can white clothes EVER stay white?

[notjusttheirmum]

probably already a thread on this but I can't find one and I am desperate now!!
white tops
white jeans
white baby grows
white pyjamas
white bras, pants and socks
white bedding
ALL gone grey
not one has stayed white!
I try my hardest with housework but I am stumped with my whites! how can I keep them white? I am contemplating soaking everything in bleach

[xandra588]

Easiest thing you could do is drying them on lower heat and use bleach only on cotton.

[LucyLocketLostHerPocket]

This is weird tbh I notice a lot of the kids at DCs school have grey polo tops and always wonder why. I wash all white stuff separate from coloured, on a 40 degree quick wash (unless really dirty) with biological powder or pouches. It all stays white and I never use bleach etc.
Sorry OP don't know what if anything you're doing differently but no problem here.

[LucyLocketLostHerPocket]

Oh and dry outside whenever possible, sunlight is the best brightener there is.

[INeedSomeHelp]

I always do a separate white wash - even if that means a half load or waiting for enough stuff. Add a scoop of Vanish Gold (or other whitening powder) to the wash as well as washing powder. Spray any marks with a stain remover before putting in machine. And dry outside if at all possible.
Seems to work - although I do think bra manufacturers put something in bras to make them go grey after a while so you buy new ones

[crazycakelady]

I use one of these in my white washes and they really work
www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=274269648

[CMOTDibbler]

I am a right slattern, but my whites do stay white. Only whites in the wash, Lidl bio washing powder, and a slug of napisan

[notjusttheirmum]

I wash an only white load on 40, not incredibly dirty just need freshening up more than anything (excludes pants obviously, they need a good clean!) with powder & white coloured softener incase it was the colouring but still grey! could it be the softener? water round here is very limescaley and I don't own a drier to soften them up so feel I need it in the wash?

[WineOrSleep]

Only whites with white (not even whites with a pale coloured stripe) and always use ecover laundry bleach with EVERY white wash (I'm slightly anal about this)

hot wash (60) for towels and beddings, 40 for other cotton whites

How to get them back once they've started to turn grey.... try soaking in a milton solution maybe?

[HappyNevertheless]

Oh I've never thought about napisan..

[notjusttheirmum]

does napisan go in with normal powder or use it on its own?
if it goes in does it go in the same little drawer space in the washer?
gosh my domestic goddess must have vanished

[FreeButtonBee]

Vanish oxy clean stuff in with the powder. 60 degree wash. Am a slatern but my whites are lovely.

[CMOTDibbler]

I sling it in with the normal powder unless it is a skanky load with socks when I put it in the little bit and set the machine to soak.

If things have gone grey and a big soak in vanish gold or napisan hasn't worked, then this works wonders but is very smelly. I've used it on white sports bras which have gone in with the general sports wash and greyed

[dementedpixie]

I do an all white wash with bio powder and a scoop of in wash whitening powder stuff. I use whichever softener I like the smell of at the time.

[Lweji]

Also line dry them as much as possible.

[dementedpixie]

I hardly ever dry outside as we get a lot of rain (Scotland) but my whites still seem pretty white from drying indoors

[DoItTooJulia]

I use fairy non bio and don't have this problem. I'm in a soft water area. Maybe it's a combination of things? Descartes your machine and try different powders?

One thing I will say is that I've gone back to powder after trying everything else going-it's the only thing that works for me!

[DoItTooJulia]

What a posh autocorrect! Descartes has no place here! I meant descale!!

[Boogers]

Another Vanish Oxy Gold whatever it's called fan here. Very good for shirt collars and cuffs and to whiten greying white bras. I use in liquid capsules in the drum so the powder drawer is free so I just put a scoop in there but I don't ser any reason why you can't add a scoop if you use powder detergent.

[FinallyFreeFromItAll]

I have lovely bright whites.

I do a purely white wash (no colours, not even a little coloured stripe). Then whites with little bits of colour and pales get a separate wash.

40°C - with Daz powder and 25-50mls Soda Crystals (amounts dependant on how stained things are). I use clear/ distilled malt vinegar instead of softener.

Oh and as an extra point - Pales - Daz powder, plus the vinegar instead of fabric softener. Colours and darks Daz liquid to keep them bright, plus, as always the vinegar instead of fabric softener.

[FinallyFreeFromItAll]

To get the greyed whites back to white:
Soak in a soda crystal solution.

[WideWoman]

Are you sure you didn't get a rogue dark sock in with your whites?

Mine stay beautifully white. I am a bit hopeless with most housework but I can manage laundry.

Separate wash for whites with bio powder (it contains bleaching agents). Hang it out in the sun whenever possible. I usually wash at 40.

[McCunty]

Vanish gold is the answer!

[CrazyOldBagLady]

OP you didn't mention if you use biological washing powder. This is what you need on whites.

[Gardencentregroupie]

Another vote for the Vanish oxy action. My flatmate introduced me to it, her white uniform shirts washed in the same machine same setting same powder gleamed while mine were greying. Vanish oxy action was her secret. Sorted mine right out.

[sorbetandcream1]

Another vote for napisan. It's amazing. Soak items in bucket with some napisan for an hour or two. Then throw in washing machine as normal.