How to get dish cloths white again?

Author: Prof. Grady Crona PhD  |  Last update: Wednesday, October 8, 2025

I could never keep them looking bright white, even after endlessly sending them through the wash. After doing a little research, I learned that soaking them in OxyClean would do the trick (OxyClean is a great, earth-friendly substitute for bleach).

How do I get my dish clothes white again?

However, when there is a load if cleaning items, dish towels, etc., I do the first washing by adding baking soda and vinegar only. Let it run through the whole wash rinse cycles. This helps with cloth absorption. Then I repeat using detergent and bleach. I ALWAYS use bleach. This really cleans them perfectly.

How do you get white washcloths white again?

Well I got to thinking how well dishwasher detergent got stains out of everything else so I decided to soak all my washcloths in water with a generous amount of dishwasher detergent. They came out bright white and look like new!

How to brighten up dish towels?

How to Wash Dish Towels
  1. Step 1: Soak. OxiClean is one of our favorite stain removers for a reason. Make the OxiClean-water solution as specified on the package, and soak your towels for between 20 minutes and 6 hours. ...
  2. Step 2: Wash. Wash your dish towels with your other whites.

Does baking soda make towels white again?

If you have a top loader, sprinkle baking soda over towels and add vinegar right before the rinse cycle. Towels and sheets come out refreshed and white as can be!

Throw IT into clothes. Will PURE white like never before

How to whiten towels that have yellowed?

The easiest and safest method to make whites white again is to use oxygen-based bleach and warm water. It can be used safely on almost all types of fabric. You can also make whites white again with the sun's ultraviolet rays, laundry bluing, baking soda, vinegar, or chlorine bleach.

How do I make my dingy white again?

Use vinegar. Like baking soda, you can use distilled white vinegar as either a bleach-free pretreating solution or as an additive to a standard wash cycle. White vinegar is an acidic solution that can be used to brighten the appearance of white fabrics.

Should you bleach dish cloths?

These should still be sanitised frequently by soaking in a weak bleach solution. If you're using a microfibre cloth, consider cleaning it after every use to get the best results.

How do you clean dingy washcloths?

For the washcloths you have now, pre-soaking them in a solution of ¼ cup Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach per gallon of water will help whiten them. Fully submerge the washcloths for 5 minutes, and then drain the soaking solution.

How do hotels get their towels so white?

To maintain the whiteness of towels, hotels use oxygen-based bleaches, which are less harsh than chlorine-based alternatives. Regular washing at high temperatures, combined with these bleaches, helps to remove stains and maintain a bright white colour.

What detergent makes clothes white again?

Our overall best pick for laundry whiteners is OxiClean White Revive. Not only will this oxygen-based whitener brighten your whites, but it also works on your colored clothes, too (although you should only use it on colorfast fabrics). We love that it works with top-loaded or high-efficiency machines.

How to get washcloths white again?

Baking Soda and Vinegar Method
  1. Add half a cup of baking soda to the detergent compartment of your washing machine.
  2. Pour half a cup of white vinegar into the fabric softener compartment.
  3. Wash your towels using hot water and run a complete cycle.
  4. Repeat the washing process with detergent only to ensure thorough cleaning.

How to whiten Swedish dishcloths?

6) Bleach your Swedish dishcloths, especially when you need to both disinfect and remove stains. You can easily make a warm water (not hot) solution of one quart of water and one-quarter to one-half teaspoon of bleach. Soak your Swedish dishcloths in the warm bleach solution for 1 to 2 minutes. Rinse thoroughly.

Does vinegar whiten clothes?

Baking Soda and Distilled White Vinegar

For overall whitening, dissolve one cup of baking soda in a basin of hot water and soak for at least one hour before laundering. Follow up with a distilled white vinegar rinse in your washing machine to enhance the effect.

Does hydrogen peroxide whiten clothes?

You can use hydrogen peroxide to whiten and brighten clothes, disinfect laundry, and remove stains. Pour it directly on stains such as blood. Add one cup of hydrogen peroxide to whites in the washing machine to brighten them. Add one cup to a load of diapers to whiten, deodorize, and disinfect.

Does borax make clothes whiter?

Borax will make sure your whites stay white.

When using borax, there is no need for unnatural optical brighteners or even bleach in many cases. And borax isn't only for white clothes, it will naturally brighten all your laundry, including colors and dark clothes.

How do you whiten old dish towels?

For white cotton dishtowels, presoak with bleach and water solution made with ¼ cup Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach per gallon of water. Fully submerge the dishtowel for 5 minutes, then pour off the soaking solution before machine washing (step 3).

Does OxiClean whiten towels?

White clothes are notorious for yellowing around the underarms or collar. Perhaps your bedding has sweat stains after a particularly hot summer night. Whatever the case may be, learn how to use OxiClean™ White Revive™ to wash white socks, cloth diapers, towels and more to help keep them white and bright.

How do hotels keep towels soft?

Incorporating natural additives such as vinegar or baking soda during the wash cycle can further enhance softness. Advanced drying methods, utilizing commercial-grade dryers with precise drying cycles, play a crucial role in preserving the towels' plush texture.

How long to soak dishcloths in vinegar?

Instructions:
  1. Step 1: Boil a large pot of water on the stove.
  2. Step 2: Add 1 cup of vinegar.
  3. Step 3: Put your stinky dish rags in the pot.
  4. Step 4: Let it boil for 15 minutes.
  5. Step 5: Let it cool down then wring the rag and place it on the drying rack under the sun or in a drying place.

How to refresh dish towels?

7 Tips for Fresher-Smelling Kitchen Towels
  1. Always air-dry. Whether you use them to dry your dishes or clean up a spill, kitchen towels are often damp, at best. ...
  2. Rotate regularly. ...
  3. Wash often. ...
  4. Deodorize, don't disguise. ...
  5. Don't cross-contaminate. ...
  6. Clean your washing machine. ...
  7. Start fresh.

How often should you change your kitchen dishcloth?

Whether it's for wiping down surfaces or drying your hands, this simple practice helps maintain good hygiene in the cooking space. It's advisable to switch your kitchen towels every one to two days, particularly those that are frequently used for hand-drying and may come into contact with unclean hands.

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