How do you keep your whites white?

[Picklepickle123]

Just that really. All my whites seem to turn a hideous shade of almost-grey .

Always wash them separately. Also make sure your washing machine is clean (i.e. rinsed through with a calgon tablet).

As locked says

ALWAYS wash separately (whites ONLY) and a clean machine.

HOT wash (hottest the fabric can bear - I personally find most can take 60)

Also, always make sure you use POWDER detergent; as no liquids/capsules contain bleaching agents, powders do.I personally find the "top line" products do work the best (Persil or Ariel). Although Lidl's own brand is a Which best buy too.

I use a small amount of ecover laundry bleach which is chlorine free in with the load, works even on a 30 degree wash

I started washing all my whites separately after I had this problem and now they are fine. Its a pain if you only have a few whites, but well worth it to preserve that fresh white colour.

Yup, only whites. Not cream, not white with a bit of something...white only! And powder detergent and drying in the sun where possible.

Whites only.
Fairy non bio plus glowhite

Vanish do an amazing powder, you add a small scoop of it to your wash, it's called vanish platinum. It's by no means cheap but it's kept my whites extra bright. I use that with Daz powder ( the powder has stronger whitening action than Daz liquid ) using those together my whites are almost glow in the dark bright white! Although I'm not sure how it will work if the whites are dull from being washed with colours. I always steered clear of buying / wearing whites due to not being able to keep them bright, but these 2 products work together fab.

Ive used Glowhite in every whites wash for years now. I soak work and school shirts in a hot Biotex solution for a few hours, then wash with usual detergent plus Glowhite on the hottest wash they will take. All our whites are really lovely and bright, even the oldest of clothes.

I use Surf liquid mostly, sometimes Surcare on towels. If the mood takes me I use Lidl Formil powder non bio because I like the smell. I wash only whites in one load. Have never needed any bleaches or brighteners but I ensure they get daylight even when there is no bright sun.

My whites are very, very white. Even the old ones. I have done it this way all my life. My mother used to boil whites on the stove and add Reckitts blue which you can still buy, I don't recommend the boiling but the blue is still an option, you need white whites before you use it though.

You might have a build up of detergent in your whites, run them through on a wash with no detergent and look for suds, that will tell you and it might help brighten them.

I second Vanish powder for whites. I love that stuff. Stick a scoop in your white wash with the detergent.

To rescue whites looking a bit dingy, soak in a bucket of Vanish and warm water over night and wash as usual in the machine.
I've done this with all my white tops and I'm now blinding people with their whiteness.

I'm not big on separating my washing into lots of different loads. But I'm pretty scrupulous about white-only loads! Agree with PPs about adding a scoop of Vanish and drying Inthe sun.

No mixing of white/coloured clothes in washes.

Apart from that I use Ecover laundry liquid/fabric softener and (on my white wash) 1tbsp of their chlorine free laundry bleach. I use the steam setting on my LG washer and i always set it to 30C.

No problems with greying whites here.

Vanish Crystal White goes in with every white wash in this house. Have white bedding and sofa covers so need to stay on top of it.

I soak the school shirts in the bath over the holidays - leave them for a day usually then washed and out on the line - the sun makes a huge difference

I wash mine at 90 does the trick!

I separate my laundry. Whites only in a white wash. It's amazing how many people washing whites with dark colours, the colours will always run, you can tell by the greyness of the whites.

I only wash whites together - bedding, school shirts, bra, pants, towels etc - and use a Dr Beckmen's glowhite sachets in every white wash plus a scoop of biological washing powder. I prefer to wash whites at 60 degrees. I also hang outside to dry if possible. My whites are white!

I use Ariel powder, keep whites separate and line dry. Never any issues with greying, I generally wash at 40 but if particularly dirty will wash at 60. I never need a 90 wash, drying outside will usually sun out any food stains.