Tricks for Bleaching Clothes Naturally
White clothes are always sought after and are a good option because they go with other colors very easily. Some people prefer not to buy them, usually because they get dirty too easily and end up turning a dirty yellow color. Luckily, there are ways to bleach clothes naturally!
Bodily sweat, food stains, and dust or dirt from the environment end up sticking to the fabric and, within a matter of weeks, they can end up looking worn.
Tips for bleaching clothes naturally
In order to address this problem, a lot of companies worldwide have taken charge of developing cleaning products for bleaching clothes naturally in order to maintain their original color.
A lot of these products, however, are made with aggressive chemicals that damage the environment, your health, and even the article of clothing.
Fortunately, there are also natural solutions that can be made at home for this same purpose. A big advantage of this is that they are a lot cheaper and 100% natural.
Are you ready to start using them?
You might also like: Simple Ways to Remove Sweat Stains from White Clothes
Baking Soda
Using baking soda as a normal part of your washing routine will not only whiten your clothes, but it will also soften them.
This ingredient reduces stains and improves the effects of common soap on clothing.
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp baking soda (30 grams)
- Powder detergent (however much you need for the load)
What to do
- Submerge your clothing in water and powder detergent and add 3 tablespoons of baking soda.
- Let sit for 20 minutes, then wash as you normally would.
Lemon juice and salt
Lemon juice is one of the best products for bleaching clothes. Using it on clothing keeps them from turning yellow or holding onto stains.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salt (125 grams)
- Juice from 2 lemons
- 2 liters water
- Neutral soap (however much you need)
What to do
- Pour the two liters of warm water into a bowl and add the juice from the two lemons along with the salt and neutral soap.
- Place your clothing into the mixture and soak for at least one hour.
- Rinse as usual, then hang out in the sun to dry.
Ammonia and hydrogen peroxide
This solution is gentle on delicate clothes and is also a good option for removing dark and tough stains.
Ingredients
- 1/2 glass of hydrogen peroxide (100 mL)
- 1 liter of water
- 5 drops ammonia
What to do
- Pour the hydrogen peroxide into a bowl with one liter of water, then add the ammonia drops.
- Soak for half an hour, then rinse.
Apple cider vinegar
Do your favorite shirts have stains in the armpits? You will be surprised by how effective apple cider vinegar is at eliminating them.
Its properties extract sweat and deodorant remnants from clothing, bleaching clothes and turning them bright white once again.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (125 mL)
What to do
- Pour the apple cider vinegar on the desired areas and let sit for half an hour before rinsing.
- Repeat this process with each wash.
Milk
A lot of people know that milk is a great tool for eliminating marks on your skin, however, a lot of people ignore the fact that it’s fairly useful for getting rid of yellow discoloration.
Ingredients
- Milk (however much you need)
What to do
- Store the milk in the fridge, then once ready, soak your clothing in it.
- Soak for one hour, then rinse with soap and running water.
Water from boiling eggs and lemon juice
The water left over after boiling eggs is rich in calcium, a mineral thathelps to set the color.
If your white clothing has some sort of decal on it, this alternative is great because it does not affect the original color.
Ingredients
- 1/2 liter water from boiled eggs
- 1 lemon
What to do
- Squeeze out the lemon juice and pour it into a bowl with half a liter of water left over after boiling eggs.
- Soak your clothing in it for 30 minutes, then wash in the washing machine.
Hydrogen peroxide and lemon
These two ingredients are compounds from substances that effectively remove yellow discoloration and stains.
When combined as one sole product, they create a wonderful remedy for “leaving whites, whiter.”
Ingredients
- 1 lemon
- 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide (250 mL)
- 2 cups of water (400 mL)
You might like: 8 Natural Hydrogen Peroxide Remedies
What to do
- Squeeze the lemon juice and mix it in a bowl with the hydrogen peroxide and two cups of water.
- Add to the rinse cycle in the washing machine, or soak your clothing in the solution.
Did you like these alternatives for bleaching clothes naturally? Use whichever one you liked best and see what great options they are for leaving your whites an even brighter color.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Jureller, S. H., & Kerschner, J. L. (1993). U.S. Patent No. 5,194,416. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
- Koehler, C., & Torkelson, D. (1993). Creative Cleaning: Back to Basics.
