Prepare your bleach solution in advance. Whatever funds are included in its composition, they must completely dissolve. Otherwise, streaks or stains may remain on the fabric.
  • Do not soak clothing in temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius or for too long if there are metal parts on it.
  • Allow items to dry completely after washing. If you remove them while still wet, streaks may remain.
how to wash white clothes
Yellowness on white towels, sheets, shirts, and other items is common.

Note! For soaking, you need an enamel, wooden or galvanized container.

How to bleach linen at home

In order to return a shining look to wardrobe items, different methods and means are used. Someone prefers classic whiteness. But it is not always possible to remove a gray or yellow tint with its help. Consider how to whiten white things at home, quickly and effectively.

how to whiten white things
Before bleaching whites, it's worth comparing tried-and-true homemade recipes with store-bought products.

Note! Do not delay processing. The more dirt accumulates on clothes, the harder it will be to wash them.

Boric acid

This substance is found in pure form in nature, and is also synthesized in laboratories for industrial use. The acid is available in liquid or powder form. The liquid contains alcohol and is most often used for cosmetic purposes. In order to soak clothes, you need to purchase boric powder.

how to bleach things with boric acid
This is a pharmacy product that is cheap.

Before using the substance, it is recommended to wash things with laundry soap. It also helps to get rid of impurities on white fabrics and also allows boric acid to penetrate into its structure faster.

After washing, use the following instructions:

  • Prepare hot water. The powder dissolves well only at a high temperature of the liquid.Otherwise, crystals will remain, which can negatively affect the quality of the fabric.
  • Dissolve 10 g of acid in a liter of hot water. Stir well to dissolve completely. Increase the amount of ingredients if necessary.
  • Place items in a bowl of liquid and leave for 2 to 3 hours.
  • Then rinse the garments well in warm water and then wash them again.
washing white clothes
This product works well for tights, golf, white socks.

Note! Synthetic material must not be soaked in boric acid. This method is suitable for natural fabrics.

Hydrogen peroxide and soda

Another method can be used. Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide are products that can help get rid of stubborn stains or streaks. Their plus is that they do not harm even delicate materials. Therefore, they can be used for linen, cotton clothing, as well as synthetics.

soda and peroxide for white things
Soda-ammonia solution helps to comprehensively refresh things.

If you plan to soak wool or silk, then you need to be careful with soda. The substance should not be highly concentrated in comparison with water (no more than 2%). Also, pay attention to the temperature of the liquid. It should not exceed 40 degrees.

vinegar for rinsing white clothes
After soaking, you need to rinse the clothes in water, to which a small amount of vinegar is added.

To begin with, things are soaked in a soda solution. The ratio of the component to water will be 1 tablespoon per liter of liquid. Wardrobe items are soaked for several hours, then rinsed and washed.

After that, a composition is prepared based on hydrogen peroxide (1 tsp for 2 liters of warm water). You need to leave the laundry in it for another 20 minutes. Turn the items over several times during this period. Finally, rinse all clothing well.

soaking in peroxide
You do not need to wash it additionally.

In addition, you can add a small amount of baking soda with each wash. It will protect light-colored items from stains and provide a light whitening effect.

Mustard

Another effective way to quickly bleach things at home is to use mustard powder. Mustard will keep you free from stains and streaks and bring back the usual whiteness.

mustard
Dry mustard can whiten gray or yellow fabrics, even delicate ones.

To use the product, dilute the powder in warm water. The composition should not be very concentrated, otherwise things may additionally turn yellow. Soak clothes in the solution for 2 - 3 hours, then rinse well with clean water.

Potassium permanganate and laundry soap

These substances must be used with care. If the possible concentration is exceeded, the wardrobe items will acquire a raspberry or pink hue. However, when applied correctly, white items will shine clean again.

Potassium permanganate is diluted in warm liquid until a light pink composition is obtained. After that, yellowed tissue is placed in it. After soaking, rinse the clothes thoroughly.

use of potassium permanganate
Better than many means, you can whiten white things at home with potassium permanganate.

Note! You cannot keep things in solution for more than half an hour. Otherwise, they may change color.

In addition, laundry soap is used to return the white tint. There are several options for its use:

  1. The fabrics need to be moistened with warm water, and then rub each piece with soap separately. After that, the clothes are left for 30 - 60 minutes, then washed and rinsed well.
  2. Rub a block with a grater and add to the drum of the washing machine when washing. Set the temperature to 90 degrees and start the cycle.
  3. The grated soap is diluted in hot water. For additional effect, you can add 2 - 3 crystals of potassium permanganate. Soak wardrobe items for 3 to 4 hours.

    soaking in soapy water
    Remember to rinse everything thoroughly afterwards.

With aspirin

Pharmacy preparation will help to cope with stubborn dirt. To do this, you need to buy the most common aspirin, and not its many expensive counterparts.Simple acetylsalicylic acid is an effective and safe bleaching agent.

aspirin for whitening white items
It is enough to take ordinary washing powder for white linen and strengthen it with several aspirin tablets.

Note! You do not need to purchase effervescent tablets, since they additionally contain vitamins and other substances. Because of them, the fabric can shed.

Aspirin will remove the dirt that has recently formed on clothes, but it will not be able to greatly affect stains that are more than one month old. Use the following scheme:

  • Take 2 tablets of the drug and grind well to a powder state.
  • Add aspirin to regular detergent and pour into the machine.
  • Start a standard wash cycle and activate an extra rinse.
how to whiten white things with aspirin
Aspirin is an emergency way to restore whiteness to fabrics.

Please note that it is not recommended to often use the drug as a whitening agent. It will gradually "eat away" the metal elements of the washing machine.

Ammonia

The substance contains ammonia, which destroys pollution. Salmon not only removes yellow and gray streaks, but it can also eliminate unpleasant odors.

It is necessary to use ammonia correctly so as not to damage the fabric:

  • Dilute the liquid at the rate of 1 tablespoon of the product per liter of water. Mix well.
  • Then add laundry to the container with the solution and leave for 2 - 3 hours.
  • Rinse and wash clothing thoroughly.

In the presence of stubborn dirt, you can drip ammonia directly on them. In this case, you can leave the liquid for no more than 15 minutes, after which the fabrics are thoroughly rinsed.

peroxide and ammonia for whitening white clothes
An ammonia solution paired with hydrogen peroxide will help freshen up light white cotton-based curtains.

You can also add hydrogen peroxide to the solution to make the effect even more pronounced. The proportions will be as follows:

  • 5 liters of water;
  • 2 tbsp peroxide;
  • 1 tbsp ammonia.

Note! Make sure that the wardrobe items are completely in the solution. Otherwise, they can only be partially removed. Plus, there will be divorces.

The best store-bought bleaches

If things start to turn yellow, you can do with home remedies, or you can use professional laundry bleach. Here is a ranking of the most popular and effective ones:

  1. Synergetic. The main advantage of the product is the absence of chlorine in the composition. The substance damages tissues with frequent use. Therefore, the bleach is gentle and safe for things. The effect is achieved through herbal tensides, which help to get rid of impurities. Synergetic can be applied to different materials. It is a liquid product that does not contain hazardous and aggressive components. It can even be used to bleach baby clothes.

    bleach
    The universal liquid bleach “Synergetic” is designed for effective bleaching of all types of fabrics and baby clothes.

  2. Lion Bright. A concentrated solution, even a small amount of which can get rid of stubborn stains and streaks. Removes yellowness and restores a radiant appearance. In addition, the product has disinfectant properties and eliminates unpleasant odors. It is used as a traditional bleach and is also added to the laundry detergent. The composition does not contain allergenic and aggressive ingredients.

    oxygen bleach
    Lion “Bright” oxygen bleach does not contain chlorine and provides easy and safe bleaching of silk, wool and cotton products.

  3. Sarma Active. This bleach can restore whiteness even to fabrics that cannot be soaked in high water temperatures (from 30 degrees). Does not contain chlorine, therefore it does not affect the structure of things and does not destroy them. It is an oxygen agent containing active enzymes. Effectively combats yellowness, grayness, and also removes dirty stains from clothes. Used for most types of fabric except wool and silk.

    sarma bleach
    Bleach "Sarma Active": specially designed to enhance the effect of washing powder and bleach clothes and linen.

  4. Dr. Beckmann. Super Bleach contains natural ingredients that reflect light in the blue range. Thanks to this, things start to look snow-white. Eliminates yellowness and gray tint. These are safe products that do not contain hazardous substances. All components are completely biodegradable and do not pose a threat to the environment.

    super bleach
    Bleach “Dr. Beckmann ”with a new formula removes gray deposits and yellowing even more effectively and returns your garments to their radiant whiteness.

You can also use other popular tools:

  • Ecover;
  • Chirton;
  • Clean Home.

How to bleach linen and synthetics

Natural fabrics can be whitened using professional products. However, you cannot use them too often, as the material will deteriorate. Because of this, clothes wear out faster and lose their attractive appearance.

You can remove yellowness from linen wardrobe items using popular methods:

  1. Ammonia. The solution is diluted in a ratio of 1 tablespoon of ammonia per liter of liquid. The fabrics need to be soaked for several hours.

    ammonia
    This product is only suitable for cotton and linen fabrics.

  2. Turpentine. A couple of tablespoons of the substance are added to soapy water, and then the clothes are left to soak for 8 to 10 hours. After that, it is washed in the usual way.

    turpentine
    Fresh traces can be bleached with laundry soap and a little turpentine.

  3. Flax can be returned to its snow-whiteness if you use regular blue. In retail outlets, the substance is sold both for washing machines and for hand washing.

    blue
    You can buy blue rinses that are even easier to use.

  4. If linen has a gray tint, you can add Persol bleach. It is diluted in water and things are soaked for 10 hours.

    It is a safe product that does not destroy the structure of flax.

Note! Not all linen clothing can be safely bleached by some means. Be sure to read the information on the label.

Synthetics also have general rules of care. For bleaching, it is forbidden to use compounds containing chlorine. Please note that the material does not tolerate boiling. In this case, the wardrobe item may turn yellow and also lose its shape. The temperature of bleaching synthetics usually cannot be higher than 30 - 40 degrees.

How to return the whiteness of a thing (faded and yellowed)

Faded material that has been stained by improper washing can be repaired. To do this, use a solution based on crushed laundry soap, starch, salt and citric acid (in equal proportions). The resulting gruel is applied to spots, soaked, and then rinsed thoroughly.

how to wash white clothes
Make sure the fabric is completely dry before storing it in the closet.

To remove streaks, mix hot water and ammonia. Soak clothes for 2 hours, then rinse well. If the fabric is thin, take 3% hydrogen peroxide (1 tablespoon), a pinch of salt and add to 2 liters of hot water. Leave it on for 10 minutes.

How to desaturate fabric

You can discolor the material if desired. Any chlorine bleach can remove paint on fabrics. To do this, it is bred in water. The exact proportions are indicated in the instructions for a particular product. Place the wardrobe item completely in the container with the solution. Boil for 1 - 2 hours (until the paint disappears).

In addition, the following substances can be used to discolor clothes:

  • hydrogen peroxide;
  • soda;
  • lemon acid.
soda citric acid peroxide for whitening
It is better to dry white outfits in the sun: this preserves brightness.

For whitening, you can use both professional and home remedies. It is necessary to follow the recommendations so as not to spoil the fabric. Also, keep in mind that frequent use of bleach can cause clothing to lose its attractive appearance.

how to whiten white things
The cost of home formulations is several times less than ready-made ones. Ingredients are easy to buy at grocery stores and pharmacies, easy to store, easy to mix.

VIDEO: How to whiten white clothes at home.

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