White clothing suits everyone and most of us have at least one white t-shirt or shirt in our wardrobe. Sooner or later, however, the fabrics lose their bright white color and begin to fade. Stains are no stranger to white clothing and can be really stubborn. If white textiles are washed correctly, their color can be retained significantly longer. Today we give practical tips on how to properly wash white laundry and protect it from color fading. You can also find a few tips and tricks about how to use bleach correctly in the article.
White is a symbol of purity and has a special place in our wardrobe. This is not only the color of the wedding dress, but also one of the best colors for summer. In the hot season, white clothing should keep you cool and is preferable to black. The white shirts are also a classic for office wear.
One of the disadvantages of white textiles is their susceptibility to stains. However, this does not mean that the white fabric gets dirty more easily, but rather that even small spots and impurities on white immediately catch the eye. Fortunately, there are some methods that help us keep the white color longer. To do this, you should first consider some tips for washing and bleaching white laundry.
Do you have to bleach white laundry?
The very first question you ask yourself before washing is what temperature is the right one. So at how many degrees should you wash white laundry? However, there is no clear answer here, because the washing temperature is closely related to the material of the laundry. For example, laundry made of cotton or linen should be washed at 60 degrees, although a washing temperature of 95 degrees is also possible for bed linen, underwear, towels, etc. However, if it is synthetic fabrics, silk or wool, then 30 to 40 degrees is usually fine. It is important to always pay attention to the manufacturer's care instructions. However, if the laundry is white, then always set the washing machine to the maximum permitted temperature.
Even if washed carefully, white clothing will begin to lose its bright white color over time. Gray haze, sweat stains and even yellowish discoloration from deodorant or perfume form. Bleaching can help with these problems. The chemical products most commonly used are oxygen and chlorine bleach. Chemical bleaches are very effective and easy to use, but can be harmful to the environment. In fact there are toosome home remedies, which can also be used to bleach clothing.
Tips for bleaching laundry
1. Before you bleach the respective item of clothing, check the care instructions. If an empty triangle is depicted on it, then any bleaching is permitted. However, if the triangle is crossed, bleaching and washing with detergents that contain bleach are prohibited.
2. If you want to bleach a garment for the first time, it is recommended to do a test on an invisible area. This could be the inside of the collar or the cuff, for example. Here's how to determine whether you can safely use bleach.
3. Once you have run the sample, run the wash cycle as usual. If you use bleach, add it to the detergent at the beginning according to the manufacturer's instructions. If bleach containing chlorine is used, add the appropriate amount to the main wash compartment 5 minutes after the start of the wash cycle.
4. Finally, dry the laundry as usual.
To keep the white color of your clothes longer, you shouldhandle the laundry properly. There are a few tips and tricks to prevent fabrics from fading and ensure sparkling white laundry. We summarize these below.
1. Wash white clothing after wearing it once or twice
Even if you don't see it right away, dirt and sweat can turn white textiles gray or yellow over time. And since more dirt collects with every wear, it is recommended to wash the white items of clothing after every other wear at the latest.
2. Remove stains as early as possible
FreshnessCoffee stainsor ketchup can be discovered immediately and removed with a suitable agent. However, when it comes to sweat stains, they only become visible after some time. That's why you can preventively treat armpit stains from deodorant and sweat with a suitable stain spray. Simply spray the area and let the product sit for 15 minutes before washing the t-shirt or shirt.
3. Always wash white laundry separately
Although this may seem obvious, you should always sort your laundry carefully. Under no circumstances should you wash colored laundry and white laundry together, especially at high temperatures. If a few light-colored (but not white) clothes occasionally end up in the white laundry, you can use color and dirt traps.
4. Use detergent containing bleach
When buying detergent for white laundry, pay attention to products that contain bleach. In this way, you bleach the clothes every time you wash them and additional bleaching is usually unnecessary.
5. Use the right amount of detergent
Overuse and underuse of detergent can leave white fabrics gray and dirty. That's why you must always follow the instructions on the packaging.
6. Do not overload the washing machine
Many people refill their washing machine as much as possibleto save time and energy. However, this can be unfavorable for the laundry because it cannot be washed completely. There should be enough space in the drum for water and detergent, so the machine should never be overloaded. Please also note that some programs allow a lower load.
7. Wash white laundry at the maximum permitted washing temperature
As mentioned above, the washing temperature for white laundry should be the maximum permitted. Follow the label instructions and you can't go wrong.
8. Dry laundry according to the manufacturer's instructions
Drying also plays an important role for white clothing. Leaving clothes in the dryer for too long can cause them to look worn out over time. Set the dryer to an auto program that stops immediately when the clothes are dry.
9. Follow these tips when washing bed linen and towels
This means your bed linen always stays sparkling white and the towels soft and fluffy.