Bleaching Clothes White

How often, we pull out our favorite white T-shirt from the wardrobe and find it turning cream or a shade of gray! It's so disappointing to see our lovely whites lose their gleam in some time. White clothes can be brought back to their pristine condition by bleaching them. Centuries ago, the Egyptians vigorously scrubbed and sun-dried garments in an effort to preserve the gleam of white clothes, with no avail! By 1000 AD, the Dutch were using a mixture of lye and caustic alkaline solution to destroy the dirt in the fabric. However, they found this mixture destroyed the fabric as well. To counter this problem, they added sour milk to the mixture to soften the effects of the lye. The alteration was beneficial, however, the entire process took 8 weeks, which is a long time to wait for the laundry to be done.

It was only in 1772, that Karl Scheele, the German born Swedish chemist, isolated the element 'chlorine', which became an essential ingredient in modern bleaches. The word 'bleach' means lightning the color or removing it. Bleach helps keep white clothes white and also assists in blotting out stains from them. However, too much bleach can damage clothes, which is why it has to be measured and used carefully. Let us move on and learn more about bleaching clothes white. Read more on facts about chlorine.

How to Bleach Clothes White

Today we have two general types of laundry bleaches reigning in the market. They are chlorine bleach and non-chlorine bleach.

Chlorine Bleach
Chlorine bleaches were first introduced to the US in 1916, and comprise the element chlorine, present in the form of 'sodium hypochlorite'. The ones available at grocery stores are 5.25% solutions of sodium hypochlorite mixed with water. This bleach is powerful and decolorizes stains by oxidizing the stain forming compounds, thereby blotting out even grave grape juice stains. What this bleach does is that it breaks the stains into smaller units, making them easily removable by the laundry detergent and washing machine movement. Read more on active ingredients in bleach.

One should also note that iron deposits in the water can interact with the bleach and conduce to rust stains on clothes. Moreover, this bleach can also make some yellow stains worse and may conduce to holes in fabric. The fact that chlorine bleaches can blot out grave stains shows how strong their effect is on the fabric. These bleaches can damage or discolor fabrics, which is why one needs to read the labels on bleach containers and clothes before bleaching. Chlorine bleach should be used only on sheets, pillowcases, bath towels, dish towels, tablecloths, color fast prints, undershirts and white socks. One should not use it to bleach silk, spandex stretch fabrics, wool, etc. The labels on the fabric will serve as guidelines.

How to Bleach Your Clothing White with Chlorine Bleach
For those bleaching clothes white in washing machine, do not use more than one cup of chlorine bleach liquid for top-loading washing machines. Extra large machines will require one and one quarter cups of bleach solution. While bleaching clothes white by hand, do not use more than a tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water. To avoid hole formation in the fabric, mix the bleach with lots of water before mixing with soapy wash water. The cloth fibers may weaken if the bleach remains in them, so rinse them well. Read more on how does bleach work.

Oxygen Bleach
Oxygen bleach is also known as non-chlorine bleach. It is mostly available in powder form and can be safely used on all kinds of clothes that require bleaching. While chlorine bleach is excellent to bleach clothes white, the oxygen one is wonderful for preserving the color in the bright cherry red jammies, rainbow colored frocks, etc. To bleach clothes using oxygen bleach, one should follow the instructions given on the packet. Most oxygen bleaches work well in hot water and can be used every time the fabrics are washed. Read more on stain removal.

Bleaching Clothes White without Bleach
For those who prefer the natural way, chemical bleaches can be substituted by lemon juice. For bleaching clothes white with lemon juice, one should mix half a cup of lemon juice and one gallon of hot water. Soak the clothes in this solution for an hour to overnight (depending on how much bleaching is required). Remove the clothes from the solution once they are soaked and pour the solution into the washing machine. This will conduce to perfect white socks, etc. Bleaching clothes white with lemon juice will not lead to over-bleaching. Read more on laundry tips.

Most washing machines available today come with a bleach dispenser. By following the instructions given on the instruction manual one can safely carry out the bleaching process. If one does not own a washing machine, then one can try bleaching clothes in the sink. While bleaching clothes white, one should remember not to allow the garment to dry until the results are satisfying. Though strong bleaches render pure white garments, oft old garments won't become white and will remain their dull shade. While bleaching, ensure that the whites and colors are bleached separately, or else one will have a wardrobe fit to be sent for a garage sale! Happy Bleaching!