White garments have a great role in our wardrobe, especially in summer. There are many reasons to opt for a t-shirt, shirt or dress of this color, however, we must be aware that over time they will tend to yellow or look as we popularly say sobadas. AND how to whiten clothes In those cases to make it look like new?
White clothes get dirty easily and tends to yellow with sweat in strategic points such as the armpits or the neck. Nothing, however, that cannot be solved if we know the following tricks to whiten white clothes. Take note of them!
Why do white clothes lose color?
We have mentioned that white clothing tends to yellow or lose that nuclear target over time and there are many factors that contribute to this. Discover them to avoid them as much as possible and extend the useful life of your white clothes.
- The sweat. Sweat tends to yellow white clothes where they are most exposed to it, such as the armpits or neck. To avoid this, the ideal is to wash clothes immediately after use.
- Use of chemical deodorants and colognes. The use of certain deodorants can also leave stains in the armpits, as reactions occur on the fibers of the fabric. Avoid chemical deodorants as much as possible and apply cologne or perfume directly to your clothes.
- Errors in your washing. Loss of white can also be due to errors in your washing. If you wash white clothes with colored clothes, there may be transfers from one to the other, which is why it is advisable to separate them.
- Leave clothes in the sun for a long time. In our country we usually dry clothes in the sun and there is nothing wrong with that. However, when optical brighteners are used during manufacturing, as is common in acrylic garments, the white color may yellow slightly if the garment is left in the sun for too long.
- Smoking or exposure to smoke. Nicotine can remain on fabric surfaces for days if garments are not washed immediately and react with the fibers leaving yellowish stains.
- Save them incorrectly. Do you usually store out-of-season clothes at the top of closets or in the cabin? The ideal is not to use plastic bags to collect white clothes since certain plastics contribute to their yellowing.
How to whiten clothes
What happens when, despite doing things right over time, the clothes turn yellow or simply lose that white they looked when you bought them? Then it's time to take action with one of the following tricks. You can start by trying homemade solutions or go directly to commercial mixtures.
vinegar and baking soda
To restore the original white to a garment, it may be enough to submerge it for an hour in a basin with a solution of warm water, a little natural soap, a couple of teaspoons of baking soda. Then, rinse it and submerge it again, this time in cold water with a splash of vinegar for another hour. Once done, wash it as usual and check the result?
What happens with the most difficult armpit stains? Prepare a vinegar paste and sodium bicarbonate in equal parts and apply it to the stain, leaving it to act for an hour before rinsing it and washing it as usual.
Peroxide
Another ingredient commonly used as a clothing whitening agent and especially effective in those garments made of wool It is hydrogen peroxide. Put 3 liters of water and ¼ cup of hydrogen peroxide in a basin and immerse the garment you need to whiten for several hours. Then, rinse it and put it in the washing machine as you normally would.
Partner percarbonate
When mixed with water, sodium percarbonate decomposes into sodium carbonate, very effective as a detergent, and hydrogen peroxide, which, as we have already mentioned, is a natural whitening. Therefore, if you want to whiten clothes, immersing the clothes in a mixture of two tablespoons of percarbonate and 1/2 cup of lemon juice per liter of hot water can be a great solution.
It will be enough for you to have the soak garment for half an hour, stirring it from time to time. Then, take it to the washing machine and use 2 teaspoons of sodium percarbonate along with the detergent to wash it. It is an easy to find and economical product.
Commercial chemical bleach
You can also use commercial solutions to whiten clothes. Bleach It is probably one of the solutions that comes to mind when someone asks us how to whiten clothes. And yes, submerging the garment in water with a splash of bleach or adding it to the washing machine drawer along with the detergent is a solution to restore whiteness to the garments. However, it is only recommended for completely white cotton or linen garments.
But there are, besides bleach, other gel or powder solutions which can be used in washing and together with detergent, to maintain the whiteness of the garments or recover it. The instructions must always be read carefully before using them, as well as the labels on the garment to avoid scares.