Watch: How to make your own eco cleaning products
There’s nothing quite like the look (and feel) of crisp, white bed sheets.
Despite your best efforts to keep them nice and white, it’s probably inevitable that, at some point, they start to turn an unwelcome shade of yellow.
Before reaching for the bleach to return your pillow cases to their original glory, we’ve got some tips for you to try. After all, bleach can be pretty harsh on your linen, or worse, it can make them more yellow (depending on the bleach).
How to make your yellowed pillow cases white again
Alice, a BHG reader, got in touch after trying everything to get the yellow out of her pillow cases, wanting to share how she did it.
“I soaked them overnight in dishwashing liquid and bi-carb soda. Then I put them in the washing machine with two cups of vinegar and dried them in the sun,” Alice says.
She added: “It was a bit of a process, but it worked.”
How to get yellow stains out of white pillow cases
What you’ll need:
- 1/4 cup dishwashing detergent (preferably clear)
- 1/2 cup bi-carb soda
Method:
- Fill a tub or bath with hot water. Add your bi-carb soda and dishwashing detergent. Once dissolved, add your pillow cases.
- Give them a good stir and a poke.
- Leave to soak overnight.
- Drain the tub or bath the following day and transfer the sheets to a washing machine.
- Wash on a regular cycle with 2 cups of vinegar and your normal detergent.
- Dry in the sun.
Why bed linen can turn yellow and how to prevent it
It helps to understand why your pillow cases keep turning yellow and how to prevent it. In a nutshell, your pillow cases are turning yellow because of the sweat and body oils that build up in the material over time if not washed regularly and adequately.
Here are some tips to help keep your sheets white:
- Wash them regularly.
- Try adding a small amount of washing soda to your washing cycle. Here’s how to use washing soda.
- Make sure you aren’t using too much detergent – here’s how much detergent you should use (it’s less than what it says on the packaging.)
- Make sure you are using a filler-free washing detergent. Here’s how to tell if your detergent contains fillers.
How often should you wash your bed sheets?
Washing your bedsheets regularly will reduce discolouration, and it’s recommended you wash your bedsheets at least once every two weeks. Doing so will ensure that there’s less chance for a deep stain, and it also prevents excessive build up of dust mites, bacteria, and even your own dead skin! If you live in a warmer climate, or if you have pets sleeping in ned with you, we’d recommend washing your sheets much more regularly to once a week.
You might also like:
How to wash shoes in the washing machine
The only sain remover you need in your laundry
Why do my clothes feel crunchy? The common laundry mistake people make
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
