No color surprises: We make these mistakes when washing white clothes

class=”sc-29f61514-0 kHgAwW”>

It happened so quickly: you accidentally washed a colorful piece with bright white clothes and all the favorite pieces are in the bucket. They are discolored, no longer pure and can hardly be salvaged.

Sorting the laundry wrong before washing is just one of the many mistakes made when washing white clothes. Here’s what to watch out for so your favorite light-colored items don’t turn gray or worse yet, discolor.

Avoid these 5 mistakes

If white laundry is not treated properly, it will turn gray over time. This can happen after just a few washes. The smallest dirt particles that settle on textile fibers are not washed properly if handled incorrectly.

1. Laundry not sorted correctly

One of the most common mistakes we make is washing the white and red striped sweater with white clothes. Yes, patterned laundry containing a small amount of color should not be placed in the drum with white laundry. Therefore, carefully sort your clothes before washing. White, dark and colored should be placed in separate piles. Also, it is better to wash heavily soiled white laundry one by one.

2. Wrong detergents

Heavy-duty detergent powder is more suitable as a detergent than liquid detergent. The latter is said to wash less well and cause clothes to gray faster. The powder contains bleach, which keeps clothes bright white.

Caution: You should always find out beforehand whether heavy-duty detergent powder is also suitable for fabric. For example, silk is considered delicate, so it is better to use a mild detergent for this fabric.

3. Wrong dosage

On the packaging of a detergent, you can find information about which dosage is appropriate depending on the water hardness, the amount of laundry and the degree of soiling. Stick to this information, otherwise the laundry may not be thoroughly cleaned.

4. Wrong temperature

Adjusting the temperature is not easy either. The hotter the wash, the better the bleach in heavy-duty detergent can enhance its action and there will be an additional bleaching effect. But not all laundry can withstand high temperatures. White linens, towels and underwear can be washed with hot water. You can set 60 degrees for cotton or linen fabrics. For wool or silk, a maximum of 40 degrees is suitable.

But always pay attention to the manufacturer’s instructions. Finally, the care label indicates how hot something really needs to be washed.

5. Wrong wash cycle

When washing, it is important to pay attention to the type of material. Many washing machines now offer special programs for wool or silk. Otherwise, the delicate cycle should be chosen for delicate textiles. Cotton or linen is generally not affected by a normal washing program at 60 degrees. Bed linen, towels or underwear generally tolerate boiled laundry.

Additional tips for white laundry

If the laundry has been washed and then needs to be dried, there is a useful tip, especially in fine weather: Hang your laundry in the sun. Their radiation whitens the laundry while drying it.

It is quite normal for the garment to take on a gray or yellowish color if it is kept in the closet for a long time and is not worn. Dirt particles and residues, such as deodorants containing aluminum, ensure this.

What helps against graying?

If graying has begun or the garment has become discolored, a 60 degree wash cycle with heavy-duty detergent can often help the white shine again. However, this method is not suitable for all textiles. The following home remedies can be used later.

• To give baking soda With about one or two teaspoons in the drum, the white laundry should then shine again.
• Moreover lemon juice or Vinegar It should have a bleaching effect. Here’s how it works: Mix some of the two remedies with warm water and add a tablespoon of salt. Laundry should be left in the mixture for at least two hours. Then machine wash the laundry normally. This method is especially helpful in yellowish discolorations in the armpit area.
• Designed to disinfect, neutralize and clean baking powder Works. Put a packet in the washing machine with the washing powder.

Source : Blick