Unilever logo
Cleanipedia ZA logo

A Clever Way to Brighten White Clothes

From yellowing socks to greying tops, there is nothing worse than when white clothes lose their brightness. Are you struggling to bring life and light back to your lackluster whites? If so, then this blog is just for you!

Updated

Reading Time: 5 minutes

A Clever Way to Brighten White Clothes

We’ve got you covered. You can brighten white clothes by using ordinary household products and just a few simple steps. So don't wait any longer - get started today!

How to Brighten Whites At Home

No one wants to go out and spend a fortune on products to turn yellowing or greying whites back to their former glory, right? If you’re anything like us over here at Cleanipedia, we’re all about at-home hacks and natural ingredients that can get us the results we want.

When it comes to natural products, you’ll only need two store cupboard ingredients to start. White vinegar and baking soda are going to be your best friends when it comes to how to brighten dull whites. Here’s how:

White Vinegar

Vinegar is one of the most versatile ingredients that you should always keep stocked up in your pantry cupboard. Of course, it’s a key ingredient in many recipes but it also doubles as an excellent fixer-upper for many laundry problems too. Distilled white vinegar works best for when you want to make your dull whites brighter.

  • Fill your washing machine with dull whites that need to be brightened.

  • Add half a cup of vinegar to your washing machine drum.

  • Add your regular good detergent and fabric softener and wash as normal.

  • Your whites should come out looking brighter and less dull. Dry outside in direct sunlight for best results.

Baking Soda

Another versatile little ingredient that isn’t only good for baking is baking soda. In order to help you achieve brighter whites, all you have to do is:

  • Follow the same instructions as above. Instead of adding vinegar to your washing machine drum, add ¾ cup of baking soda instead. You can add half a cup of vinegar too for extra effect.

Choose A Laundry Detergent That Brightens

We recommend investing in a laundry detergent like Skip Auto Washing Liquid, which has been specifically formulated for brightening up clothing. The Fibre Protect Technology in Skip Liquid Detergent actually penetrates deep into the fabric fibres to keep whites looking newer for longer.

Do you have a pair of favourite white sneakers that you need to keep looking as white as new? Read our blog on How To Clean White Shoes.

Surf Hand Washing powder also has the power of whitening technology which targets dull or yellowed garments and turns them back to their original colour.

How to Prevent Whites From Dulling

They say prevention is better than cure, so we’ve put together a few top tips that you should practice to help prevent your whites from turning yellow or grey in the first place.

  • Always wash white clothes with other white clothes. Never mix white clothing with colours or darks.

  • When washing your whites, select the warmest temperature possible. We recommend a wash at 40 degrees Celsius if possible.

  • Dry your washed white clothing in direct, bright sun outside. The UV rays of the sun also penetrate the fabric and help to brighten it up.

  • For whites that have yellowing spots under the arms, on collars, or even stains on them, it’s best to pre-treat that area first before washing for the best results.

For more clothing care tips and tricks, visit Cleanipedia today.

FAQs

Can you make white Suede clothes white again?

You should never wash suede in the washing machine, as you know, but you can spot clean suede for best results. For your white suede items, dab a dry cloth in distilled white vinegar and rub it into the stain. Rinse off the vinegar with another dry clean cloth to remove any excess.

How to maintain white clothes at their original colour?

Read our blog above for all the tips and tricks you can use at home to turn your yellowing or greying whites back to their original white again.

What washing powder is capable of brightening white clothes?

We recommend Skip Auto Washing Powder or Liquid Detergent to help make your whites and colours brighter because it works at a fibre level to enhance the brightness of clothing.

Will baking soda whiten clothes?

We recommend using a ¾ cup of baking soda directly in your washing machine drum, and then washing as normal to get your white clothes white again.

Why does my white washing go grey?

White clothing can go grey or yellow over time if not washed well. Never wash whites with other colours and always dry in direct sunlight.

Originally published