50 shades of white: the best ways to whiten things

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Probably, each of us has encountered the problem that clothes don’t look very neat after washing. Even the latest model of washing machine is not always capable of producing high-quality washing, thanks to which things would have a pleasant, rather than faded and washed out appearance. It’s already unpleasant to use them, and not everyone has enough money for new ones. That's why we're going to tell you a few secrets on how to wash washed bedding, such as greasy sheets or yellowed pillowcases, so that it ends up looking like new.

Proper washing technology is the key to success

Do I need to soak laundry before washing it in the washing machine? The first thing you should pay attention to is the correctness of the process of washing bed linen. Of course, an automatic machine greatly simplifies the life of every housewife, because you just need to load things into it and turn on the desired cycle. However, the results of such washing are not always satisfactory. Therefore, to prevent collapses in the future, it is very important to wash dirty bed linen correctly.

This process consists of the following stages:

1. Pre-soak using bleaches (for whites) or stain removers (for coloreds).
2. Boiling using modern household chemicals.

But if, nevertheless, something went wrong and your bed linen has lost its color and turned yellow-gray, we offer you a number of effective methods that will help solve the problem.

How to boil white fabrics correctly?

Digestion or boiling in modern conditions is not as popular as it was before, but the method is still effective and is worth taking note of.

Particularly dirty items should be soaked before placing in the machine.

To boil at home you need:

• large enameled or galvanized container without damage or rust;
• wooden stick;
• iron tongs;
• auxiliary cleaning preparations.

Advice! When boiling, you should close the container with a lid, this minimizes the risk of boiling water splashing to the sides.

Modern means

Today, household chemical stores sell a lot of products that will help you wash washed bedding and restore its attractive appearance and softness.

Laundry soap

Thanks to this product, you can not only remove various stains, but also wash old things. You can simply rub them with laundry soap and leave them in this state for a couple of days, or pre-soak them for several hours in a soap solution and then boil them.

Important! Laundry soap is, in principle, considered a universal remedy for any kind of pollution. Find out why in our article “What is laundry soap made from?”

White

When bleaching white bed linen, unfortunately, you cannot do without this product, as it helps to cope with yellowness and gray washed-out tints. “Whiteness” copes with its tasks so effectively that housewives often add it directly to the powder tray of the washing machine. Or you can use it in another way to be sure to get the expected result. You just have to set aside time for this. Read how to properly boil things with whiteness and more.

Important! “Whiteness” is a rather aggressive product that significantly shortens the “life” of your things.

Dishwashing liquid or Domestos

These two products are also aimed at removing yellowness and whitening bed linen. They are very effective, and at the same time they are much more careful with things, unlike “Whiteness”. They can be used both for pre-soaking and directly during the washing process.

Important! When you have successfully solved the problem with washing, you also need to properly iron the bed linen. To make this process not too tedious for you, read detailed instructions on how to quickly iron your bed linen.

Universal industrial stain removers: table

If you trust store-bought products more, you can choose from the list the one that is suitable specifically for your situation.

Important: before using an industrial stain remover, you need to study the instructions and follow the instructions in them exactly. Otherwise, the laundry may be damaged.

Folk ways to deal with washed laundry

Despite the lack of washing machines and expensive modern laundry detergents, the bed linen of our grandmothers and mothers was snow-white and smelling pleasant. So what is the secret of such success? There are several very effective methods that our parents actively used and thanks to which the problem of how to wash washed bed linen simply did not arise.

Baking powder or starch

This is a great way to return your pillowcase, duvet cover and sheets to their former whiteness and freshness. To do this, you need to soak the laundry in a solution that is prepared in the ratio of 1-2 tablespoons of starch or baking powder per 5 liters of water.

Important! When rinsing laundry in a starch solution, you don’t have to rinse it in clean water later. Starch will give it smoothness and pleasant softness.

Another option is to put the starch directly into the washing machine drum. Most of those who have tried this method praise it and say that the effect is no worse than when rinsing in a solution.

Boric acid

This remedy can be easily found at the pharmacy. It is used by housewives to enhance the cleanliness of things and is a kind of “conditioner” during the rinsing process. To do this, 1-2 tablespoons of boric acid must be diluted in 3 liters of fairly warm, but not hot water. Finally, rinse the laundry in clean water.

Important! Please note that the process of rinsing things should take 3-10 minutes, no more.

Ammonia

In especially severe cases, when washing washed bed linen, ammonia can come to your aid. This product is very effective when pre-soaked. The most important thing is that the water is hot enough, about 70 degrees.

Important! Try not to use ammonia alone, but add various additives to the rinsing solution, such as salt, hydrogen peroxide or baking soda.

In addition, a solution with ammonia is very effective in boiling down bed linen. The most important thing is not to be in the kitchen at this moment, as harmful fumes are released that can harm your health.

Hydroperide or hydrogen peroxide

These two products will help you return washed bed linen to its former and attractive appearance. The essence of this method is that you need to dissolve 200 milliliters of hydrogen peroxide or 10 hydroperide tablets in 3 liters of water and soak the bed linen in the prepared solution.

Important! To enhance the effect, you can add 1 teaspoon of salt or baking soda.

Soda and salt

These two ingredients are found in every housewife's everyday life. In addition to their nutritional properties, soda and salt can whiten washed bed linen. In its pure form, soda can be added directly to the washing machine, and for pre-soaking it is best mixed with shavings from laundry soap and hydrogen peroxide.

Important! Please note that the solution must be very hot.

The laundry is soaked in this solution for several hours, after which it is washed as usual.

Household chemicals

The first step is to resort to the simplest method - wash things in an automatic machine . Which product to add depends on the origin of the stains and the degree of contamination. You should not trust everything that is written on the packaging; the powder is called only for lip service. Unfortunately, there is no composition that will help remove absolutely any dirt. Therefore, you will have to stock up on different active agents - both dry and liquid.

Washing powders are designed for various degrees and types of dirt. One should be used if a fresh wine stain cannot be removed, the other for old stains from grease. Without extensive knowledge of chemistry, it is unlikely that you will be able to figure out the composition on your own, but you can always study information about the main ingredients.

Biopowders are very effective, but their cost is quite high. When using this product, it is worth remembering that enzymes do not work in hot water. They will simply stop performing their task.

You also cannot mix different dry laundry compositions in the hope of getting a “universal soldier.” This only reduces the effectiveness of each of them.

General recommendations for bleaching items

To preserve the original whiteness of things, adhere to the following rules:

• do not soak for a long time and do not wash things at temperatures above 40 °C if they have metal elements;
• do not bleach things with rusty stains - as a result, the entire fabric will acquire a red tint;
• be sure to read the information on the tags;
• shake out the laundry before washing to avoid getting foreign objects;
• sort things. Wash white linen separately from dark and colored items, wool and silk separately from cotton and linen;
• wash new items separately;
• To prevent things from fading, pre-soak them in a solution of table salt. Salt has a fixing effect on paint;
• Remove only completely dry laundry; wet fabric is prone to grayness and streaks.

Snow-white things look neat, beautiful and solemn

Take care of your laundry from the first wash, bleach it correctly, and you will maintain its crystal whiteness for a long time. We hope that our tips will be useful to you. Share your experiences and impressions in the comments.

Boiling

Boiling, although outdated, is an effective way to bleach cotton linen. Dilute the powder or soap shavings in an enamel bucket, place the laundry, and boil for 1 hour. Stir the laundry periodically with wooden tongs.

Many housewives use boiling to bleach children's clothes.

Use of whiteness

Bleach and other chlorine-containing products are only suitable for bleaching cotton and linen. When using bleach, wear gloves and a protective mask.

Dilute the white in water (1 tablespoon per 3 liters of water), add powder or soap, and soak the laundry for 20 minutes. Rinse the laundry and wash it in the traditional way.

Bleach items no more than once every 2-3 washes, otherwise the linen will lose strength.

Basic rules and preparation

Before we talk about how to wash white linen, you need to know a few simple rules that will help you avoid making serious mistakes in the future. First of all, you should not allow light-colored laundry to be washed together with gray, dark or colored items. It must be washed separately! In addition, light-colored clothes will need to be separated by type of fabric, since there are different standards for washing different materials. They are processed in water of different temperatures and the presence of different washing and bleaching agents.

Another important factor to remember is to never immerse dirty laundry in boiling water. This will cause the stains to penetrate even deeper into the fabric and will be very difficult to remove without damaging its structure. If the laundry is too dirty, then before washing it must be soaked and left for several hours. At the same time, bleaches, stain removers and washing powder are added to a bowl of cold water.

For washing in hard water, it is recommended to use softening agents such as Domol or Calgon or powders containing similar components. When washing by hand, you can add regular baking soda.

Using various bleaches, you need to know what things can be bleached with one or another product. For example, linen and cotton fabrics can be washed using bleach or bleaching agents based on it. Other materials will require milder products.

If white washing is carried out in a machine, it is worth periodically diagnosing it. Heating elements may form thick scale and drain hoses may become clogged. This will disrupt the proper operation of the machine and the rinsing mode. Subsequently, the quality of washing will be unsatisfactory.