Sodium hypochlorite bleaches (also called chlorine or liquid household bleach) are the more powerful laundry bleaches; they disinfect, as well as clean and whiten. They work on many whites and colorfast washables - but not on wools or silks.
If you are washing white clothes or towels (and some very light colored), then Clorox would most likely be the best one to use. But if you are washing colored clothes, or clothes that are made of a delicate fabric (such as silk, some rayons, etc.), then OxyClean would be the best one to use.
This one will blow your mind! Use 2% cow milk, yes, plain milk for a non-chemical bleaching option. Milk is great for bleaching 100% white cotton garments. Add some milk in a bucket and soak the garment for a couple of hours. Rinse and wash as usual. For an added boost, add vinegar to the laundry load.
Refill sink (or bucket) with hot water and add about 2 tablespoons of white vinegar. Add clothes and allow to soak for about 15 minutes. Drain water and rinse whites in warm water.
To pre-treat, mix hot water and white vinegar and allow your garments to soak. For an in-wash solution, simply add vinegar and detergent to your washing machine and select your desired setting.
How to make white clothes white again with baking soda and vinegar? To make white clothes white again, dissolve one cup of baking soda in a basin of hot water and soak it. Follow up with a distilled white vinegar rinse in your washing machine to enhance the effect.
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.
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.
Sodium hypochlorite bleaches (also called chlorine or liquid household bleach) are the more powerful laundry bleaches; they disinfect, as well as clean and whiten. They work on many whites and colorfast washables - but not on wools or silks.
You can typically remove a variety of stains from your white laundry with enzyme-based detergent, stain removers, oxygen bleach, baking soda, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide or grease-fighting dish soap. However, never use vinegar with hydrogen peroxide or bleach, as it can be dangerous.
Hydrogen peroxide is another effective alternative to bleach for whitening clothes. Hydrogen peroxide works by breaking down the chemical bonds of stains, which makes them easier to remove from your clothes. It is particularly useful for removing tough stains like coffee, tea, and blood.
What happens if you soak clothes in bleach too long? You can weaken or damage the fabric's fibers and white clothing can take on a yellow tinge. Why is my bleached shirt not turning white? Try diluting the bleach with less water (but do not add straight bleach to your shirt).
Distilled white vinegar is another remarkable option to make yellowed white shirts white again. Not only does it have brightening properties, but it also neutralizes odors in fabrics. You can use it as a bleach-free pretreatment or as an additive in a standard wash cycle.
Simply pour a small amount of detergent directly onto the stain and leave it for five minutes, before rinsing it clean under a cold tap. You can then wash the item as usual. As an alternative, you can also try making a paste out of regular dry detergent and water, dabbing this onto the stain, and leaving it overnight.
Oxygen Bleach can be used for various things, such as whitening clothes, deodorizing smells or pet bedding, disinfecting items, and even removing tough stains from carpets or upholstery.
What is an Alternative to Chlorine Bleach When Cleaning White Clothes? OxiClean™ White Revive™ Laundry Whitener & Stain Remover is a non-chlorine bleach alternative. It has oxygen bleach and is color safe, so you can use it on white items that might have stripes, logos or other forms of coloration!
Baking soda is a natural whitening agent that can help to remove stains and odors from your clothes. Simply add the baking soda to the washing machine along with your regular laundry detergent and wash as usual. Or consider soaking your whites in baking soda and hot water for a couple of hours before washing.
The oxygen-releasing properties of hydrogen peroxide brighten white fabrics without harsh chemicals. Pre-soaking whites in a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water maintain their brightness by preventing yellowing.
Bleach and baking soda are valuable in the laundry and are particularly useful in cleaning white clothes. Bleach is suitable for making whites whiter while baking soda helps make white clothes fresher.
Adding vinegar directly to the wash with your laundry detergent may compromise its cleaning performance. Laundry detergents are formulated for specific pH levels, which may be disrupted by the acidity of vinegar, leading to less effective cleaning. It's best to avoid mixing them to ensure optimal results.