does putting bleach in the washing machine drawer do any harm?

[FatBellyJones]

I'm sick of my whites being grey

It's not something I'd do to be honest. Have you thought of changing your washing powder? I always put a dose of liquid vanish in with my whites.

Only wash whites with whites to stop colours bleeding.

I do that lmm but after a while they get all dingy and grey, dunno if it's because we're in a hard water area

Be careful the whole thing doesn't froth up into a frenzy, that happened to me once. I had a whole drum of bleach foam to get rid of, not easy.

Oh get the bleach in there!

I do it now and again and it does no harm! My washing machine has a little 'bleach tray' that you put in the drawer, but I don't think this is standard as my sis had never heard of it!

I have put bleach directly in the drum of the washing machine before, with some white clothes that needed to be cleaned in bleach. It was fine!

I would use a whitener rather than stick bleach in the washer. I would imagine it would smell for ages.

I'd worry that all the bleach hadn't gone and it might ruin my next dark wash. Can't you soak them in biotex?

Me and DP wear mainly dark colours and the bleach has never done our clothes any harm. I put the clothes on an extra rinse though before I take them out so I suppose that helps clear it out.

If you are a bit wary maybe use ace or another whitening product?

Dear M'netters, once while staying at my EX bf's house with his v scary mother I tried to do some laundry. I used the laundry liquid bottle nearest the machine which turned out to be turps and my clothes stank for weeks. Take note ladies always be on your guard.

i have a section for bleach too!

i put some in to give druma good clean, but have never put it in with clothes??

Try Cream of Tartar, seriously.

I died a cream throw pink (DD 'helping' by sneaking stuff into the machine again!) the other day and as I couldn't get to a shop I called a friend and googled and I founda site that said that Cream of TArtar is natures bleach, so in went half a tub, one wash later and the throw is back as cream!

Can't do any harm anyway!

Napisan will bring things up whiter - and it's safe to put in the washing machine.

Thanks everyone,

I think I've tried all of the above apart from the cream of tartar which I shall definitely try and get hold of.

It's a pain because all my towels and sheets are white but after a few washes they've gone grey despite only being washed with white things, mostly on 60 degree but occasionally I give them a blast on the 90 degree wash

I've tried all kinds of powders, bio and non bio as well as biotex, ace, vanish etc and nothing, so bleach was my last resort today and it did work.. although i was chicken and only put a tiny bit of bleach in, might be brave and put a bigger squirt next time

Some of the articles here may help

www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=94

I use Glo White in every white wash. It seems to work well, but my standards are fairly low laundry-wise. I'm not sure if it will reverse greyness that has already happened.