It’s frustrating, isn’t it, when you pull your favourite classic white T-shirt out of your wardrobe and discover that it’s lost its glean and turned a decided shade of grey.

Here are Ten TIps to keep your favourite white clothes sparkling white.

1. The key to keeping white clothes white is frequent laundering in very hot water: the hotter the better.
2. Never wash whites with colors.
3. Avoid detergent residue building up in your washer. It acts as a magnet for dirt.
4. Use the hottest temperature the fabric can withstand: however, always follow the care label on your clothes. Tip: Shrinkage can be avoided by drying on low to medium heat in a dryer.
5. Inspect garments for stains before laundering. Treat a stain with some detergent or a stain-removal product ASAP. Never let a stain to linger: it will discolor and weaken fabrics.
6. Before applying a stain blaster wet any stained areas with water. Work the detergent into a lather by rubbing the fabric together; rinse and repeat until the stain has disappeared or is barely visible.
7. Inspect your clothes carefully before drying to ensure that all stains have been removed. Drying stained garments makes it even harder to shift the stain from the fibers.
8. If stains are still visible after a wash, keep washing until they’re gone. Don’t even let the clothes dry.
9. Did we mention that you should treat stains as soon as possible. The sooner the better, is a strict rule!
10. Never use chlorine bleach to remove a stain or try and restore whiteness. Bleach leaves clothes yellowed or gray.

Finally, If you’re looking for a drastic improvement to a faded white garment: consider dying it white. You’ll find a variety of cheap, quality clothes dyes in most grocery stores.

Photo: david design

Technorati Tags: washing clothes