At Ginny’s Laundry Service we are often asked by our wash and fold customers and commercial business’s we serve. “Why do whites yellow” at home
Here is Scottsdale Arizona we have VERY Hard Water. Those minerals along with body oils, sweat build up, detergent residue and too much bleach will cause yellowing of your whites. It also cause dulling of colors over time.
How can you control the yellowing of you whites shirts and sheets?
- Follow the direction on the detergent and bleach. Most people just guess and then add more thinking more is better. More is not better!
- Washing in cold or hot water? Cold weather is gentler on the fabric allowing them to maintain their color compared to hot water washing.
- Bleach. There are 2 types of bleach Chlorine based and oxygen bleach. Oxygen bleach is gentler on the fabric
- How much Bleach? Only the amount on the instructions. Most people over bleach thinking it’s going to take the yellow out. But it makes it worse
- Here’s a big one. Clean you washing machine, the buildup of soap and minerals can really add to problem
- Don’t overstuff the washing machine. The machine needs room to mix and distribute the detergents. And the clothes need room to be washed in the detergent and room to be rinsed out. We prefer smaller loads than 1 huge load.
How to make your dull whites, white again, yes you really can!
After your clothes have turned yellow or dull there are options to bring them back to life. Add a whitening agent like baking soda, vinegar or qxigen bleach to the next wash load. How to use baking soda. Either add it directly to the load of laundry or make a solution and presoak up to 1 hour in a sink basin, Adding the baking soda in with your detergent can make clogs in you machine. So we advise to not add them into the dispenser Fabrics like silk, suede and wool should be used in combination with oxygen based bleach. always look at the garment instructions so you don’t damage your laundry and linens
White Vinegar is an acidic solution that often will brighten the appearance of your whites. It can be added with your wash or again it can be used for pretreatment option in a basin for 1 hour and up to 24 hours. it’s also very good at neutralizing odors in you clothes.
One reason we use Tide detergents is because they ar formulated to counteract and reduce doling and yellowing. According to their published information they use 2 types of ingredients to help. Tide uses Hue Dyes, which is basically a bluing agent causing a blue -white hue to be added to the material. Making them look whiter and brighter. Tide also uses Optical Brightness this absorb UV light and re emit it as a blue light, Amazingly making the fabrics look brother and whiter. Possibly even newer.
Hopefully you find this information helpful and you can always reach at our Scottsdale Location , 8106 East Thomas rd , Scottsdale 85251 or call us at 480-945-9939
Thank you Ginny’s Laundry Service formerly , Ginny’s Wash House
