LifestyleCitric acid: The simple secret to revive graying white clothes

Citric acid: The simple secret to revive graying white clothes

How to get rid of grayness from clothes? / illustrative photo
How to get rid of grayness from clothes? / illustrative photo
Images source: © Adobe Stock | LimeSky

8:46 PM EDT, August 18, 2024

White clothes tend to turn gray and, in some places, yellow over time. However, there is a simple way to renew them. Just add two tablespoons of this product to the drum and start the wash.

White clothes are not easy to maintain. Despite following the washing instructions provided by the manufacturer, they often turn gray and, in some places, yellow. How can this be prevented? Fortunately, there's no need to rush to the store for special chemical agents. Home and inexpensive methods can renew white fabrics.

How to whiten clothes? A home method

Many people wanting to whiten their clothes use the trick with baking soda, which is definitely effective. But what if you don't have baking soda? Another household product can work just as well, and you just need to add it to the drum.

The product mentioned is citric acid, which is great for whitening and refreshing white fabrics and for softening them in the washing machine. There are two methods for using it. The first is adding one or two tablespoons of citric acid directly to the drum and setting the washing machine to a regular program.

The second method is dissolving five tablespoons of citric acid in one quart of water and pouring it into a bottle. Before each wash with white clothes, pour two or three caps of the resulting solution into the fabric softener compartment.

"Whitening bombs"

Another trick for removing gray and yellow from white clothes is to create homemade "whitening bombs." What ingredients are used to create such "bombs"? Laundry detergent, baking soda, salt, and hydrogen peroxide.

The preparation method is simple. Start by taking out a large bowl. Add a cup of laundry detergent, half a cup of baking soda, and a quarter cup of salt. Finally, pour in 3.5 ounces of hydrogen peroxide. Put on gloves and mix all the ingredients together. Form them into balls and place them in the freezer for 24 hours.

Throw the frozen balls into a bowl filled with warm water and wait a moment for them to dissolve completely. The solution prepared this way is ready to use. Just throw the white clothes in and leave them for an hour. After that time, put them in the washing machine and wash them as usual. When they dry, they will be snowy white.

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