bleach whitening clothes
How do I use bleach to whiten my laundry?
I have never put bleach into my washing machine before so I’m unsure how to go about it. I have some white shirts and towels (no designs on them) that I’d like to whiten. Once in the past I had a white shirt and put it in a bucket with half bleach – half water, and I know I did it wrong since the shirt turned yellow and fell apart! haha. Needless to say I haven’t bleached anything since and would like to know how to do it right so I don’t ruin my clothes.
How much bleach do I use (bleach to water level ratio)? What setting do I put my washer on? Should I throw in the bleach after the washer has filled up with water, or toss the bleach in as it’s filling? I’m afraid to just throw the bleach in on top of my clothes without much water in the machine in case I get blotches on the garments. Do I stick them in the dryer after, or air dry?
Sorry for all the questions – I hope someone can ease my fears! Thank you!
Read the tags on your white shirts, if they are not 100% cotton they will turn either yellow or grey if you use chlorine bleach.
If the whites are part polyester, you can use a non-chlorine bleach such as Clorox 2.
If your washer does not have an automatic bleach dispenser, put the detergent in the washer, start running hot water…for whites use hot water…after it has become nice and sudsy, add one cup of bleach. (Or your non-chlorine bleach) The last thing is add your clothes. Don’t over crowd the washer or you won’t get them as clean. Since you haven’t bleach them in a long time, you might have to do this 2 or 3 times to get them nice and bright. Don’t dry them in between.
Then just dry them. Also if it is available to you use a clothes line and dry them outside on a sunny day…Sunshine helps whiten.
50 years experience washing clothes.
Dear life Japan: Dieting & Skin Bleaching
