It is common knowledge that white clothes are a staple in our closets. They are effortlessly chic but it's not so effortless to keep them sparkling when they keep attracting coffee spills, grass stains, and the inevitable yellow patches that come with time.
With a few clever strategies and sprinkles of know-how, you too can say goodbye to dingy whites from your wardrobe forever.
Treat stains ASAP
Don't be the lazy type when it comes to treating stains on white clothes! Removing them while it happens is a must if you want to keep them radiant.
Using a stain treatment and laundering it is the best way to go. If not available, dab or flush with cool water, stain pens, wipes, or even hand sanitiser because it has highly concentrated alcohol.
Collars, hems, and cuffs are usually overlooked when we are focusing on more obvious stains. Dirt, skin and sebum rubbing on white are adamant about sticking to places and it's important to shoo them before laundering the garment. Use an enzymatic stain remover to get the job done.
A lot of what we use in our everyday lives also transfers to white clothing. Deodorants, antiperspirants, makeup, lotion, sunscreen, hair products; you know, the important ones. Let them dry completely on your skin before you wear white.
Opt out of excess laundry products
Trust us when we tell you, less is more while using laundry on whites. Too much detergent, softener, whitener, or scent beads causes product build-up and white looks shabbier rather than whiter.
If you have been using traditional bleach made of chlorine, keep it very far from your white dresses. Chlorine bleaches deepen rather than wipe away the common stains from the body; sweat for instance, or sunscreen. It's brutal to textiles, so unless you are a devoted user, at least, skip it for white ones.
Frequently wash whites
Before fine dust and dirt settle on your favourite white hoodie or pair of jeans, wash them frequently. The coloured counterparts of the same items need fewer visits to the laundry, but whites even more.
The loose dyes from coloured garments are white clothes' worst enemy, other than personal care products. Wash white outfits separately, and try storing them on a dedicated shelf, with acid-free tissue papers between each material. In-wash dye catchers in washers also do the job.
Washing machine users — use the extra rinse cycle if the option is there. The persistent suds from detergents and products like softener or stain treatment will be gone in a current.
Store but not in plastic bags
Yellowing is a genuine concern and plastic bags aggravate the issue further. Moisture makes the clothes yellow, so resort to breathable materials like linen or cotton bags, to shield them from dust and light.
Sunshine is a natural (and harmless) "bleach" that brightens like no other. If you can dry the whites outdoors, take advantage of it!
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