Do you always get white socks dirty after washing, even if you've only worn them once? Try these practical and easy cleaning tricks!
There is an option to use clever washing methods with common household products if white socks come out dirty after washing. Not only does this keep them looking new, but it also prevents the use of harmful chemicals that can damage more delicate textiles. Unfortunately, many people notice immediately after putting them on for the first time that such fabrics quickly discolor. This often happens on the heels or under the feet, which is usually due to different colored soles. Luckily, there's no reason to despair because you can take some of the following steps to get your socks sparkling white again.
What to do if white socks remain dirty after washing?
Everyone has at least one pair of common onesSports socks in white, which, however, may lose their original fresh appearance immediately after the first wash. It can be difficult to quickly and easily get gray and dirty socks back to snow white again in the washing machine. However, some tried and tested cleaning methods using home remedies have proven to be effective and you can try them yourself at home.
You don't even have to use expensive or aggressive substances such as bleach, because there are gentler and equally effective alternatives. To properly deal with white socks that are dirty after washing, you should make sure that you treat them properly. Here are some simple steps you can take:
- Always try to sort your pairs by material type and remove any coarse dirt before washing. To do this, you simply have to turn it inside out and shake it, and always use suitable detergent.
- In addition, you can improve the quality of the washing process by soaking socks in various cleaning solutions and washing them by hand. To do this, you can put lukewarm water below 30 degrees in a suitable container and leave the dirty pairs in it for at least 3 hours.
- It is also important to read the care instructions on the label in order to treat the socks according to the material they are made of.
- When washing in the washing machine, you can add a few spoonfuls of baking soda to the compartment as this home remedy acts as bleach.
- Another hack is to wash socks with tennis balls together, as there is friction between them, which optimizes the wash cycle.
Otherwise, you can use some home remedies for hand- and machine-washable socks to get rid of stains, unpleasant odors and other discolorations.
Soak white socks in sparkling water or treat with hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide can be very useful when washing white socks because the stuff eliminates sweat odors and can remove stubborn blood stains. Carbonated water, in which you can soak the socks for about 30 minutes, also has a similar effect. Follow the steps below to try these methods:
- Add approximately 150 ml of sparkling water to 1 liter of warm, but not hot, water and leave the socks in it for half an hour.
- Then put the socks in the washing machine drum and add some more sparkling water to the rinse compartment.
- Then start a normal wash cycle at a temperature of 40°C.
As already written, hydrogen peroxide can also help if white socks remain dirty after washing. Socks with stains from sweat, blood or gray discolored pairs can be effectively cleaned.
- To get pure white socks, you should first soak them overnight in a solution of 3 L of water and about 80 g of hydrogen peroxide.
- After that, rinse off the solution and then wash the socks in any way you like.
- You can also combine some toothpaste with hydrogen peroxide and apply it to stubborn stains. Then wash them with cold water in 20 minutes.
Use acetylsalicylic acid if white socks are dirty after washing
If your white socks are slightly faded and are no longer as snow-white as when they were new, you can also act with aspirin in the following ways:
- First crush 2 tablets of acetylsalicylic acid and mix them with some washing powder.
- Then add the mixture to the compartment of your washing machine and start the wash cycle in standard mode.
- You may also be able to add 3-4 tablets to the laundry drum and experiment with the dosage, as this will not harm your laundry.
- However, try not to use aspirin too frequently when doing other washing in the washing machine. The acid can damage the washing machine in large quantities.
- If handwashing, you can dissolve the same number of tablets in 3 liters of warm water, soak the socks overnight and wash them off the next morning.
Other substances that help whiten white socks
- Turpentine:You can restore even extremely washed socks to their original whiteness using turpentine. For pre-soaking you need 10-12 liters of water and 3 tablespoons of turpentine. Dip white underwear or socks into the solution and leave them in the solution for at least 3 hours. Then wash in the washing machine as usual, but set it to an additional rinse cycle.
- Ammonia:The stuff can be found in almost every medicine cabinet and can help wash heavily soiled white socks properly. To do this, you need to dissolve ammonia in water, 70-80 ml of it per 3 liters would be enough. Then soak the laundry in the solution for about 2 hours and then wash it, preferably by hand.
- boric acid:Before white socks remain dirty after washing, you can also soak them in another solution containing boric acid for 3 hours. To do this, use water and boric acid in a 10:1 ratio. This creates a cleaning effect because the acid attacks the dirt and the subsequentCleaning more effectivemight.
Follow additional tips if white socks are dirty after washing
- You should wash socks made of wool or synthetics using a gentler washing process than cotton. Also, do not soak them for too long and use temperatures that do not exceed 40°C.
- Washing powder is more suitable for synthetic socks, while gel is gentler for wool socks.
- If you want to prevent lint, you should also machine wash wool socks with conditioner and on a gentle cycle.
- You can even boil cotton socks with some washing powder in a pot by adding a few pieces of lemon to the boiling water. 10 minutes is enough for this, but you have to wash the socks afterwards.
- If white socks turn up dirty after washing, try not to dry them in the sun. This can cause yellowing, although drying wool socks on radiators could cause them to shrink. Also, do not wash these with hot water as they may shrink.
- You also shouldn't wear white socks if your insoles are dark.
- Also remove dust and dirt buildup from your shoes to avoid getting white socks dirty after washing.
- Also try to prevent sweaty feet so that they don't leave yellow stains on your socks.
The effect of the methods listed here may vary depending on the quality of the products used. If you don't get the desired results immediately after these tricks, you can repeat or combine the methods a few times until they work. However, avoid using bleach as it is too aggressive and often damages the fabric of the socks.
