Even with the most intensive laundering routines, keeping white clothes white forever can be nearly impossible. Thankfully, though, there are a few tricks you can try to help brighten your white clothes back to their original shade again after they have gotten soiled and tainted.
Soak in baking soda.[1] Combine 4 quarts (4 L) warm water with 1 cup (250 ml) baking soda in a sink or basin, mixing well until the baking soda dissolves. Soak your dingy white clothes in this solution, making sure that each garment is submerged. Let it soak for about 8 hours.
- Baking soda deodorizes while it whitens, so this option has multiple benefits. Moreover, it has also been known to help soften hard water, so your clothes will not be exposed quite as much to hard water with staining mineral deposits if they soak in this solution.