discussion How do you keep your white clothes white?

[Littlejfrey]

I love white shirts, but after a few months they look so "dirty" and i don't know why  I wash all my white clothes together but they still look "dirty" 

 

do you have any advice? 

[tost1]

Don't wear them. Or better yet, don't buy them. That's the only way.

[Kota]

oxiclean

 

never use a drying machine/heat dry and only hang dry (if possible)

[May]

omg this might be slightly off-topic but i think abt this sometimes and i don't know why everyone's washing machine seems to be working against them, or like HOW are u guys operating ur machines?

 

ive always just thrown everything in the machine together, no consideration of colours or materials, put a tide pod in there, some fabric softener in the drawer and hoped for the best with the same cycle ive always used, and nothings ever gone wrong. no discolouring or anything

 

i don't understand where the difficulties come from with some others, my mum constantly has issues where sweaters get SHREDDED like paper in her washer, like what!?!?

[Venice B]

The quality of the fabric is very important. I have a white shirt from shein and it got yellow spots way faster than my other shirts. 

[John Slayne]

2 minutes ago, May said:

omg this might be slightly off-topic but i think abt this sometimes and i don't know why everyone's washing machine seems to be working against them, or like HOW are u guys operating ur machines?

 

ive always just thrown everything in the machine together, no consideration of colours or materials, put a tide pod in there, some fabric softener in the drawer and hoped for the best with the same cycle ive always used, and nothings ever gone wrong. no discolouring or anything

 

i don't understand where the difficulties come from with some others, my mum constantly has issues where sweaters get SHREDDED like paper in her washer, like what!?!?

people buy cheap clothes and fast fashion quality has gone down in the last 2 decades. nothing is made to last anymore

[Princess Aurora]

Wash them by hand?

[Kummercell]

I don't lol that's why I only wear black 

[tost1]

1 minute ago, Kummercell said:

I don't lol that's why I only wear black 

Or maybe you're just depressed 😔 

Spoiler

Jk

 

[glitch]

17 minutes ago, May said:

omg this might be slightly off-topic but i think abt this sometimes and i don't know why everyone's washing machine seems to be working against them, or like HOW are u guys operating ur machines?

 

ive always just thrown everything in the machine together, no consideration of colours or materials, put a tide pod in there, some fabric softener in the drawer and hoped for the best with the same cycle ive always used, and nothings ever gone wrong. no discolouring or anything

 

i don't understand where the difficulties come from with some others, my mum constantly has issues where sweaters get SHREDDED like paper in her washer, like what!?!?

I used to have some of issues, but realised I was a) using too much laundry detergent and b) putting my clothes on too long a spin. 30 mins with two tablespoons of detergent + and everything is fine.

 

I noticed actually when I was living in halls in university I never had any problems, probably because they had good quality industrial machines. Cheaper washing machines might be causing some people issues.

[Velvet Night]

I use Dr. Beckmann Super Hvid, it works very well! 

[Assassin]

soak them in bleach after every couple months

[May]

39 minutes ago, John Slayne said:

people buy cheap clothes and fast fashion quality has gone down in the last 2 decades. nothing is made to last anymore

that's true.. vast majority of my clothes are vintage finds from like the 80s/90s/y2k so would explain it

[Littlejfrey]

44 minutes ago, Venice B said:

The quality of the fabric is very important. I have a white shirt from shein and it got yellow spots way faster than my other shirts. 

I think this might be the answer  I buy white t-shirts at H&M, but no matter how hard I try to keep them white after a while they have those yellkow/brown stains that I don't understand where they came from  

[MattieB]

Use it only on special occasions. I typically go for darker colors

[Kiss It Better]

this is why i hate buying white/bright colors clothes, or i'll end up wearing them rarely

[Alldeezy]

I only wear dark colours except for my white Allday shirt but I rarely wear it because id get it messy easily 

[FameFatale]

Oxyclean and soaking in bleach with water and then washing. 

Edited December 17 by FameFatale

[Taylor fanboy]

 

Power of "tina powder". Don't know what's it called outside of Philippines.

[Illuminati]

A nightmare honestly, especially living alone because I never have enough for a full load so I just end up throwing white towels etc with regular clothes and then they turn blue/gray. I also learned to never put anything white on a heated towel hanger because it leaves yellow rust stains on them.

 

I think it also depends on the type of water you have, I have very hard water and even though the water line to my washing machine has a special filter it doesn't seem to do much

 

I've heard bleach yellows white clothing but I guess I'll have to try

Edited December 17 by Illuminati

[Romova99]

I put warm/hot water on a bucket (or in the bathroom sink if it's only 1 or 2 shirts) and then I add a considerable amount of Oxiclean there with some white vinegar and it makes reaction, I leave it for as long as I can (I usually do it at night so when I wake up it's been some 6/8 hours) after that I wash them in a mini washing machine I have for small stuff just to make them smell like my softner/laundry detergent, (the smell of the vinegar doesn't impregnate the clothes in case you don't want to wash them again later) and that's it. 

 

I literally had a shirt that was turning so yellow and this thing brought it back to life, I like to scrub some white Zote soap (it's a mexican soap but they sell it everywhere) on the neck and armpit areas but if you can do it on the entire thing would be so much better.

Edited December 17 by Romova99

[popmusicisdead]

5 hours ago, Kummercell said:

I don't lol that's why I only wear black 

mte. and i have the opposite problem. all my black clothes ends up fading 

[Hollywood.]

I've never separated white clothes from darker clothes and never have had any issues. Perhaps the quality of washing machine plays a part too?

[Littlejfrey]

18 minutes ago, popmusicisdead said:

mte. and i have the opposite problem. all my black clothes ends up fading 

At least with black clothes you can dye them and problem solved, but with white … 

[Starshine]

I have Taylor playing in the background while I wash them and I segregate the colored ones from the whites.