Keeping whites white

[anniewoo]

What's the best detergent for keeping whites white? Or should i use a special product for whites?

It's not the detergant it's the way you wash them.

I use sainsburys basic bio powder but have very white sheets because I use the 60 intensive cotton wash with 6 tablespoons of powder and no coloured items whatsoever. Sometimes I put a dylon whitener sachet in from homebargains. I put equal amounts of soda crystals in too so the water is softened.

If you put a white wash on with a few cream or off white items in on a quick 30 or 40 wash I wouldnt expect it to work as well.

Persil is meant to be good for whites but it is harsh on fabric and I didnt spend all that money on bedding to wreck it with detergant.

always do a white wash with just sheets, office shirts, whatever. If you don't think you've got enough white things to make a load, do it less often and have a week's worth.

don't put in things that are quite pale, or have white in them. The whites will lose their whiteness and it won't come back.

Persil really does wash whiter (but it makes colours fade). I don't know about this wrecking thing.

No Sainsburys in Ireland

Any cheap bio. Except tescos basics, that was shite.

I find this an issue too- all duvets and sheets and towels are white- or supposed to be.

This is what I have been told to do:

use 50% more washing powder or liquid now and then.
hot wash at 60 or hotter- my machine does a 75 and a 90 wash and I sometimes do bedding on that.
use a "glo white" product- I do this sometimes but not every wash
line dry in the sun when you can- the sun bleaches clothes

Thank you for ypur help.

People comment on how white my sheets & towels are all the time. It's dead easy to keep them white. All you need to do is make 101% sure that you never ever put anything other than whites in with other whites. Not even pastels. Not even once. That way lies grey whites. Seriously, even if you have one tiny pair of pale pink knickers, don't even contemplate chucking them in a white wash.

I also use bio powder (any brand - whatever's on offer - but NEVER non-bio) although my mum uses non-bio and her whites are white just from following the 'only whites with whites' rule.

I generally use a 60 degree wash for whites too, as others have said, but I don't think it's necessary.

I thought it was the enzymes in it that "eat" clothes PigletJohn but I would have thought it would be for any bio,not just Persil. Also I thought it only did it to woollens.
I use bio,washing on highest reccommended temperature,washing soda and sun,and pride myself on my whites.When I get second hand stuff that has greyed by being washed with the wrong colours,I love seeing them gradually getting whiter....

I seriously need to get out more

Sorry,recommended

I am ruthless re colours. Do a whites wash, dark wash, pink wash, blue wash etc

Whites can also yellow in storage (but I'm not sure under what conditions) and I'd also heard of them greying when too much washing powder is routinely used(maybe leaves a residue that attracts a film of dirt?)