How to Naturally Whiten Fabric

Whitening fabrics naturally is eco-friendly.

Over time white fabric turns gray or yellowish in color. When whites get really dirty, many people use chlorine bleach. Although bleach is effective at whitening fabric, bleach is also a toxic chemical. As more people embrace green living, they are looking for ways to whiten and clean fabrics in an eco-friendly way. Fortunately, there are natural solutions for whitening fabrics.

Things You'll Need

• White vinegar
• Lemon juice
• Borax
• Baking soda
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Clothes line

Instructions

1. Pour ¾ cup of white vinegar into the washing machine. Use your regular laundry detergent as well.

2. Pour ½ cup of lemon juice into the washing machine. Use your regular detergent. Lemon juice has bleaching properties.

3. Add ½ cup of borax to the wash cycle along with detergent. Borax is a mineral that whitens and cleans.

4. Add ½ cup of baking soda to the wash. Baking soda whitens and reduces odors. Launder clothes as usual.

5. Pour ½ cup of hydrogen peroxide into the wash cycle. Wash clothes as usual. Hydrogen peroxide is a well-known bleaching agent found in hair dyes and teeth whiteners

6. Dry the clothes and linen in the sunlight. If you have a clothes line, put white fabrics outdoors to dry in the sun. Sunlight bleaches and whitens fabric.

Tips & Warnings

• Wash fabric in hot water. But read the care label first to see if hot water is recommended.

References

• Safe Natural Tips: Natural Laundry
• Apartment Therapy: 5 Ways to Naturally Clean Whites
• Green Vert: Whiten Laundry, Naturally
• How to Clean Anything: Grey Laundry