Do you have yellowed shirts, t-shirts, pants, or sheets that you're not ready to throw away yet? There are various ways that you can try to make the clothes shine again. Several methods have the potential to damage delicate fabrics, so make sure you use the one that works best for the type of clothing you are bleaching. Refer to Step 1 onwards for instructions on bleaching using bleach and certain chemicals or other natural household cleaning agents.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Using Bleach and Other Chemicals
Step 1. Use chlorine bleach to treat white clothes
Chlorine bleach is a strong bleach, but it is only used for white clothes. If you have patterned or colorful clothes, use a method other than chlorine bleach. Here's how to use chlorine bleach:
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Check your clothing labels to make sure that using chlorine bleach is safe enough
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Start washing with laundry soap as usual
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Add 3/4 cup of chlorine bleach to the water
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Enter the clothes to be bleached.
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Step 2. Use non-chlorine bleach to wash clothes of any color
Non-chlorine bleach uses oxygen or hydrogen peroxide to bleach many types of fabrics. This material is softer so it's safer for fabrics that aren't safe with chlorine bleach. There are several brands of non-chlorine bleach on the market. Here's how to use non-chlorine bleach:
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Check your clothing labels to make sure that using non-chlorine bleach is safe enough
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Make a non-chlorine bleach solution by following the directions on the bottle/package
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Soak your clothes in the solution overnight
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Wash as usual the next day
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Add 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar to the washing machine for rewashing and increasing the brilliance of your clothes.
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Step 3. Use non-chlorine bleach to remove stains
You can clean smaller stains with non-chlorine bleach or hydrogen peroxide. Try to clean the stain before it dries and clean as much as you can. Here's how to clean stains effectively:
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Pour non-chlorine bleach or hydrogen peroxide on a fresh stain, and soak it completely
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Let the garment soak in a non-chlorine bleach/water solution overnight
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Wash the clothes as usual the next day
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Step 4. Use a "blau" solution (bluish bleach)
The liquid is a combination of ferric ferrocyanide compounds and water. This material can brighten white fabrics/clothes by adding a little "blau", and can reduce the yellowish hue of shirts, t-shirts, socks and other materials.
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Liquid "blau" must be mixed with cold water according to the instructions on the package. You'll only need 1/4 to 1/8 teaspoon, depending on your washing cycle.
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Method 2 of 2: Using Natural Household Cleaning Ingredients
Step 1. Use sunlight as a bleach
Wash cotton and linen fabrics, tablecloths and various types of white clothing. After that, dry all the laundry in direct sunlight. Hang clothes etc. on a clothesline or spread it out on a surface in the yard and let the sun bleach it. Ultra Violet (UV) rays from the sun will brighten all materials well.
Step 2. Try using lemon juice
When washing, add 1/2 cup of lemon juice to the laundry soap solution. Lemon is an excellent natural bleach. However, be careful because this material can leave white marks on colored fabrics/clothes. It is best to use lemon juice only for all white materials/clothing.
Step 3. Add 1/2 cup of baking soda to your laundry detergent solution
This ingredient is a very natural bleach that you might normally keep in your kitchen cupboards. To remove stubborn stains from white clothes, rub some baking soda paste (a mixture of baking soda and water) on the area.
Step 4. Use "borax
"Sodium borate or better known as "borax" is a natural mineral that can help break down the stains that cause yellowing of fabrics/clothes. Add 1/2 cup of the "borax" solution to the washing machine in the first wash cycle, for best effect.
Step 5. Use distilled vinegar
Pour 1 cup of distilled white vinegar into the washing machine and mix it with your regular laundry soap. This is a great way to make your gloomy outfit look brilliant again.
Tips
- Choose a special laundry soap for bleaching clothes and use it regularly for best results.
- Wash white fabrics/clothes regularly and use cold water to prevent stains/dirt from permanently staying and yellowing your clothes.
Warning
- Be careful not to mix cleaning chemicals, as the results may not meet your expectations and also have the potential to produce harmful fumes.
- Avoid pouring bleach directly on the surface of the clothes, as this can cause discoloration. Dissolve the bleach in the water before loading the laundry or use the bleach dispenser on your washing machine.
- Do not use "blau" (blue bleach) with fabric softener or bleach.
- Never mix bleach with ammonia, nor ammonia with laundry soap that contains bleach.
- Do a bleach product test and how to use it on hidden parts of your clothes (when you put them on you can't see them) to make sure they don't damage your fabric/clothing.
