Do you want to learn how to make clothes white simply and easily? We know that it's difficult to keep white clothes clean and perfectly white for long periods of time. There are a few tips and tricks that can help maintain the color of white clothes without yellowing or accumulating dirt. White clothes are classic, stylish and never go out of style, but they can be difficult to maintain.
Magna Guedes is a textile engineer who used to own a laundry. She has used her understanding of fabric to better help her customers. Magna advises against using chlorine bleaches to wash white clothes. She says they have the ability to remove stains, but can yellow and fray fabrics due to their chemical composition. Instead, she recommends using oxygenated products to clean clothes.
The manufacturer includes instructions on how to wash, iron and keep the garment in good condition on the garment label. Always check these instructions before washing a garment.
How to make clothes white
When trying to bleach clothes, one possibility is to use common household utensils such as baking soda. It can act as a detergent, removing stubborn stains and even acting as a stain diluter when grease builds up on clothes. Over time, the grease residue on the fabric will make the clothes look dirty.
Softening the fabric fibers makes it easier to remove dirt. It is therefore advisable to use warm or hot water when washing fabrics. This allows soap and baking soda to effectively clean the material.
Vinegar is a common item that performs many functions. It is used to remove odors, whiten clothes and soften them.
Sunlight is a great natural bleach that can remove yellowing or stains from clothes. You can use coconut or neutral soap to lather the clothes, then put them in the sun to sanitize them. Sunlight can damage the fabric over time when exposed in this way, so it is not recommended for frequent use.
Magna suggests that indigo is not suitable for cleaning clothes because it has a bluish tint. This is because using indigo to clean white clothes gives the impression that they are cleaner than they really are.
The textile engineer provides step-by-step instructions for washing white clothes that keep them looking beautiful and new.
1. Sort your clothes
The first step in washing your clothes is to separate the whites from the colors. Colored items can bleed the dye and stain white items, so they need to be washed separately.
2. Remove stains
Before soaking your clothes, it's a good idea to check for stains and, if there are any, remove them before soaking. The right thing to do is to remove the stain after it has set, as dried stains become increasingly difficult to remove.
There are various pre-wash products that can remove stains, but in some cases, even specialized products are not enough for a perfect clean.
As most people who wear white every day are health professionals, blood stains are common, and in this case, 10 volumes of hydrogen peroxide are great for removing these stains, just apply a little to the stain and leave it on for a few minutes.
Another good stain removal product is usually alcohol, solvents and disinfectants, which can remove any type of dirt.
3. Leave to soak
No garment is easy to scrub and, with use and frequent washing, the fibers of the fabric begin to fray. So soak your white clothes before scrubbing them. There are a few tricks on how to soak it so that it doesn't turn yellow or get dirty.
Cotton Linen: Place the garment in a bucket and cover with hot water. Add a cup of rubbing alcohol, two tablespoons of baking soda and a cup of powdered or grated coconut soap. Leave to soak for 2 hours and wash as normal.
Silk: Soak in milk, then wash with coconut or neutral soap and rinse well. Avoid putting delicate fabrics like silk in the washing machine.
4. Wash clothes normally
There's a very effective tip for washing white clothes in the washing machine: for every 5 liters of water in the washing machine, add a cup of rubbing alcohol, two tablespoons of baking soda and the usual amount of soap. This recipe ensures that your creations last longer with their "new look".
So, never wash white clothes with too much fabric softener, and always rinse well, as if there is product residue, the clothes may stain or turn yellow.
Finally, to ensure the cleanliness of white clothes, dry each garment inside out. This will prevent dirt from the clothesline or the air from staining the fabric.
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