How can I make my faded white clothes bright again?

[CheeeseOnToast]

First off this is almost completely my fault as I never used to bother separating my washing - I have learned now.

Anyway, I could really do with making my white tops whiter as they are faded and grey, one even is slightly yellow in colour

I did a wash with Dylon's 'whitening' washing machine powder, which did absolutely nothing.

So I tested soaking a top (I chose the oldest one, just in case) in a tub of bleach overnight and it didn't do anything either, in fact if anything I think it went slightly yellow.

What works? Please tell me there's some magic cure?

get some vanish! pre soak the night before, and put them on the highest temp possible with more vanish in the powder compartment with washing powder and fabric conditioner etc.
If that doesn't work then you have no hope im afraid

Biological washing powder with optical brighteners and hang clothes up in sunlight to bleach them. Chlorine bleach will not do the job!

thanks both. Thanks Whomoved - I'm not able to dry washing outside, don't have a garden unfortunately. A small balcony, but dont think that's up for the job.

OTT I will try the vanish pre soak, thanks!

I find a hot wash (90 degrees - only for cottons though!) using Vanish, soda crystals and normal washing powder all together seems to work. It's not great for the environment so I try to only do it every so often, and just strictly separate my clothes for the interim washes.

Do you live in a hard water area? This can turn whites grey - I live in SW London where we have really hard water and soda crystals will help with this - they soften the water so your detergent can work more effectively.

Soaking in vinegar can get rid of underarm stains, if that's what's turned your top yellow - don't use chlorine bleach on sweat stains as the chemicals in it react to the dried sweat and turn it an even darker yellow.

I don't know how this works on really faded stuff but I find an overnight soak in a bucket of very strong napisan brings my whites up.

I find it much better than any of the marketed "whitening" laundry products.

Vanish is good stuff.

I use Soda crystals which i put in the drum with the washing. It works well and is a fraction of the price of Vanish (which is rubbish imo.)

agghh, why all the haters on vanish lol