Getting white sheets white again

[FusionChefGeoff]

Have used bio powder, 60 degree wash, dried in sunlight but still distinctly cream / yellowing on my side and pillow . I'm blaming peri night sweats for the original issue but can I do anything to restore the sheets as they were fancy pants ones from Soak and Sleep

Have you tried white wine vinegar?

Soak in napisan or in vanish whitening stuff?

Ooh, I'd love to know too!

My lovely high thread count, 'hotel' bed sheets are no longer as white as they once were

I've not tried soaking yet so will see if I can get some Napisan and also some vanish.

I usualllu use the Aldi knock off 'oxy action' or something - do you think it's worth getting the proper vanish instead?!

Proper vanish gold and a soak before you wash them and tons of detergent and vanish in the wash too.

if it's important to you you need laundry blue.
it's a tiny amount of blue dyethat makes your laundry appear white.

If you have the Aldi stuff I would try that first - napisan should be a similar thing to both.

You can add it to a wash (easy but less effective) or you can scoop it onto the worst areas and soak in the sink/bath, even giving it a bit of a rub in/agitation (pref wearing rubber gloves) - if it's kill or cure I would usually do it for at least 12 hours, up to more than a day.

I'd then do it in the washing machine on a vigorous wash with biopowder again.

Fingers crossed! We have rescued completely blood stained sheets with this before.

Strip your sheets. Soak clean sheets in bath in hottest possible water with 1/4 cup borax, 1/4 cup washing soda crystals, 1/2 cup powdered Daz and a Calgon tab. Give them a good stir every hour or so for 5-6 hours, then rinse & spin in the machine.

Ours weren’t bad as I use 1/2 a scoop of Vanish Platinum with each wash but this restored them to pristine snowy white.

Hang them out in the sunshine

You can soak them in bleach using the old school non-coloured stuff. If you google you can get solutions for overnight soaking or even 10mins soaking if you're in a hurry.

You can also use baking soda.

M&S white wash detergent, vanish white platinum, 60 degree wash , comfort lavender fabric conditioner, if you have a extra rise button press that as well.

Hand on line on a sunny day.

Agree with PP sunshine is now best option

Maximum dose of astonish laundry bleach, twice the amount of bio powder than you’d normally use & set it for an extra rinse cycle. Wash at 40 because the enzymes in bio die at 50+.

You can use odaban spray to stop some of the sweat.

A cap full of bleach in with the detergent.

Sunshine, if it works on cloth nappies that have had a lot worse than sweat on them it'll work on sheets!

I had this issue recently, my pillowcases had gone an off white colour compared to the duvet cover. I soaked them for a day in Oxy ultra white (The one with the gold lid) and they came up really clean...I was actually horrified at the colour of the water that they'd been soaking in, it looked filthy!

I was reluctant to believe this, but sunshine is really the best.

I only use white sheets in this house and never have had a problem with yellowing. Sheets are washed on 90C and I use a scoop of Vanish White if there are any stains.

Pre-Vanish days, Soda crystals always worked on white cotton.
I used to soak them for about 30mins, stick 'em a normal wash using bio wash stuff and they would come out brighter than Simon Cowell's teeth!
Also worth sticking in any pale colours in with the same wash for a refresher.

@pinkbalconyrailing have you managed to find somewhere that sells laundry bluing? I've been looking for ages!

@Wildwood6 only in american expat shops

@pinkbalconyrailing, ah that makes sense- there's a definite gap in the market for a UK supplier!

I used Ace for Whites on my bedding. You just pop it in the washing machine. Oh my goodness did it work: I had to put on sunglasses to hang it up outside!

Bio powder will not work well at 60 degrees. It uses enzymes that are destroyed at hot temperatures. Use bio at 40 degrees and non-bio for hot washes.

It also depends what your sheets are made of - I’m assuming 100% cotton if they are fancy ones. If so try adding Miltons to a pre-wash soak. And don’t give up on sunlight. It might take a few goes but it will make a difference to cotton sheets. If they are poly-cotton I’d give up on them now.

Finally try these whitening bags. I’ve found them very good for DH’s work shirts.

www.amazon.co.uk/Dr-Beckmann-Glowhite-Whitener-Remover/dp/B07VV41PW8/ref=sr_1_7?hvlocphy=9045869&hvnetw=g&keywords=dr+beckmann&hvadid=259027677090&qid=1597736225&dchild=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8cq5np-k6wIVyLTtCh27cAHpEAAYASAAEgLOIfD_BwE&hydadcr=28146_1724745&hvdev=c&hvqmt=e&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&hvtargid=kwd-298728339587&adgrpid=57211025030&hvrand=16383487766248051276&sr=8-7

but the machine takes time to get to 60⁰C as they are cold fill so the enzyme part can work as it heats and then the detergent action can take over