do white sheets only last 2 years? how can i revive my now grey ones?

[poocatcherchampion]

Two years old now, and a wedding present - I thought they'd last til we died! They look really grey, especially on the pillowcases and also at the head end of the duvet. It that it or is there hope? Or will I have to dye them and would silver / sky blue work?

Not exciting for a Friday night, but I m cheering myself up by improving our room after dd spends her first night in hers - :(

Can you do an old-fashioned boilwash and dry in sunlight?

I've tried the super hot wash with no joy :( and normally hang them out. (Not in the dark obvs!)

Dye them!

Dye them pink or lilac.

I dyed mine beige

Are they cotton? I've had my white cotton sheets for years, and they're still lovely and white. I don't do anything special, except I always wash whites together (never with coloured things) and every now and then I put a scoop of vanish powder in with the wash.

Maybe I'll try some kid of vanish powder and dye as a last ditch effort..

Can you use the dylon whitener stuff?

blimey I've got white bedding that was given as a wedding present 30 years ago and it is still snowy white. Is yours 100% cotton? Do you wash it at 90c with Vanish added and Ariel?

Hang them outside. It really works.

have they ever been washed with something that is not white? (being "partly white" does not count)

what washing powder do you use?

what are they made of, and what temperature do you wash them at?

when did you last give your machine a service wash?

Ariel do a whitening stain remover. Sil uses it so I'm not quite sure on the details but I think you might use it instead of your Normal detergent

Hell no! I put a pure cotton sheet on my bed earlier that I remember buying in Ikea in 1990 when I bought a new bed in my first flat.

Always wash white cotton on 60 degrees minimum, only with other pure white cottons, and hang out to dry outside if at all possible.

There's Vanish powder that restores the whiteness of stuff. I find it's quite effective.

Will napisan work?

Bleach??

yy napisan! I just came on to suggest soaking them for a couple of days in napisan or milton is pretty good for getting whites white!

Bleach

Glo white

Twice as much detergant as usual with 6 dessert spoons of soda crystals on a 60 cotton wash.

Dont press the rapid wash button.

Chuck a whitner sachet in there too. Or colour run remover.

My sheets are still white after 2 years.

Have you ever washed them with non-white stuff, e.g the duvet cover ? I'd try a whitening product like napisan or vanish, 60 degree wash, and hang out in the sun.

Our John Lewis sheets are like new after 6 years.

I have a problem with a couple of yellowing pillow cases - the sheets and duvet covers are beautifully white though. Have tried one of those whitening sachets and bleach with little effect.

I'll try soda crystals next - if that doesn't work I'll try the rest of your suggestions!

Don't use glo white or anything else with optical brighteners - your sheets may seem whiter to begin with but they will turn yellow/gray.

You could try a colour run remover and then a boil wash and hang out to dry outside for a few days (lack of sun doesn't matterr, it's UV light that whitens). Then wash again of course. Wash at 60 degrees from now on, and only ever with other white cottons.

Do you use a washing powder containing optical whiteners? Check the box. They do spoil whites long term.

Fussy, sometimes the yellowing is there because they've been stored in the airing cupboards.

We put ours in the bed underdraws.

Unfortunately it DHs head sweat!