# Restoring white clothes



## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

My whites are looking grungy to the point where it's bothering me. I've always washed everything together but it's never gotten this bad before. I don't know what happened unless it was a change in laundry soap.

Are there any safe bleach or bleach alternatives that can be used on white cotton tee shirts and underwear? Oxyclean?


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## mothernature (Aug 22, 2010)

Stop wearing white!


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## SquashNut (Sep 25, 2005)

with my white clothes, I fill the washer and soak over night, with what ever detergent I am using. Then rewash with vinegar in the fabric softener despencer.
Use bleach as needed in the soak cycle, but only half as much as it calls for. i am trying to make them last longer.


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## Marcia in MT (May 11, 2002)

If the problem is caused by iron in your water instead of just soap scum, there's a product called "Iron Out" that works well and is safe.

Otherwise, what Squashnut said.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I generally use distilled water from the furnace for the wash cycle and sometimes will soak it for a few hours or longer before letting the washer finish.

My water tests low on iron so I don't think that's it.


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## frogmammy (Dec 8, 2004)

Could be soap scum...maybe the ingredients have changed?

Anyway...to keep whites white, and colors bright, I use 1 cup of Ammonia per washer load. Do NOT use the ammonia that suds...

Mon


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## Sarabeth (Sep 14, 2008)

I've had good luck with OxiClean. But, something I've started to do lately is utilize dye. When something gets too dingy, I throw in in the washer with some Rit Dye, and bingo! New shirt. I recently did this with an ordinary white button down cotton shirt that I love, but it was definately dingy and I couldn't get it white again. I dyed it yellow, and have gotten about a dozen compliments on my new shirt! 

For the record, when I do this I ask dd and ds if they want anything dyed, and usually they throw in some undies or white tee shirts just for fun.

Rit dye mustve come a long way, because I have washed my dyed things several times and have had no problem with the color running.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

So you just throw dye in your regular wash or do you soak it for a while before washing?


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## olivehill (Aug 17, 2009)

Rit also makes a white product called "White Wash" that works like a charm.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

olivehill said:


> Rit also makes a white product called "White Wash" that works like a charm.


I'll see if I can find it. Thanks.


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## Sarabeth (Sep 14, 2008)

There are directions directly on the bottle of rit dye to follow.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Try boiling the white cottons with borax or washing soda.


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