I've just bought new white bedding.....

[SusanHollander]

It's from John Lewis and I luffs it.

I've never had white bedding before. What are your top tips for keeping it white in terms of washing it and dealing with any stains? I've got two toddlers and two dogs so this information will no doubt be pertinent at some stage

I have white bedding too, I love it.

No tips - we have cats but they're rarely upstairs.

I recently bought white bedding from The White Company and spilled tea on it the stain hasn't come out so am marking my place

Hot wash, 60 degrees and every single time you wash add a scoop of Ecover Laundry Bleach. It's a small rectangular carton on the same shelf as all the vanish white stuff, but it's not a stain remover, it just keeps whites glowing

(Happy sigh)

Was recommended it on MN and I adore the stuff now

Do you let the dogs in the bed?

If so, you must be on glueto buy white bedding .

Apart from that, wash your bedding at 60° with a scoop of the Vanish stuff for whites. It really works.

We have white 100% cotton sheets, and I wash them at 95C. (I justify this because I only change the sheets once a fortnight.)

They look fab, and are only demoted when a foot goes through them: then they become polishing cloths or DD uses them to make other things...

Thank you! Errrr yes the dogs have always snoozed on the bed in the day - they're small dogs and I bathe them when I get a chance every fortnight. BUT our previous bedding has always leant itself to this and also I've put a pretty quilty thing at the bottom which they lie on. They only ever lie at the bottom of it so the quilty thing should mean it stays ok....but if not then they'll have to stop getting on it. They don't need to be on it anyway as have three beds of their own...but I'm soft and they're much better behaved than the kids so I indulge them

Ecover laundry bleach added to shopping list - thank you!

Laundry bleach is unnecessary. Just use a good biological or non biological powder or tablets (NOT liquid) as this already contains oxygen bleaching agents so saves you buying 2 products and wash on a hot wash - 60 degrees & above. Avoid quick washes too, it will give the detergent longer to work.

Persil Bio or Non Bio tablets would be a good choice as these have quite a high bleach content.

Bicarbonate of soda keeps whites white

White bedding addict here...
One scoop of Vanish when it is washed, sheets get changed every week, and we have a throw on the bottom of the bed for the dog. It is still very white after several years

sparechange that's music to my ears!

Persil Bio and a capful of Ace will shift stains and keep things white. £1 in Superdrug or the pound type shops.

I don't have white bedding but I do have chef whites, I get curry, spag bol, gravy and all sorts and it all comes out with a 60' wash and Asda washing powder. If there has ever been a stain that's hard to shift (think cleaning the oven racks with oven cleaner) I soak in cold water over night before washing.
My boss recommends borax for stubborn stains, it might be worth getting some. But cold water soaking always works for me.

Ariel Actilift powder came out top in Which tests. Wash at 60. I have white cotton bedding and it works for me.

The best thing for keeping whites white, IMHO is doing white-only washes. So no beiges or creams, no coloured trims. And dry outside as often as possible.

NB polycotton eg school shirts will always turn greyed whatever you do. They look white, but when you hold them against something properly white, you can see that they're not really.