How to Whiten Laundry

Are your cotton whites looking dingy and gray? You may feel that they are hopeless. Rest assured you can make those towels, sheets and clothing articles as white as the day you brought them home.

Things You'll Need

• washing machine
• cotton whites
• bleach
• detergent

Instructions

1. Gather the cotton whites you desire to whiten. You cannot bleach anything else but cotton items. If the pile consists of more than a large load, separate into two piles and repeat the instructions.

2. Turn your washer to the hot setting and select the proper load size.

3. Pour your laundry detergent into the washer.

4. Pour 1 cup of bleach into the running water. If your washing machine has a dispenser for bleach, pour it in the dispenser rather than the running water.

5. Keep the lid open.

6. Allow the water to agitate a minute after filling with water. This allows the water, detergent and bleach to mix. If you were to skip this step, you may wind up holes eaten through some of your items.

7. Add your cotton whites.

8. Run the rinse cycle again once the load is complete. This is not required but will take away any possible bleach smells from the washed articles.

9. Dry as usual.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not add the bleach after the laundry is in the washing machine. This may cause bleach marks or burns in the articles being whitened.

• Cotton whites are the only materials you can bleach. Anything with a synthetic blend needs a non-chlorine bleach.

• Keep children away from the bleach.