Keeping linens and clothing as white as the day you bought them can be a challenge. This guide is about getting whites white.
If I should run low on this mixture, I just add another 1/2 gallon of very warm water and another cup of lemon ammonia then load the washer with the other clothes.
If there's any solution left, I just dump it in the washer and start the load in the usual manner. On occasion, I put a cup of white vinegar in the rinse water. I've never had my clothes smell like ammonia and the ammonia is much gentler on the fabric then bleach.
WARNING: Never use bleach if you use ammonia!
Source: I noticed my cleaning rags would come out cleaner when I use ammonia so I gave it a try.
By Babbie from Lemon Grove, CA
Pour the hot water into a plastic, enamel or stainless steel (not aluminum) container. Add the dish washing soap and bleach, and stir well. Put 100% cotton in this and let soak for 30 minutes. Then wash as usual. This works well, they come out snow white.
For rayon or polyester, do not put clothes in while water is hot.
By Robin from Washington, IA
Whites will be whiter if you soak them in hot water for 10 minutes along with a few lemon slices.
By Janette
I'm sure someone has already given some hints to whiten whites, but I guess I've missed them. My whites are dingy even though I add bleach and use hot water. What can I do?
By Anne
By joanfry08/31/2011Wash a few times with no detergent or bleach, or anything. Use warm water. Hang in sun. I do this automatically all the time and my whites are quite acceptable.
Oops! I do put detergent in sometimes, but the dingy look, I believe, comes from a build up of too much soap and synthetics. Hope this works for you.
Does anyone know how I can get my white nappies to become white again? They have been well used and now look gray, I'd love to see them gleaming bright white again! Many thanks to anyone who can help.
By Kate from Rothesay, Argyllshire
By frugalsunnie01/21/2013Hiya Kate! I'm in Angus:)
Believe it or not, it may be those nappies have gone grey owing to soap residue! Even the gentle soaps for Baby's laundering can leave residue. (Our machines just don't use enough water in the rinse cycle to really get the soap out.)
Another part of the problem may be that there is a mixed fibre content in your nappies-you want 100% cotton for a truly good nappy but a lot of companies are pushing % cotton-% synthetic nappies on parents these days as being easier to clean (not true, though as any mum with a rashy baby will tell you). Check the label for content.
I really think your trouble is residue, though. Try running the nappies through twice or even three times without additional soap. Use the hottest setting possible on your machine.
Watch the clothes washing machine window during the 'wash' to see if you are getting any sudsing-if you see sudsing you'll need to repeat the washing until you no longer see sudsing in the window. After you get all the residue out of the nappies you should see a much whiter piece of fabric:) In the future, use only half or two-thirds amount of soap that you had been using.
You can also add a cup of vinegar to the wash (in the fabric softener area of the tray), and for really stubborn grey, add a quarter cup of hydrogen peroxide (tell the chemist that you want the mouthwash strength).
Our UK clothes washing machines are wonders at saving energy and water but are not great for really getting clothing (and nappies) clean as the amount of water and the agitation vigour are low. I have to watch my husband as he uses far too much soap and then it takes up to four repeated cycles to get all the soap out!
I'm so glad to be back in Scotland, but I do miss the top load clothes washers-wowsa, did those machines clean the laundry!
I live in New Zealand so I don't have as much access to products as the rest of the world. How do I get my whites, white? They accumulate grease stains, food stains, and sweat stains. I've tried bleach and soaking and the prehistoric cleaning method as well (the one with the wooden board) and still the stains stay there.
Just putting it through the wash gets it cleaner than all the other methods but not as white as I want. That's why I'm asking you guys for help. I am particular about getting it white because I am the supervisor in the kitchen so I have to set an example you know. So how can I get my whites as white as possible?
By kiwi047 from Rotorua, New Zealand
By giterdone09/05/2009Try the product white bright or white out for laundry. We have what is called red wells here in the south and if you add bleach to the wash it turns red and the clothes are dingy. I can't seem to find it now but until a week ago I bought it in the laundry aisle at the wally world (walmart).
How do I get white clothes white again? They have a dingy, a rusty color to them. The tops are made of cotton, with some rayon in them.
By Jill from Durant, IA
By DorothyNYC09/15/2010Add baking soda to your whites when washing. I use this all the time and they are whiter than when using bleach. For an extra boost, stop the wash and let them soak in the water for a little while.
I find the the nice white towels I bought 2 months ago are now a dirty whitish grey. Bleach is automatically filtered into the wash. How do I get them white again?
By Irene from Whanganui, New Zealand
By Chloelizabeth05/11/2012I agreed with newsue - sounds like soap scum build up. Use her hot water and vinegar treatment though it may take a couple of passes to get all the soap build up out of the fabric.
How can I get my white uniform (nurse dress) back to white?
By D. Oatis
By lyonpridej07/15/2011If it's just a dingy white color that can't be helped with bleach or Oxyclean, try 'liquid bluing', it's been around since forever! It's in the laundry dept of the store, in a blue bottle. It's a little scary using it at 1st because it is a very dark blue (how could something blue possibly make your clothes white instead of dying it blue?). I believe (haven't used it in awhile) you are supposed to add it to the water & let it agitate before you add the clothing, but it works very well, it makes your white clothing whiter & brighter!
What can I use to get cold water whites (tops, bras, etc.) white again?
By J.L.
Tips for washing white clothing. Post your ideas.
By ThriftyFun
By Robin
CAUTION! Do not use if you are using bleach. (02/17/2005)
By ThriftyFun
By Luvyabye
By Kitty1952
On stubborn stains, use electric dishwasher soap instead of laundry soap. When my daughter was in Little League, and her white uniform pants were red from the dirt, the electric dishwashing soap did wonders. (05/27/2005)
By Sheryl
By Lucinda
What can I use in place of bleach for whitening whites?
Brian from St. Petersburg, FL
By lazisuzi
By Robin
By Cathy
Put Cascade dish washing detergent in your white laundry to make the whites their whitest.
By Tammy from Economy, IN
Editor's Note: Most dishwasher detergent contains bleach. Be sure to only try this on clothing that can be bleached. I would recommend using 1 Tbsp. per 1/2 gallon of water and soak the item before washing for best results.
By Tammy
By pabk
By Somebody
By Jennifer Haubrich
By Tracy
By June
By Gil
By Darlene
By shells bells
By Tina
By TMTIBBS
How do I get whites whiter in the laundry? I normally use a rust out product from Wal-Mart but was wondering if anything like vinegar, baking soda or something else cheaper would work? We have hard water - live in the country.
Thanks in advance for any helps or hints. Patti from N Manchester, IN
By Liz
By Greg1796
By Greg1796
By Kelly
I'm a poor college student, so when I do my washes, I tend to mix colors and do it on cold. That way colors have less of a chance of running. It works better than you'd think. After a while my whites start to get a little darker, I suppose because of the blacks in the wash, including a shirt I just got (first wash!). This shirt, among a few others that could use some whitening, have that plastic shirt logo/band names/design.
What's the best way to get these clothes blindingly white again, without ruining the logos and whatnot? Should I hand wash them with some home remedy and then, when they're good again, continue washing them with like colors? Thanks in advance.
Rylee from Hollywood, CA
By Glenn'sMom
By Jennifer
By rainy21
By brittnie
By Lamico
By atinap
Does anyone have ideas how to get dingy whites bright white again? So many of my white t-shirts are starting to look off-white or light tan.
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Getting Whites White