How To Brighten White Clothes: 7 Effective Methods

by John Griffith Apr 25, 2023 @ 14:42

There is nothing more disappointing than taking out your favorite white t-shirt from the closet, only to find out that it isn’t all that white anymore. Now it’s dull, off-white and with stains. Yikes! While your first instinct may be to toss it and go buy another one, we are here to tell you that you can save yourself those extra bucks. You can easily bring back the shine in your favorite pieces of white clothing with our simple tips and tricks. We will show you how to brighten white clothes effortlessly and soon you will once again enjoy that pristine white shine.

There is nothing more disappointing than a dull, off-white, stained piece of clothing

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How To Brighten White Clothes
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How To Brighten White Clothes

Even if you take great care of your white pieces, be that clothing or linens, it is not unusual for them to yellow or become grayish over time. On the bright side, most white fabrics can easily be returned to their bright glory days. You just need to know how. That’s why today we will show you all the ways you can brighten your favorite white pieces, so you can enjoy them as soon as possible.

It is not unusual for white fabrics to yellow or become grayish over time

#Bleach

Bleach is a classic and effective brightening solution. In general, there are two types of bleach – chlorine and oxygen. Chlorine bleach is a good disinfectant, but it is really strong and can weaken your fabrics. Oxygen bleach is a milder, less toxic version of the chlorine bleach and is more suitable to use for whitening clothing. However, it’s not suitable for all fabrics. So, keep it away from wool, silk, and suede, as well as other more gentle fabrics like mohair. When using bleach always make sure to read the manufacture’s instructions on how much is the recommended amount before using it on your clothing to avoid any damage. Usually, clothing needs to be soaked in a solution of oxygen bleach and water before being washed in your normal cycle with your regular detergent.

In general, there are two main types of bleach – chlorine and oxygen

#White Vinegar

Adding distilled white vinegar to your laundry may seem crazy, but it actually has many benefits. One of them being the whitening effect. All you need to do is add a cup of white distilled vinegar into a gallon of hot water. Mix well and submerge your white clothing pieces into the mixture. Then let everything soak overnight. Once the clothing has soaked enough, you can wash it as you usually do. You can also start adding a cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle when you wash both white or colorful clothes as it will help cut through all the yucky detergent residue that usually causes clothing to have a dull look.

All you need to do is add a cup of white distilled vinegar into a gallon of hot water

#Hydrogen Peroxide

This wonderful whitener is the milder version of oxygen bleach. It is safe to use on all types of washable fabric, so it won’t ruin any of your favorite clothes. Make sure you use the three percent solution. You can find it at most drug stores. Just add a cup of hydrogen peroxide into your washers bleach dispenser and run your cycle. However, it’s very important that you use fresh hydrogen peroxide and that it fizzes when poured into a cup. If it is not, then it’s like you are adding plain water to the washer and it won’t do you any good.

This wonderful whitener is the milder version of oxygen bleach

#Baking Soda

What can’t baking soda do? This magical ingredient has uses far beyond baking, and whitening your clothes in one of them! There are several ways you can approach using baking soda to brighten your clothing. One way is to add the baking soda straight to your washer and clothes before starting the cycle. But don’t add it into the detergent dispenser as it can clog up. Another way you can use baking soda is to mix a cup of it with a gallon of boiling water. Remove the boiling mixture from the heat and add in the clothing. Then let the items soak for at least an hour (preferably overnight). And then wash as usual. The sodium bicarbonate will cut through the soil on the clothing that gives it that dull look.

This magical ingredient has uses far beyond baking, and whitening your clothes in one of them

#Laundry Whiteners

If you are looking for a super, super easy option, then choose laundry whiteners. They are literally designed to help brighten up your white fabrics. Laundry whiteners can also be used to remove color that may have bled onto the white clothes from other vibrant fabrics. Most laundry whiteners are used as a pre-treatment or in tandem with your normal detergent during the washing cycle, so the process is super simple. However, always make sure to carefully read the manufacturer instruction before using it as the dosage can vary from brand to brand.

If you are looking for a super, super easy option, then choose laundry whiteners

#Lemons

Lemons have a ton of uses around the home, especially when it comes to cleaning. Thanks to all the citric acid found in them, lemons do a great job at bleaching fabrics. They do an especially good job on cotton, linen, and polyester fabrics. So, if you have some leftover lemons, let’s put them to good use. You will need around four lemons. Squeeze half a cup of lemon juice and mix it into a gallon of hot water. Then add all your white laundry to the mixture. Let everything soak for around an hour, but you can leave it longer. Finally, just wash it as you normally would.

Lemons have a ton of uses around the home, especially when it comes to cleaning

#Borax

You can find borax at most supermarkets, which makes it easily accessible. Borax is a naturally occurring mineral in nature that has water-softening, antibacterial, antiseptic, and whitening properties. What a powerhouse! It’s also known to help boost the effectiveness of other detergents. All of these qualities make it an excellent helper in bringing back the shine in your white clothing. It’s also a great choice if you are washing cloth diapers as not only will it whiten them it will also neutralize the ammonia smell from all the pee. Just add half a cup of borax to every gallon of warm water in your washing to achieve that whitening effect. Make sure to soak for at least half an hour. Then wash as usual.

You can find borax at most supermarkets, which makes it easily accessible

These were all the methods on how to brighten white clothes so they look new again. We hope you found this article useful. Now you can bring the life and shine back into all your favorite white pieces.

These were all the methods on how to brighten white clothes so they look new again

John Griffith

John Griffith is a young, passionate journalist. Writing has been John’s hobby ever since he was a boy. He has worked in some of the UK’s most successful news portals over the course of his professional career but found his forever home at Archzine.