White shirts are a staple in pretty much everyone’s wardrobe for a reason – a crisp white shirt can make anyone look polished and put together. But what to do if your once wonderfully-white shirts and T-shirts suddenly become less white? Yellowish stains around the collar, underarms, and cuffs, grayish and dull color all over… is there even point in investing in white classics if they’ll just change their color over time?
Yes! There are a few safe and natural tricks that can help you whiten your whites again. Here are some of them:
1. White Vinegar
Regular white distilled vinegar can whiten and brighten your clothes, thanks to acetic acid it contains. It can also soften the fabrics and bring back comfort to your clothes. Simply add about ½ cup of white vinegar to your rinse cycle.
2. Baking Soda
Baking soda is one of the best natural whitening agents, plus it’s great for odor control. By adding it to your laundry, you’ll not only brighten your clothes but also soften them. You can soak your clothes for a few minutes in a solution of four liters of water and one cup of baking soda. Or, add it in your washing machine: one cup os baking soda per load of laundry directly with the clothes.
3. Aspirin
Aspirin is able to penetrate deep into the fabrics of clothes, thoroughly cleaning them. For this reason, it’s able to remove even the most stubborn stains and return whiteness to your formerly white clothes. Use it by crushing five to six aspirins and letting them dissolve in two liters of water; then, add your clothes and let them soak for a while (you can even let them soak overnight). After soaking, normally wash your laundry in the washer.
4. Lemon
According to Martha Stewart, lemons can whiten and brighten your whites. Simply boil your clothes with lemons and let them soak for about an hour. Or, add lemon juice (about ½ a cup) to your regular wash cycle.
