No doubt, white clothes are hard to keep bright as they tend to lose their brightness and get dingy after a while because they easily attract stains. But do you know you don’t have to toss them? If you wish, you could get that whiteness back! How?
There are safe tricks and bleaching methods that can help you get rid of those stains and dull look without damaging your clothes. From bleaching your white clothes by hand (soaking) to using a portable ultrasonic cleaner like Sonic Soak that is extremely powerful without damaging your clothes - and that can clean absolutely anything!
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
- Safety tips before bleaching clothes
- Best ways to bleach your clothes?
- How do you prevent white clothes from fading?
- Last advice on how to bleach your white clothes
Safety tips before whiten your clothes
If you use bleach wrongly, it can cause damage to your clothes by marking them because bleach can be corrosive. It is a harsh chemical, and you need to bear some things in mind so you can bleach your white clothes safely.
- Ensure the room where you are going to use the bleach is well ventilated
- Make sure your clothes can bear the strong cleaning power of the bleach before using it. You can confirm this by testing the bleach on an area of the fabric that is inconspicuous first.
- If the bleach spill, use a damp cloth to clean it up almost immediately
- The method or format you want to use should determine the type of bleach you will use. If you are going to bleach with washing machine, use liquid bleach but if it is for spot-stains, make use of pen or spray.
- Avoid contact with bleaches by wearing plastic apron on your clothes and rubber gloves to protect your hands.
- Ensure your clothes’ label does not have the phrase “do not bleach” before you bleach
- Bleach made specifically for laundry purposes should be used. Also, never mix ammonia with bleach as it can release toxic gas.
- Ensure that you do not bleach natural fibers such as leather, wool, or silk.
- You can destroy your clothes by using concentrated bleach on them directly. Ensure you dilute the chemical before you bleach your white clothes with it.
Best ways to bleach white clothes?
How do you bleach your white clothes by soaking them?
You can bleach your white clothes by soaking them in a bucket of cold water, adding bleach, leaving it for about 10 minutes, removing and rinsing the clothes in cold water, and spreading out to dry. For a better understanding, the steps to follow are:
Step 1 – get a container, pour cold water in it, and soak your clothes.
- The container can be a bowl, bucket, or other containers that are sturdy and suitable. Make sure the container you select is big enough to make stirring and agitation of your clothes easy while you soak. Typical possibilities are clean construction-grade buckets, your washing machine, or a bathtub.
- Ensure your white clothes are covered with the water. At least a few inches above the clothes
- If you like, you can wash your white shirt with other white cloths. It can make the bleaching more efficient
Step 2 – pour bleach in the container where your white shirt or clothing is soaked
- Different brand and type of bleach product have different recommendations and measurement when it comes to using because they have different concentration. You can check the directions on your bottle of bleach to know how much is needed for your clothes.
- As a general rule of thumb, about a ¼ cup of bleach is perfect for a gallon of water. Few tablespoons of bleach are recommended for a single cloth, and about 1 cup should do if you soak more than one white cloth.
- If you need some extra cleaning power because your white clothing is soiled, you can add other materials such as washing soda, borax, dish detergent, or laundry detergent.
Step 3 – Stir the clothes, bleach, water, and other materials in the container
- You need to make sure your clothes soak evenly, and you can achieve this by stirring all the content in the container every few minutes.
- Set a timer and allow the clothes to soak for about 10 minutes. Take note that bleach can weaken or damage your fabrics if you soak for too long.
Step 4 – use cold water to rinse the clothes
- After soaking the white clothes for up to 10 minutes, you will need to remove the bleach and other materials like detergent from the clothes to avoid unpleasant residues in the fabric.
- Remove the shirt or other clothes from the bucket and wash it under cold running water before drying
- Squeeze the clothes to remove the excess water
- Dry the clothes by putting them on the line to air-dry or using a drying machine
How do you bleach your white clothes by using a washing machine?
There are different types of washing machines, and this includes the laundry machines and the ultrasonic cleaning machines. Both washing machine works in different ways.
The laundry machine uses a large plastic agitator to move your clothes through the water, but ultrasonic cleaner uses cavitation bubbles to remove dirt and stains. You can check our previous article for more details.
How can I bleach my white clothes with laundry machines?
You can bleach your white clothes with laundry machines by removing the staining substance immediately and use detergent to pre-treat the stains. Then pour water, add bleach, switch on the washing machine, put your clothes in it, remove after some minutes, rinse, and dry. Below are the steps to follow.
Step 1 – separate the white cloth and remove the substances staining it immediately
- Remove excess spilled substances from your clothes by using a tool you have handy. It can be a spoon or paper towel
- You can make use of a paste of baking soda and water to remove stubborn staining materials. Use a brush to scrub the baking soda into the stain. It should make the ground-in stains go away
Step 2 – use liquid laundry detergent to pre-treat the stains
- Apply the detergent directly on the stain and use a soft brush to scrub it
- Alternatively, you can make use of powdered detergent by mixing it with water and applying it on the area of the clothes affected by stains
Step 3 – check the tags on your clothing
- Not all clothes can be safely washed with a machine. So, check to ensure the clothes can be washed on the hot water setting in a laundry machine.
Step 4 – pour water and detergent into the laundry machine
- Ensure your washing machine get a water supply
- Pour detergent into the laundry machine. How much detergent you will use depends on the load.
Step 5 – measure the bleach and pour it into the washing machine dispenser
- Use a measuring cup or the cap of the bottle to measure out the bleach
- Put a bit less than a ¾ cup of bleach if the load is less than ¼ of the laundry machine. On the other hand, add a bit more than a ¾ cup of bleach if the load fills more than half of the machine.
- You can put the bleach directly in the washing machine or inside the dispenser of your washing machine has one.
Step 6 – set the temperature of the wash cycle to hot, turn on your washing machine, and put the clothes in it
- Let the laundry machine run for some minutes so that the materials (bleach, water, and detergent) can mix.
- Put your clothes in into the washing machine while the contents agitate•
- Allow it to run some cycles, and when it is complete, remove the clothes to see if you are satisfied with the bleaching. If not, run the wash cycle again.
Step 7 – rinse the clothes to remove the bleach and detergent and then spread out to dry
- Remember, you can bleach the clothe again if you are not satisfied with the result
How can I bleach white clothes with ultrasonic washing machines?
Ultrasonic washing machines can help you bleach your white clothes with or without using traditional bleach. These machines, particularly portable ultrasonic cleaners like Sonic Soak, are among the safest and most effective ways to get the brilliant white of your clothing back.
Unlike traditional methods, Sonic Soak produces modulated ultrasonic waves that clean dirt and stains from your clothes at a microscopic level, ensuring a thorough clean without harsh chemicals.
One user shared their experience, stating, "It produces modulated waves and cleans dirt off my clothes. It's also eco-friendly." This positive review highlights the effectiveness of Sonic Soak not only in maintaining the whiteness of clothes but also in offering an environmentally friendly solution.
This testimonial reinforces the value of using ultrasonic technology for bleaching white clothes, especially for those looking for a gentle yet powerful alternative to traditional bleaching methods.
Here’s how to use your ultrasonic cleaner.
Put the cloth in a container or tank filled with water, turn on the machine, and watch it do its job. Here are the steps
Step 1 – pour water in the tank or a container
- If the ultrasonic washing machine has a tank pour water in it
- But if it is a sonic portable ultrasonic machine such as Sonic Soak, pour the water in a bowl
Step 2 – plug the machine and switch it on
- Allow the ultrasonic cleaning solution to heat up for some minutes, or you can pour hot water in the tank or container
Step 3 – put your clothes in the water while the ultrasonic cleaner is working
- You can remove the staining substances immediately and also pre-treat the stains before washing them with the machine for more effective cleaning.
- Also, you can add laundry detergent and a small quantity of bleach. However, this is not always important. Unless the stain adhering to your clothes is very stubborn and hard to remove.
Step 4 – allow the cycle to complete, remove, rinse, and dry the clothes out
- You can make the ultrasonic run many wash cycle until you get the best result
Take note that unlike other methods of bleaching your white clothes, the ultrasonic washing machine can wash any fabrics. It won’t damage your favorite white shirt as they can keep your clothes clean without using bleach, which can cause damage.
How to sun-bleach your white clothes?
Sun-bleaching your white clothes involve using the natural bleaching power of the sun’s rays. This was the main method people used for keeping their white clothes clean, shine, and bright before bleach was made available commercially.
How does the sun-bleaching power work?
The sun rays produce ultraviolet radiation where the bleaching power comes from. This radiation can cause the colors in stains to lighten or fade by breaking up the chemical bonds that create the stains’ colors at a molecular level.
How do you use the sun-bleaching method?
Step 1 – wash your white clothes as you used to.
Step 2 – rinse the clothes and hang them on a qdrying rack, rope, or clean, flat surface. Ensure that the weather is warm and there is no chance of rain. A lot of sunlight will work better.
Step 3 – leave your clothes outside to dry in the sun for a long time. However, don’t let the white clothes stay in the sun for days. It can weaken the fabric of the clothing and make it more susceptible to wear and damage. So, take your clothes in when they have dried.
How do you prevent white clothes from fading?
- Wash your white clothes after wearing them once or twice
- Get rid of the stain almost immediately or as soon as possible
- Don’t white clothes and colored ones together in the same load
- Use hot water when washing your clothes
- Use laundry detergents that have bleach as one of its ingredients and ensure you don’t underuse or overuse detergents
- Do not over dry your white clothes
- Wash the white clothes by using the safest methods which can include the use of ultrasonic washing machine like Sonic Soak.
Advice on how to bleach white clothes
There is no doubt about the fact that it is hard to find perfect white clothes and it is nearly impossible to keep your clothes white forever. However, bleaching your white clothes by making use of the soaking method, washing machine method, and sun-bleach method can make a great difference.
Take note that out all the tricks mentioned above, using the ultrasonic cleaner is the easiest, fastest, safest, and most effective method. It can help brighten your white clothes back to how it looks when you first bought them.
FAQs: How to Bleach White Clothes
Can you bleach clothes that aren't 100% white?
It's generally not recommended to bleach clothes with colored patterns or trims, as the bleach may cause the colors to fade or bleed, leading to uneven results. If you want to bleach white clothes with some color, it's safer to use oxygen-based bleach, which is gentler and less likely to damage the colored portions. For those aiming to restore items like a bleached white shirt, be cautious and always test a small, inconspicuous area first to avoid unwanted discoloration.
How often should I bleach my white clothes?
Bleaching white clothes should be done sparingly—only when they start to look dull or dingy. Frequent bleaching can weaken the fabric fibers, leading to potential damage like holes or tears over time.
Is there a way to maintain the brightness of white clothes without using bleach frequently?
Yes, you can maintain the brightness of your white clothes without constant bleaching by using alternatives like a portable ultrasonic cleaner, such as Sonic Soak. It's particularly effective as it helps restore brightness without overusing traditional bleach, which can damage fabrics over time.
Can bleach damage fabrics?
Yes, excessive or improper use of bleach can damage fabrics, causing them to deteriorate over time. Bleaching white clothes too often can weaken the fibers, making them more prone to holes, tears, and fraying. To avoid this, it's important to follow the recommended bleach usage guidelines and consider using a gentle cycle on your washing machine.
What are some alternatives to chlorine bleach?
Alternatives to chlorine bleach include oxygen bleach, baking soda, and hydrogen peroxide. These options are gentler on fabrics while still effectively whitening clothes. Oxygen bleach is especially good for how to bleach clothes white again, as it brightens without the harshness of chlorine. Baking soda can help with odor and mild stains, while hydrogen peroxide is excellent for spot-treating stains.
How can I prevent my white clothes from turning yellow?
To prevent your white clothes from turning yellow, avoid using too much detergent, as residue can build up and cause discoloration. Rinse thoroughly and steer clear of fabric softeners, which can also lead to yellowing over time. When bleaching whites, ensure proper washing and rinsing to remove all traces of detergent and bleach. Storing clothes in a cool, dry place can help maintain their brightness.
