There are lots of different types of white clothes—delicate, regular, and special whites, but they definitely have one thing in common: They all need to look impeccably bright in order to impress. But how do you do it? Read on to see our comprehensive guide on how to remove tough stains from white clothes to keep them as white as possible.
How to wash and remove stains from white clothes in a washing machine
Regular white clothes are fairly easy to wash, thankfully. All you need to do is follow these five steps to get your dirty white clothes clean again.
1
Check label
Always check your garments’ fabric care labels to see if they can be washed in a machine, and at what temperature. Make sure you follow these instructions to avoid any possible damage to the fabric.
2
Load clothes
Place the white clothes labelled for warm water wash in your machine. Feel free to wash a cotton shirt and a linen blouse together, as long as you don’t exceed the recommended temperature.
3
Add detergent
No matter if it’s Ariel Washing Powder, Ariel Matic Liquid Laundry Detergent, or Ariel 4-in-1 PODS, dose your favourite detergent.
4
Wash
Wash on your normal cycle, at the highest temperature shown on the care labels. If you have a semi-automatic washer, set it on a warm temperature, and a normal or gentle operation.
5
Dry
As soon as the cycle is finished, take your garments out, and hang them out to dry.
How to clean white clothes that have turned yellow
White clothes can sometimes turn a bit yellow, especially if we’re talking about the underarm part of shirts. But there’s no need to worry, because there are still ways to bring back that original whiteness.
Oxygen bleach. If you have oxygen-based bleach powder at home, mix it with some water, and submerge your yellowed items in the solution overnight. After soaking, wash them normally, and repeat the process if the yellowing hasn’t disappeared completely.
Chlorine bleach. It’s an effective way of cleaning and disinfecting garments, but if overused, it can cause yellowing itself. Pour some chlorine bleach into a bucket or tub filled with water, and let your garments soak in the solution overnight. Then take them out, and toss them in the washer for a normal cycle.
Use the sun. It’s quite impressive how the sun’s ultraviolet rays can help whiten clothes. So, whenever possible, line-dry your white laundry in the sun, and see how they’ll become brighter afterwards.
Baking soda. Prepare a solution of water mixed with baking soda for your garments to soak in overnight. When finished, wash your items as usual.
White vinegar. Use white vinegar mixed with water as a soaking solution for your yellowed clothes. After a night of soaking, wash them on a normal cycle.
How to wash white linens, towels, sheets, and socks
By following these steps, you can easily get your white linens, towels, sheets, and socks bright and clean again.
1
Prepare for wash
Gather your white towels, sheets, and socks that can tolerate hot washing temperatures, and double-check their fabric care labels. These items will also be the ones that are prone to mildew, fungus, and mites.
2
Dose detergent
Add a detergent specifically designed to give you bright results at all temperatures, such as Ariel Complete Washing Powder.
3
Wash
Adjust your water level for the correct volume, and set your washing machine for normal operation.
4
Dry
As soon as the cycle is finished, hang your items out to dry.
How to remove colour stains from white clothes
We all know the feeling when you accidentally put a red item in your white wash, and it turns everything into a light shade of pink. There’s no need to worry, because you can still save them. Just soak them in a solution of water mixed with Ariel Washing Powder, then wash them again so they can get back to their true colours.
How to keep white clothes white
For some reason, white clothes seem to attract danger, so here are some things you can do to keep them white longer.
Always treat stains immediately. As soon as they happen, do your best to start the stain-removal process.
Take care of collars, cuffs, and hems. Certain parts of shirts, for example, come into contact with your skin more often than others. Make sure you spot-treat these places to keep them super clean.
Try to avoid dye transfer. We all know how annoying it can be if your clothes come out in a different shade after a wash, so pay extra attention so no other colour than white gets into the wash accidentally.
Dry in the sunshine. As we’ve already discussed, the sun can actually whiten your clothes, so drying them out in the sun is a great way of keeping them white.
How to bleach white clothes
Bleach is a harsh chemical, so be very cautious when using it to whiten your whites. Generally, you simply create a soaking solution with the bleach, let your clothes sit in it, and then wash them, but there are a few things you should also watch out for:
Make sure your clothes can handle it. Check the fabric care label, and it will show you if your item is ready for you to bleach it.
Clean up. If there’s a bleach spill, clean it up immediately.
Wear appropriate clothes. Wear an apron or old clothes as a protective layer in case a drop of bleach gets on you.
Protect your hands. Wear a rubber glove to protect your skin.
How to protect white clothes
FAQs about washing white clothes
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