# Whitening dingy whites



## Sarabeth

What is the best way to whiten dingy whites? Bleach doesn't seem to cut the mustard anymore.....


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## Woodpecker

Try fresh lemon juice and hang in the sun. The sun has a bleaching effect.


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## kandmcockrell

there is something called Mrs. Stewarts Blueing agent. or something like that. it works great!! It gets my DHs socks white again after wearing in work boots all day.


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## Lynn Bodoni

Bluing agent works by adding a slightly blue tint to whites, which makes them look whiter. Bleach will actually remove stains, and will sanitize as well.

At least some nylons will actually turn yellow with time and use, and no amount or type of bleach will cause them to be white again. In this case, all you can do is consign them to "dirty work" clothing, such as gardening and such.


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## Humburger

Oxy-clean is good, but very expensive. Also, peroxide is good and cheap, but you have to use a lot. Using blueing on things that start out very dingy is not good. In fact, blueing is really just a cover-up. I, personally, don't care what color the whites are, unless they show, so I do those separately. Try soaking in a bucket with just enough hot water to cover. Mix about two cups peroxide to a five gallon bucket, if full, and let it soak overnight. The next day, wash in hot water and hang on the line in the sun.

If it is stains in whites, then you can wet the garment, rub the stain with bar soap, and scrub. Rinse and repeat until the stain is gone. That may actually make the spot where the stain was even whiter than the rest of the garment. LOL! So, then you can treat it with the peroxide.


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## Spinner

Depending on how much safe space you have outside and how much grass you have... oh, and how much work you are willing to invest.

Don't laugh, this really works.

take your whites and spread them out on the grass around sundown. make sure the grass has good contact everywhere. Leave them overnight for the dew to fall on them. Let the sun dry them in the morning. Something in the grass/dew/sun combination will whiten whites to a very bright white. 

I used to do that when I lived in town and had a nice lawn to spread the sheets on. I can't do it now cause my dogs and chickens think the whites are their play areas.


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## thirdrising

I use baking soda, I throw in some in every load, infact I use baking soda for everything! Cleaning, clearing drains with baking soda and vinegar.


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## Marcia in MT

Especially if you have hard water, dinginess can be caused by soap and scum re-deposited on the fabrics, especially during the rinse. Try adding white vinegar to the rinse cycle: perhaps Â¼ ~ Â½ cup per load. It may take a couple of cycles to get it all out.


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## oberhaslikid

Fill washer with hot water and add Cascade.let them soak for an hour or so and start wash load.This is what they use for the football pants to get stains out.It only works on whites dont use on colors it will bleach them.
I saved my DIL wedding dress this way.


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## Lynn Bodoni

Marcia in MT said:


> Especially if you have hard water, dinginess can be caused by soap and scum re-deposited on the fabrics, especially during the rinse. Try adding white vinegar to the rinse cycle: perhaps Â¼ ~ Â½ cup per load. It may take a couple of cycles to get it all out.


 Vinegar is an excellent rinsing agent. Also, many people use too much detergent in their washing machines, and it doesn't all get rinsed out. Try running the whites through the washer a couple of times without adding detergent.


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## jen74145

Spinner said:


> Depending on how much safe space you have outside and how much grass you have... oh, and how much work you are willing to invest.
> 
> Don't laugh, this really works.
> 
> take your whites and spread them out on the grass around sundown. make sure the grass has good contact everywhere. Leave them overnight for the dew to fall on them. Let the sun dry them in the morning. Something in the grass/dew/sun combination will whiten whites to a very bright white.
> 
> I used to do that when I lived in town and had a nice lawn to spread the sheets on. I can't do it now cause my dogs and chickens think the whites are their play areas.


This really does work. Used to do it out of desperation with my sheets... these days I just have more sets than anyone (without a small baby, lol) could ever use so I change sheets almost daily. DH's socks... I just toss 'em. He loves new socks, I hate fussing with socks... win-win.


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## Sarabeth

Thanks so much everybody! I would love to try the grass trick, but with the chickens and the dog - probably not a good idea!!! But I have had luck with the hot water and vinegar. Thanks!
Sarah


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## Lisa in WA

I second the suggestion of Mrs. Stewarts Blueing. It works very well to restore sparkling whiteness toe everything...including horses!
http://www.mrsstewart.com/index.htm


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## lmnde

You could always try Tide... See the testimonial in this threat...


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## beaglebiz

I have the Mrs Stewarts bluing, and noticed on their website there is a cool science fair project, just in case you need one 

I recently switched to Charlies Soap, at another members suggestion.
I asked her to pm me her name, as they are supposed to send her a gift for referring me. I bought the small bag of laundry powder and the gallon of cleaner. You get free shipping if you order 2 or more items (also discounts). So far, my wash has not been cleaner, and at tablespoon a load, its a bargain.
www.charliesoap.com


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## nodak3

Hang in freezing weather over fresh snow. Don't know why, but it works--the colder the better.


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## frontiergal

Iron out helps whiten if it is from hard water


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## Wolf mom

I find if I alternate laundry soap (use up one container, then use another kind) that also works as each detergent has different ingredients. I also found if the clothes are not dirty, just need freshning, I only use 1/2 a cap full of liquid soap. When I have to use a lot of soap, I run the rince cycle twice. 

I learned this trick from using different shampoos so there's no build up. 

I have a septic so have to be careful. I use Kirkland liquid laundry soap(a Consumer reports Best Buy) and alternate with All liquid laundry soap. Dry, granualted detergent many times has filler in to to keep it from caking.

In the summer, I use my solar clothes dryer  too.


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## TnMtngirl

I use a product called Yellow Out made by the Iron Out co.I have to use it because DH is a heavy smoker and my white curtains look awful if I dont.

Just checked out the Ironout site Yellow Out is now Brite White,good thing I looked I would never have known.


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## dragonchick

It may be that your not getting all the soap and oils out of your cloths. Try soaking them in VERY hot water for a little while. Boil the water, add the clothes and a little vinegar, and let the water cool. After the water is cool you may see a scum on the top. This is the cause of your dingyness.


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## Woodpecker

dragonchick said:


> It may be that your not getting all the soap and oils out of your cloths. Try soaking them in VERY hot water for a little while. Boil the water, add the clothes and a little vinegar, and let the water cool. After the water is cool you may see a scum on the top. This is the cause of your dingyness.


There was a thread on cf about this a while back. http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=267594&highlight=soap+scum


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