White T-shirts are part of the basic wardrobe, as they can be combined with different clothes. But only a clean thing looks stylish and neat. It is often quite difficult to achieve this, since over time the color of the products turns gray and yellowish appears. Housewives have to think about how to bleach a white T-shirt at home so as not to spoil the fabric and get a positive result. Many products are not suitable for items with prints or embroidery; each material reacts differently to chemicals.
Things to remember
- Choose a detergent based on the type of fabric. Chlorine-containing products are suitable for hand washing adult cotton clothing. Oxygen - for all types of fabrics, including children's and colored ones. Optical - only for white products.
- Do not boil something with a pattern or photo print, it will ruin it.
- Dry white clothes made from natural fabrics outdoors , and synthetic ones indoors.
- When washing, follow the temperature recommended by the manufacturer.
- Do not wash white items in hard water , the material will turn grey.
- Before washing, be sure to sort items by color (white-colored-black) and type of fabric (delicate-thick) so as not to spoil the color and material during washing.
- Wash the product immediately after soiling . Old stains are more difficult to remove.
Basic rules of whitening
Over time, white T-shirts become washed out, turn gray, and stains appear on them. Regular washing cannot solve these problems; you have to think about how to properly bleach a T-shirt. There are many methods, but not all of them are effective or safe. To choose the appropriate method, you need to consider several points.
The main thing is to determine the type of fabric. Most often, T-shirts are made of 100% cotton knitwear. This material is durable and can withstand even aggressive bleach. You can also boil such things and use traditional methods. Many people prefer to wash with “Whiteness”, but it is recommended to try it first on an inconspicuous area of the item, since if there are synthetic threads, the T-shirt can be ruined using such methods.
Knit T-shirts can lose their true color due to hard water, so it is recommended to add vinegar or citric acid to remove salts from them when washing.
Often white T-shirts are decorated with designs, prints or embroidery. It is undesirable to use chlorine for them, complete soaking. You need to wash T-shirts at home at temperatures up to 40 degrees, so boiling is also not suitable. Oxygen or optical brighteners are best. The latter are not suitable for drawings applied using the film method.
Determine fabric type
When washing with white, try it on an inconspicuous area.
For products with prints, do not use chlorine, completely soak
Wash at temperatures up to 40 degrees
Consider the type of contamination and how old it is
When choosing a method for bleaching a T-shirt, it is very important to consider the type of stain and the degree of its age. Many fresh stains can be easily washed off with warm water and laundry soap or using a washing machine. But if the T-shirt has lost color, has been stored for a long time or has faded, more effective methods are needed. Recommendations for housewives:
- If the item was washed with colored clothes and took on any shade, you need to soak it for half an hour in a saline solution - 1 tbsp. l. for 1 liter of cool water.
- Rust is removed with a solution of lemon juice - 1 tbsp. l. for 2 liters of water, soak for 10 minutes.
- Old tea or coffee stains should be rubbed with a cotton swab dipped in heated glycerin.
- If the T-shirt is stained with marker or ink, you need to soak it in hot milk for 2 hours, then wash it with laundry soap.
- Fruit stains can be easily removed with soda slurry.
Any bleaching method leads to tissue destruction, so it is not recommended to use it frequently.
When the item has taken on a colored tint, soak it in saline solution for half an hour.
Rust can be removed with a solution of lemon juice
Rub coffee stains with a cotton swab dipped in heated glycerin.
Soak traces of marker in hot milk and wash with laundry soap
Fruit stains can be removed with baking soda.
Effective Home Remedies
There are many recommendations on how to bleach a white T-shirt at home. Folk remedies are very effective. They are available and safe, the main thing is to follow the dosage. Whitening recommendations:
- T-shirts made of cotton or linen can be washed well with ammonia. It needs to be diluted in half with the usual one and applied to the stain. To refresh the color, you need to soak the item in a solution of ammonia and salt. To do this, you need 2 tbsp per 1 liter of water. l. these funds.
- Baking soda is a simple and safe whitening method. For 10 liters of water you need to add half a glass of lye. Things are soaked for 3-4 hours. More durable fabrics can be boiled for 30 minutes. To remove old stains, add 5 tbsp to the solution. l. ammonia.
- It is necessary to wash the T-shirt in the usual way, then dip it in a solution of boric acid. To do this you need to mix 1 tsp. products with 1 liter of water. Leave for half an hour, then rinse.
- Citric acid not only refreshes the color, but also softens the fabric. Dissolve 2 tbsp. l. of this powder in 5 liters of water. You can add another 30 g of detergent. Instead of acid, fresh lemon juice will also work.
- Dissolve a tablespoon of mustard powder in a liter of boiling water. Leave for half an hour, then drain the liquid, leaving a mustard residue. Soak the T-shirt in this water for 2-3 hours.
- Aspirin also effectively bleaches fabric. You need to dissolve 5-10 tablets in a bowl of hot water. Soak the item for an hour.
After using any traditional method, you must rinse the T-shirt thoroughly. Additionally, after this you can wash it in the machine with regular powder.
Ammonia
Soda
Boric acid solution
Lemon acid
Mustard powder
"Aspirin"
What's the best way to bleach a graphic T-shirt without going to the dry cleaner?
The design is applied to the product using thermal printing. This allows the paint to penetrate deeply into the fibers and last for a long time. Therefore, it is important to choose the right whitening method. Products with embroidery and bows should not be placed in hot water. Special bleaches are used for them and washed by hand. The following are suitable:
- Oxygen. It contains peroxide and soda. When combined with water, the product begins to release oxygen. It helps remove foreign odors and dirt.
- Optic. The white effect occurs due to reflective particles that cover the material. It will not be possible to restore an old T-shirt to its previous appearance, but it will be suitable for a slightly grayed product.
Basic methods
After choosing a product that matches the type of fabric and the characteristics of the stain, you need to decide on its use. There are different ways to bleach a white T-shirt at home. Soaking is most often used, since the longer the product lasts, the more effective it is. Boiling was popular back when there was little bleach, but high temperatures are contraindicated for synthetics, delicate fabrics or T-shirts with prints. Small stains can be removed by regular washing.
Soak
Using this method, you can effectively get rid of any stains and return the T-shirt to its whiteness. Depending on the type of fabric, soak it in hot or cool water. Items with prints or embroidery are not recommended to be completely immersed in the bleach solution. Delicate fabrics do not soak for long.
The peculiarity of this bleaching method is that the selected product is diluted in a basin, then a white T-shirt is immersed in it and left for a certain time. Usually the item is soaked for 2-3 hours. Durable cotton items can be left in the solution overnight, but for synthetics, 10-20 minutes is enough. After soaking, you need to rub the stain with a soft brush and rinse the item several times. If necessary, you can load it into the machine without processing and wash it.
It is not recommended to keep T-shirts in a solution of chlorine bleach for more than half an hour, as it damages the fibers.
Dilute the chosen product
Immerse the T-shirt and leave it for a certain time
Wipe off the stain, rinse the item several times
Boiling
This is the most affordable, but aggressive method of whitening. It is used for durable cotton fabrics and children's items. With the help of boiling, you can achieve not only removing stains and restoring color, this procedure also disinfects.
For the process, you need to pour water into an enamel bucket or basin, add washing powder or shavings of laundry soap. For 1 kg of laundry, take at least 10 liters of liquid. To get rid of yellowness or old stains, you can add 2-3 tablespoons of “Whiteness” or other chlorine bleach.
The shirt is immersed in water, then the container is placed on the stove. It is worth noting that if you immerse the product in a boiling solution, the stains may become embedded in the fabric. The water needs to be brought to a boil, constantly stirring and turning things over. Boil T-shirts for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Sometimes it is recommended for light contamination to bring the water to 100 degrees and turn off the heat and leave to cool. After boiling, rinse the T-shirts in clean water.
Pour water into a bucket, add washing powder
Immerse the T-shirt in water, bring to a boil, stir and turn the item over
Rinse in clean water
Wash
If you don't have enough time to soak or boil, you can try bleaching white items in the washing machine. This method is more suitable for clothes made of cotton and linen. You need to add bleach along with the powder and set the intensive wash mode. The temperature should be at least 60-70 degrees.
Delicate fabrics can be damaged by intensive washing. In addition, it does not remove old stains very well. To increase the effectiveness of the procedure, before loading things into the drum, you can soap the contaminated area with laundry soap or apply bleach. This is especially recommended for collars and areas under the arms.
If the T-shirt is made of delicate fabric or synthetics, you can wash the product by hand. This method is also suitable for removing fresh stains. Wash in a solution of powder or bleach. A thin T-shirt can be rubbed with laundry soap and rinsed under the tap.
Add bleach along with the powder
Set to intensive wash mode
Before loading things into the drum, soap the contaminated area with soap.
Wash a T-shirt made of delicate fabric or synthetics by hand in a powder solution
Professional bleaches
It's hard not to get lost among the variety of industrial bleaches. All products are divided into three groups based on their composition.
Chlorine-containing
Inexpensive, with a disinfecting effect, but aggressive. Excessive use of bleach leads to thinning of the fibers. Chlorine bleach often causes allergies and respiratory spasms.
Optical
They do not remove dirt from the fibers, but impregnate the fabric with reflective particles. After washing, white fabric looks fresher.
Oxygen
These are hypoallergenic compounds with active oxygen, which, unlike chlorine, are suitable for most fabrics.
Mixed fabric type
Modern designers, when making sports polo shirts, can add other materials to cotton, such as lycra. In this case, the products become more elastic, while maintaining the basic qualities of cotton in the form of good moisture absorption and air permeability.
For such fabrics, only hand washing is permissible, without strong chemicals and mechanical influence.
They should not be twisted when squeezing and should not be ironed with a hot iron.
Polyester is often added to cotton, then you can wash such a T-shirt in a washing machine, turning on the “synthetic” mode with a temperature of up to 60 degrees, without spinning.
Special formulations
Sometimes there is no time to use folk remedies, or they do not help. Then you need to think about how to bleach a white T-shirt at home quickly. Ready-made products will come to the rescue; you just need to dilute them with water according to the instructions or add them to the washing machine along with the powder.
Chlorine bleaches are considered the most effective. They are very aggressive and, if used frequently, destroy fabric fibers. Subtle matter cannot be purified in this way. It is not recommended to use chlorine bleach in your washing machine. They are often sold in liquid, gel, or powder form. The most famous: “Whiteness”, ACE Brilliant, Sanfor.
They are used as a last resort when the stain or yellowness cannot be removed by other means. When bleaching, you must first dilute the product in water, and only then dip the item. Do not apply pure bleach to fabric. The product should be diluted according to the instructions, without exceeding the recommended dosage and soaking time. When washing, hands must be protected with gloves.
Chlorine bleaches not only destroy synthetic threads, they can fix dirt and gray deposits on such fabrics.
Oxygen bleaches are safer; they do not destroy fabric and do not cause allergies. They can be used for hand and machine washing of products made from any materials. They are even suitable for T-shirts with embroidery or colored prints. Popular products include Persol, Bos, Oxygen, Mister Dez, Vanish Oxi Action.
Optical brighteners do not actually change the underlying color of the fabric. They contain particles with reflective properties that remain between the fibers of the fabric, creating a shining effect. Such bleaches are not suitable for T-shirts with designs and prints, as they do not help remove stains or yellowing. The most commonly used products are Tricolor, Heitmann, Vanish, and sometimes optical brightener is added to the powder.
Chlorine bleaches
Oxygen
Optical
Precautionary measures
Precautionary measures will help you avoid troubles, fading of light-colored T-shirts, and staining. In order not to spoil the item, you should follow these tips:
- Always sort your clothes by color at home before bleaching/washing. This will help avoid staining.
- You should only use products that will not damage the fabric. Choose options based on the type of material. Follow the instructions carefully.
- You should iron your T-shirt at home after bleaching carefully. High temperature will lead to the formation of yellowness and grayness of the fabric.
- Dry in the shade, avoiding direct sunlight. The sun will lead to fading and the appearance of yellow and gray spots.
- Store white T-shirts, socks, and underwear separately from colored ones to avoid staining.
At home, proper care and care for light-colored wardrobe items will preserve the snow-white shine for a long time. Abuse of frequent washing will lead to loss of attractiveness; the T-shirt will remain lying on the shelf, collecting dust.
The article has been verified by the editors
Preparation and tips
To preserve the original color, white wardrobe items should not be washed together with other items, even if they are light. You need to iron from the wrong side. Before ironing, check the cleanliness of the soleplate of the iron.
Washing water should be soft. You must follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer. It is recommended to dry white T-shirts outdoors if they are made from natural materials, and indoors if they are made from synthetic materials. Store in a dry cabinet and ventilate it periodically.
How to get rid of yellowness
It often happens that white T-shirts turn yellow. This can happen after long-term storage or frequent use of chlorine bleach. Also, yellow stains often appear from the iron, if the scale is not cleaned, or from sweat. You can remove them and return things to their whiteness using folk remedies:
- A yellowed T-shirt is bleached using 3% hydrogen peroxide. The item is soaked in warm water, then this product is applied to the stains. The peroxide reacts with the contaminant and begins to fizz. After 20 minutes the item must be washed.
- This solution helps well against yellow spots: add a bar of grated 72% laundry soap to 10 liters of hot water. Bring to a boil and add a glass of slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate. Turn off the heat and dip the yellowed T-shirts into the liquid. Close the lid and leave for 6-7 hours.
- Soaking in this solution is effective: take 10 tbsp per 10 liters of water. l. soda and 60 ml of ammonia. Leave the T-shirt in the solution for 2-2.5 hours.
There are many ways to bleach white T-shirts. Some are safe, while others can spoil the material. You should try to wash away stains immediately and follow the recommendations for caring for white clothes.
Hydrogen peroxide
Laundry soap and potassium permanganate
Soda and ammonia
How to bleach a knitted white T-shirt with minimal destruction of the fabric
Cotton, which is part of knitted items, can withstand the effects of aggressive agents, therefore many methods are suitable for it. It is important to study the composition of the T-shirt material. It will be possible to maintain its shape and quality if at least half of the item consists of natural cotton fibers. You can use:
- Chlorine. Not in its pure form, but only products in which it is present. Bleach or other bleach is mixed with water. The T-shirt is soaked in the resulting mixture for 20 minutes, then it needs to be rinsed.
- Boiling. The product should be immersed in water and boiled.
- Ammonia. It is mixed with water and the product is soaked in the resulting solution. Knitwear will fully withstand the described composition.
