how do i get whites whiter without ruining colors?
I always thought I was good at laundry. I separate my clothes into three loads instead of two (whites, darks, lights) and I’m very careful about what goes into the dryer. Currently, I have something of a laundry dilemma. My coats for culinary school are white with bright red, black, and yellow embroidery (terrible choice, if you ask me). As you might imagine, they get splashed and splattered with all sorts of food each day. I’d love to be able to bleach the white part without ruining the embroidery, but I’m not sure if that is possible. I’ve been washing them separately from my other clothes with regular detergent, but the white is looking rather dingy. Can anyone recommend a solution to this design flaw? How do I get the white of the jacket bright and clean without bleaching out the embroidery? –Erica P.
Photo by anikasalsa
December 23rd, 2008 at 8:36 am
try lemon juice
December 23rd, 2008 at 9:13 am
Oxy Clean – depending on how “dingy” things are, I’ll either soak the clothes in water and Oxy Clean or just throw a scoop into the washing machine. It really does get your whites whiter and make your brights brighter. A good soak has even gotten rid of old underarm stains!
December 23rd, 2008 at 9:26 am
White vinegar. For whites or colors. Brilliant.
December 23rd, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Washing soda with your detergent. I use Arm and Hammer. Brilliant stuff.
December 23rd, 2008 at 3:30 pm
My sister swears by Soap Nuts. ( maggiespureland.com ) She uses them when washing cloth diapers, so it’s a load of heavily stained whites!
December 23rd, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Clorox 2. Hey, my mom swore by it, and she was right!
December 23rd, 2008 at 6:13 pm
most chef coats are bleachable. the thread won’t fade. check your tags for instructions. look up the company’s website to doublecheck.
December 24th, 2008 at 8:11 am
I hang things out in the sun and stains miraculously go away. Even if the wash doesn’t take care of the stain, this has worked with all of my son’s white onesies; food, poop and all. Just lay it out in the sun straight out of the washer.
December 24th, 2008 at 8:21 am
This problem has been around forever, and there is a correspondingly ancient solution: bluing.
December 24th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
I would try Win, it’s a detergent marketed for sports stuff BUT it’s really excellent on anything. It’s base is hydrogen peroxide but it’s totally color safe, unlike bleach, and it’s stronger than anything I’ve ever tried. Also, it smells like Green Apples, yummy!
January 4th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
I use baking soda in the wash water and vinegar in the rinse cycle for all of my laundry.
With bluing, you have to be careful to not add too much and to make sure it’s evenly mixed in the water before adding the clothes or it will stain in spots.
January 5th, 2009 at 11:00 am
I use 2 different products “white brite” and “yellow out ” i get them at the grocery don’t know whats in them but they work great on everything i’ve thrown at them and dont hurt the colors in the rest of the garments
January 30th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
One scoop of oxy clean powder and one scoop of tide powder – mix with warm water in a bucket and let them soak in there for a few days. It’s like a miracle. My mother in law gave me this recipe. I resurrected old baby clothes with set-in stains from 4 years ago this way, it was amazing, they look like brand new again and the colors are still brilliant.
February 2nd, 2009 at 5:11 am
[...] When it comes to laundry tips, mother-in-law knows best. Erin posted this helpful tip on How To Get Whites Whiter Without Ruining Colors: “One scoop of Oxy clean powder and one scoop of Yide powder – mix with warm water in a [...]