I would never claim to be a stellar housekeeper. I do all right, but I find very little joy in cleaning, organizing, or doing laundry. So, when I find a tip that changes the game and makes my life easier I jump on it and share it.Laundry hacks: how I get my whites to stay white.

How I Get My Whites to Stay White and Other Laundry Hacks from a Laundry Hater

A few months ago I asked my readers how they keep their whites, white! Mine almost immediately go from white to off-white to a dingy gray color, even when I am careful about what I wash them with. I  , my garments being dyed an embarrassing color, socks too discolored to re-wear, and my boys’ church shirts and uniforms brown around the neckline with no hope.

I cannot thank my readers enough…you guys totally came through with the laundry hacks and I wanted to share what I tried and learned from all your ideas!

Laundry Hacks I Love

(All items are linked in the post. Some may be affiliate links. Thanks for your support!)

 

1. OxyClean White Revive is a miracle worker!!! You can get it HERE for the best price I have found. It literally transformed my whites. It brightened the clothes I thought were completely lost and got out grime and stains I thought would be there forever. I like to soak my clothes in it for at least 5 hours or overnight. (I don’t have a sink in my laundry room, so I will add the powder, start the wash, put it on pre-soak, then stop the washer and let it soak overnight and finish the load the next day).

I also use it on any shirts or pants with white stripes or blocks and it keeps them nice and bright without fading the other colors. It is a little pricey but for sure worth the investment since it saves my clothes.

2. De-Solve-It This is a dream come true when it comes to laundry stains. This is especially effective on oil stains. I spilled peanut butter on a thin silk shirt, and had a huge oil spot I couldn’t get out. Even after sitting for a few weeks, De-Solve-It got it out for me. I am a total fan now and have saved multiple shirts I thought would never be wearable again! You can order it HERE.

2. Vinegar and Baking Soda freshens the wash! I might be guilty of leaving clothes in the washer for longer than I intended, and when that happens a cup of vinegar and 1/2 cup of baking soda will get that mildew scent out. It is also great for extra smelly athletic or work out clothes. A reader also loves

3. Downy Unstoppables help everything smell clean! Not sure why yummy smelling clothes make me so happy, but these little balls you shake in the wash are worth the $ when you get your clothes out of the dryer and can’t stop sniffing them. Strong enough even for large loads of clothes. Grab them HERE.

4. Iron Out gets red dirt, rust and blood out of your whites! If your child plays baseball or softball and you have no idea how to get the red dirt out of the white baseball pants, here is your answer. I did an entire post about how to clean white baseball pants a few years ago.

5. OxyClean Versatile Stain Remover is amazing at getting out stains! Even stubborn ones or stains that have been sitting for way too long seem to come out with this option. It is actually really economical compared to the sprays that seem to go away so quickly. You can grab it HERE.

6. Shout Advanced Gel is awesome if you want to pre-treat a stain or have one that needs all the help you can offer it. It is also gentle on fabric (though it warns about using it on Khaki or letting it sit on whites). You can order it HERE.

A Few Other Tips from Readers I Am Excited to Try!

For berry and juice stains, try boiling water poured from above. For foundation or face make-up, try shaving cream. For ball point pen, try hairspray or if it it on your whites, use rubbing alcohol. For grease stains, try blue Dawn.

Fels-Naptha: I used to use this on baby clothes and had forgotten about it until a reader mentioned it to me! It works great on tough stains, even grease. Just wet the stain with stain remover and water and scrub with the soap. Might be a little harsh on delicate items but huge love for this product. Grab it HERE.

Grandma’s Secret Spot Remover: My readers say this is magic and works even on grease and oil. I am going to try it STAT! You can find it HERE.

Shout Color Catcher: This has saved many a loads from being dyed pink or blue…perfect for those dark jeans that seem to keep their dye for a long time. Really inexpensive, so totally worth it! Find them HERE.

Mrs. Stewart’s Blueing: A few friends suggested this for an option as the blue cancels out the yellow in your whites. It is really inexpensive and seems to work! Grab it HERE.

Peroxide gets blood out of just about anything and won’t hurt colors. Good to know!

Tilex gets stains out of white clothes. Leah got sharpie marker out of a white dress shirt with it! it doesn’t hurt the fabric and took the stain completely out.

Do you have any other laundry hacks you swear by? These suggestions were so incredibly helpful I had to share! Happy washing.

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin