First of all, separate whites from brights and darks. Most of the problem with dingy, gray laundry comes from washing whites with items that are colorful or dark. Most colors bleed into the water, at least a little bit, and the white items absorb this color, leaving them anything but white. Do not dry them with colorful items, either.The next best suggestion for the whitest whites when doing
. laundry tends to surprise many people who were raised on washing whites in hot water, but washing anything in hot water means that stains not caught before laundering can become permanent. Therefore, always wash whites in lukewarm or cool water. A stain found before it becomes permanently affixed by hot water or the heat of the dryer can often be spot-cleaned and re-washed successfully. A second washing tends to catch many stains that become part of the fabric forever once heat has affected it, whether from the hot water or the dryer.Inspecting the laundry and spot-cleaning or pre-treating stains with a cleaner or by soaking in mild detergent and water is one of the most effective ways to keep whites white. After this, the next best solution is to use bleach. A simple method, but an effective one. Some bleach alternatives are useful, but true bleach is always effective. Bleach is not needed in strong amounts to keep whites at their whitest, and too much bleach can degrade fabric strength, leading to faded and worn clothing. For sheets, hand towels, dishcloths, and bath towels, a quarter cup of bleach for the entire load is sufficient. For cotton underwear - but not delicate lingerie - t-shirts and other garments, one-half cup should be enough.If a first wash does not combat a stain entirely, try rubbing in laundry detergent with a small amount of water and just allow it to sit for a while. Some stains require time. After a few hours, scrub the item with a small nail brush with natural or plastic bristles. If even this is not enough, then add some diluted bleach and allow it to sit a while longer. However, be careful about leaving the diluted bleach for too long. Some fabrics disintegrate if the bleach is strong enough, and others will show the evidence of the bleach. More reference links: http://mrsmacgyvershomejournal.blogspot.com/2009/04/cold-water-washing-is-hot.html http://www.clorox.com/products/clorox-regular-bleach/how-to/
