I actually want to know how to wash whiter

[sergeantmajor]

After years of watching ads where housewives wonder how to get their wash whiter, I find myself staring at my greying bed linen and wondering the same thing. How can I get my White Company bed sheets to be worthy of the name? Have tried: Biotex pre-soak and long hot machine wash, but the sheets still look pretty dismal.

Soak in napisan, then wash, hang on line in sunshine.

It's a lot easier to keep things white than to get them white again iyswim.

Use washing powder, not liquid, the liquid has no bleach in it, I'm not sure about optical brighteners (additives that make things look bright white).

Sunlight is the best way to keep whites bright. My whites always get a bit duller over winter, but a couple of sunny days on the line and they brighten up.

I agree about using powder too. Liquids never seem to work as well.

I used to work for a major manufacturer if washing powders, around the time that liquids were introduced. I went to a presentation about laundry products (how exciting were my 20's) and they were very excited about selling people lots of water at a premium price, even though they knew the product was inferior in terms of washing performance. They were also thrilled about tablets because it meant that people couldn't choose to use less than the recommended amount of powder. Powder is the better product but it isn't promoted because it is less profitable.

chemenger, that's really interesting, and what I'd suspected to be true for years.

Ooh interesting. I always use half the recommended amount of powder and my laundry is still clean!!!! Chemenger, can you confirm whether budget or supermarket own brands wash just as well as premium ones such as Persil?

I haven't worked in that industry for a very long time so thing may have changed, but big brands - Persil and Ariel were manufactured "in house" and those companies did not make product for other people. Own brands were manufactured by one or two "toll manufacturers". The big innovations appear in the big brands first, and may be patented so might not get into own brands. Low temperature washing is the big thing at the moment I think.

I ignore my own advice and use Method liquid, because I don't like the strong perfumes in mainstream brands.

One of my colleagues did some experiments and reckoned you could go down to a third of the recommended amount of powder without seeing any problems. It will depend on water harness and dirt levels in your laundry though.

. Thank you

Use twice the usual dose of powder (bio) on a 60 wash & don't press the quick wash button.

Only wash white with white.

Seperate whites wash @ 60* with powder. Line Dry.

The only nice thing my MIL ever said was " oh well! she does get her whites white"

Normal amount of powder and a quick wash is fine.

I use tablets - I for a normal wash and half for a 30 degree 20 min delicate wash - probably about a third of the recommended dosage. Never noticed any problems with cleanliness of my washing.

My mum's whites are the whitest. Whiter than when she bought them, I swear

She: uses powder, just cheap stuff; washes at 40, would never dream of permitting anything not totally, entirely white in her whites wash; hangs outside in Scotland in the snow and rain

Yy to cutting laundry dosing, I read somewhere that a guy found, experimenting, that going down to a teaspoon had no detrimental effect. Add some soda crystals if you're in a hard water area - will do your machine and pipes a favour too.

Ariel
Vanish powder
Dr Beckmann spray and pouches
Hot water

If your bed linen was once white and is now grey you should wash it at 90° with Vanish powder and Ariel.

My whites are properly white.

Method: only whites in white wash. Am very strict. Powder - cheap stuff is fine and you need less than it says on the box. Line dry - this is important. I wash most whites at 40 - I think the temp is less important than the line drying.

Beachcomber are you my DM

I agree with beachcomber. White cottons at 40 or 60 - any old powder will do. Stay as white in the tumbler if you ask me but we do live in London and when we were in our old zone 2 house if it rained you sometimes got grey streaks on otherwise brilliant washing.

White synthetics at no more than 40 and with only other whites or pastels.

What I want to know is how to keep bras white without handwashing in lux flakes. Can you?

Hah rootypig! Would love to be hanging up washing in Scotland like your mum (am from there). Live in France though - was good drying day today. Sunny and windy. I have a sheet that DD2 had a nosebleed on - it will stay out for a couple of days and will come in white. Nothing beats line drying.

Since you're not my mother......you really should meet her

I am also a loon for the line, but for the glorious smell!

My whites are sparkling and I always use Persil powder .

Haven't used liquid or liqui tabs for 20 years since a washing machine engineer told me they were rubbish for your machine.

Agree that line drying in the sun is the nuts for fading stains.

You have all inspired me, I am going to buy powder and make a serious attempt to get our hundreds of school shirts back to white from their current rainbow of grey and yellow. I just need to sun to come back....

Ok! I had gone to liquid from powder as it always gunned up the drawer. If I'm going back to powders, how di I avoid half the powder staying in the drawer in a mucky heap oh gurus of washing.

Sweep only put half the normal amount in to start with?

You put the powder in the drum not the drawer.

If whites are badly discoloured use a colour run remover product first then wash them.

Absolutely essential to only ever wash things together that are entirely white.

No "nearly white" or "quite pale" or "partly white"

Also a powder (they contain bleaching agents) not a liquid, and not a cool wash

If your washer contains a residue of grey soap sludge, give it a hot hot hot service wash with a cup of washing soda crystals and no soap or fabsoft. You can put white cotton towels in as they will not be damaged by the heat. If the water foams up and goes cloudy grey, that's the old soap sludge dissolving. Do it again until it stays clear.

My office shirts are dazzling.