Ever looked at someone wearing a flawless white shirt and wondered how they do that? How do they make their white look so clean and bright? We’ve all been there, and we all know how our white clothes can make us struggle.
These sartorial pieces are somehow the most versatile pieces in our whole wardrobe. And we can’t afford to lose them just because we couldn’t maintain the white colour. That’d be too sad! So, what do we do?
To avoid your whites turning grey and dingy, make sure you maintain them the right way.
Just White Load
Many fabrics are not colourfast and if you mix those clothes with your whites, be ready to wear your not-so-white t-shirt the next time. Washing whites means ‘just whites’. We recommend separating the white clothes from different coloured clothes. It is necessary if you don’t want them to transfer the colour onto each other.
Also, with a smaller load, the result is more achievable. We know the bigger load helps us get rid of the mess earlier, but it won’t help you get a clean result. With bigger loads, the space to get rid of the dirt is lesser. So, which one is more important to you?
Pro tip: Turn your white clothes inside out before tossing them in the washing machine. That keeps the outside of the garment fresh.
Detergent Matters
We know you might have heard already that the type of detergent matters. But you know where the actual problem lies? It’s not in the type of detergent you use, but it’s the amount that really matters. The job of the detergent is to get rid of the dirt from the clothes. If there isn’t enough powder in the water, you might just wear dirty clothes all over again.
Also, going overboard with the amount of detergent can be an issue. What have we been doing without this information all these years? If you put excess detergent, the residue can attract the dirt back and make your clothes dirty. We tried washing our clothes according to the measurement given on the container and we saw the difference.
So, make sure you put enough detergent, and your load is rinsed well at the end. That way your whites completely do away with any form of dirt. Bottom line? Read the instructions!
Following The Science
If we get into technicalities, we have a lot to cover. So, let’s start with the water temperature. Looking into details, 120 degrees Fahrenheit temperature works the best when it comes to removing the dirt. Here, you will have to consider the fabric and then go ahead with your laundry day.
If you are about to wash a delicate fabric, just make sure the water you take is lukewarm and not boiling hot. However, you can take the water at a higher temperature for washing robust cotton fabric. So, if you have a meeting the next day and you want a bright white shirt to impress, put it in hot water for the crisp white look.
To Bleach Or Not To?
Some of us wash our clothes after one wear and the rest of us put them in the laundry after 2-3 wears. However, when it comes to our beautiful white clothes, make sure you wash them after one wear, and at max two wears. Even if you can’t see or smell the dirt, our body oils do stick to the fabric which needs to be removed.
Also, we know people go gaga with the fabric bleach when it comes to keeping our whites bright, but according to a study, bleach breaks down spandex (synthetic fibres). So, if you want to go ahead with the bleach, try it with your natural fabric clothes.
Pro Tip: Buy bleach that doesn’t contain chlorine. Bleach with chlorine can turn even your 100% cotton whites into yellow. Do you want to see that happening? We hope the answer is no.
Drying It The Best Way
Putting your whites in the dryer and drying it too much can damage the yarn and it eventually affects the colour of the garment. The preferred way to dry it is to take it out damp and put it out in the sun. According to a study, the ultraviolet rays of the sun help in brightening the garment.
That way, you can avoid ironing some of your clothes. Also, when it comes to ironing, keep the temperature low with whites. High temperature can cause stains and yellowish residue.
Have you been taking care of your whites enough? We hope these effective ways will help you solve your problems of your white clothes turning grey.
