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Gray laundry? Stiftung Warentest has tested what really helps - and the result is clear: only two methods bring radiant white back.
Do you know that? After a few washes, your favorite T-shirt or the cozy white towels suddenly don't look so fresh, but have got an unsightly gray bleed? Super annoying! After all, white should remain white.
But why does that actually happen - and what really helps?Stiftung WarentestThe whole thing has looked closely at, and the result is clear: Most home remedies do not bring much, but two methods really work.
Why does white laundry become gray?
The gray breis is often caused by the following errors when washing:
False detergent: Liquid detergent or gel capsules often do not contain any brighteners or bleaching agents that let white shine again.
Too little detergent: If you dose too sparingly, dirt particles get stuck in the laundry and sit down on the fibers again.
Mix colorful and white laundry: Even very light colorful can hand in fine color pigments - and your white doesn't look so fresh anymore.
Reading tip:
Too low temperature: Fat and dirt residues do not dissolve properly in cold water and sit down.
White laundry with gray lodge: what really helps?
There are countless household tips that promise to make white laundry shine again. Stiftung Warentest tested the most common of them - with a surprising result. Only these two means really help:
1. Linen and white cloths
These special towels (Order here from Amazon)* Contain optical brighteners that lie on the fibers when washing and make the laundry appear brighter. The gray bar is concealed, the laundry looks fresher directly. However, only the optics are improved - the dirt particles that have led to the gray veil remain in the fibers.
2. A good fully detergent in powder form
According to Stiftung Warentest, a high-quality full-detergent powder is the best choice to keep white laundry radiant in the long term. It contains surfactants for dirt removal as well as bleach and optical brightener against graying. Important: Always dosing properly, because too little detergent ensures that dirt particles break off again.
Finger away from lemon juice & baking powder!
Many swear by home remedies such as lemon juice or baking powder to lighten gray laundry again. But Stiftung Warentest could not find a big impact. Neither soaking in citric acid nor washing with baking powder brought the desired success. Chlorine cleaners are also not a good alternative - they burden the environment and can attack the fabrics.
So white remains white
So that your white laundry doesn't even gray, these simple tricks help:
- Just wash white with white
- Use a good powder detergent
- Select the correct temperature - at least 40 ° C, better 60 ° C (depending on the material)
- Was not too economical - otherwise dirt will settle on the fibers
- Linen and white towels as an extra boost-help visually, but do not replace good detergent
It is difficult to get gray laundry again - but with the right methods possible. How do you see that? Have you already tested the tips presented here or do you swear by your own home remedy? Please write us your tipsFacebookorInstagram.
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