Cleaning Whites Without Bleach

By

srqmom

10/10/2010

Especially for the red clay stains on white baseball and softball uniforms: Fels Naptha bar soap can be found in the handsoap or laundry aisle (depending on your region). Very inexpensive. Maybe you can purchase online. Get the bar wet and rub or grind it into the stain as a prewash (instead of Spray'n Wash). Add Borax to the wash and it should all come out. Hope this helps!! I remember the agony before I found this solution! These other bleach alternative tips here are very good, too. I have successfully used all of these awesome alternatives: lemon juice, hydro-peroxide, baking soda and sunshine!

By

lhegs

08/09/2009

Double check your dishwasher detergent, most of them contain chlorine bleach.

By

catastrofy

08/08/2009

Once a month, I toss a dishwasher tab in with my whites. Brightens them up nicely.

By

PupperMom

08/06/2009

Agree with the posters who said to hang your clothes in sunlight; my DH is allergic to bleach, and I've found that there's nothing like the sun to brighten whites( and there's also the perk of saving a few bucks on the electric bill by using the line instead of the dryer!)

By

Hobneffle

08/06/2009

Lemon juice and baking soda in any wash cycle work wonders. I am careful about the lemon juice with bright colors, however. The baking soda can go with any load. I love it because the clothes always, always smell so fresh as well as come out so clean and bright!

By

JUNKYMUNKY

08/06/2009

Try using dishwasher detergent instead of chlorine bleach. Pre soaking in a tub of water with detergent mixed in helps.

By

mulberry204

08/06/2009

You could hang them to dry in the sun.

By

OliveOyl

08/04/2009

Try adding some borax or oxyclean to your detergent. If that's not possible, hang your wash to dry in bright sunlight--natural bleach.

A wonderful tip for getting clothes white if your out of bleach. Add white vinegar to the wash. I'm telling ya this works! Clean, fresh, and sparkling white.

Heidi

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RE: White Clothes Without Bleach

I did this the last time I did laundry, I'm potty training and wanted to get the urine smell out of his clothes. I think this actually did better than bleach as far as smell and whitening. (02/19/2006)

By Diana

RE: White Clothes Without Bleach

We too have started using vinegar instead of bleach, it doesn't tear down the clothes and gets the smell out wonderfully. (small children here too) (03/10/2006)

By Anna

RE: White Clothes Without Bleach

I have read before in Heloise's Hints vinegar is a great natural whitener. Never have found amounts to use. Would someone please advise how much vinegar to use in a standard large tub? (09/01/2006)

By Loretta

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Do you have any tips on washing white socks and underwear. The only thing I know of is not to wash white socks with anything else because it will yellow the underwear or anything white. I have someone that doesn't want to use bleach and would like to know what to do. I know Tide is good to keep things white but it is not good for sensitive skin.

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Does anyone have any tips of how to get white clothes whiter without using bleach? Mine get really dingy over time.

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