Washing
Do you wash bright items separately? Very well, because it’s essential. However, sometimes this is not enough to enjoy snow-white clothes for years. The eternal enemies of white clothes are hard water and washing powder residue. How can you improve the quality of your water? Pour a glass of vinegar into your washing machine drawer (instead of fabric softener).
Washing powder, on the other hand, can be replaced by more gentle detergents. These include, for example, eco-friendly washing balls or washing gels with a mild formulation. When washing white clothes, choose detergents designed for this purpose. These contain substances that keep the white pure.
Where to start? Check the recommendations on the label
When preparing white clothes for washing, you probably mix different fabrics and knits. In these situations, it can be difficult to know what temperature to choose. If, of the clothes you put in the drum, some are recommended to be washed at 30°C and others at a slightly higher temperature, it is best to wash them separately. If you set the whole washing to 40°C, more delicate fabrics may be damaged.
The same will happen if you add white socks to the washing of white items. The dust and dirt they contain will be transferred to the laundry bath during washing, and from there they can penetrate other materials and cause them to turn grey. This may not be visible to the naked eye after the first wash, but it will be after a number of washes, which is why you should also wash your socks separately.
Kitchen products to the rescue of white
There are also other ways to prevent white clothes from turning grey and yellow or to restore their freshness. And most importantly, we are not talking about detergents. Baking soda, baking powder, lemon or hydrogen peroxide are enough. Here are some proven methods:
- You can apply a paste of baking soda to spot stains or yellowing. Simply add 2 tablespoons of baking soda to 2 tablespoons of water. You can also add baking soda to the washing machine, which will get rid of stains better and make fabrics softer. Baking soda not only removes stains but also prevents fabrics from turning grey.
- Lemon juice will work as well – slice one lemon and pour boiling water over it. Soak your clothes in the dilution for about an hour before washing. Make sure that the temperature of the liquid does not exceed the temperature recommended on the label.
- Another solution to the problem of greying whites is to soak your clothes in water with baking powder or baking soda before washing, at the temperature indicated on the label. After a few dozen of minutes (or about half an hour), you can wash the clothes as directed. But beware – this method only works with robust cotton or linen fabrics that can withstand high temperatures well.
- Clothes with persistent dirt can be soaked in water with hydrogen peroxide (3% hydrogen peroxide dilution) before washing. The dilution effectively removes stains and yellowing, e.g. from the collar of a white shirt, as well as stubborn perspiration marks. For smaller stains, half a cup of hydrogen peroxide can be poured directly into the washing machine drum.
- Beware of chemical bleaches, especially when you want to get rid of stains on cotton or polyester – under their influence, white material very often turns yellow and the fibres are weakened. After such washing, it will be impossible to restore the natural whiteness of the fabrics.
Ironing white clothes
Remember to shake the fabric before hanging it up. It will then stretch out slightly, making it easier to iron later.
Ironing white clothes is… easy! Just follow the general rules and only pick up the iron after turning the fabric inside out. Set the temperature at 120-150°C for wool, 90-120°C for viscose, silk and polyester, 180-220°C for linen and 150-180°C for cotton. For more delicate fabrics (e.g. viscose), iron through a cloth – this will prevent fibres from damage.
White is a colour that requires special care. However, maintaining the perfect snowy shade of white is possible – especially now that you have everything in black and… white.
All photos are the property of MOHITO.
