How to Wash White Clothes

A simple guide to maintaining fabric brightness

Co-authored by Susan Stocker

Last Updated: May 24, 2022 References Approved

White clothes are more prone to becoming stained, discolored, and yellowed than lighter or darker clothing. As a result, it can be relatively challenging to keep these clothes white! Fortunately, by knowing how to properly sort and run your clothes in the washing machine, as well as how to bleach them safely, you can wash white clothes without diminishing their overall quality and appearance.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Sorting and Separating Whites

1
Separate out your white clothes from clothes with any colors on them. Whites should always be washed separately from other clothes to prevent colors from transferring to and staining them.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Susan Stocker
Cleaning Guru
Expert Interview. 22 November 2019.} Make sure to separate out any whites with colors on them as well, to keep them from bleeding onto all-white clothes.^{[2]
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- Even lightly colored clothes (like beiges and pastel colors) can bleed into your whites. Make sure to separate these clothes from your whites, too.^{[3]
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  Expert Source
  
  Susan Stocker
  Cleaning Guru
  Expert Interview. 22 November 2019.}
2
Sort your whites by fabric type to wash them in different temperatures. Put all of your sturdy fabrics, towels, jeans, cottons, and clothes containing manmade fibers into one pile. Then, put all your delicate fabrics, including silk, lingerie, Spandex, and activewear, into a different pile. You'll wash your sturdy fabrics in warm water and your delicate fabrics in cold water.^{[4]
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- Fabric type will also determine what laundry setting your clothes should be washed on. Wash your sturdy fabrics on Quick Wash or Heavy Duty if they’re heavily soiled and wash your delicate fabrics on Delicates or Hand Wash.
- Sorting your fabrics this way allows you to wash your clothes at the hottest temperature they can tolerate without being damaged.
Tip: If you aren’t sure how to sort an item, check its tag. Tags and clothing labels provide washing instructions for water temperature, washing cycle, and whether or not you can use bleach.

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3
Divide your sorted whites into additional piles based on filth level. Place heavily soiled clothes into one pile, moderately dirty clothes into a second pile, and relatively clean clothes into a third pile. This prevents dirt, food, and other debris on soiled white clothes from staining other white clothing.^{[5]
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- For example, if a white shirt is caked with mud after spending an afternoon gardening, separate that particular shirt from cleaner, brighter-looking whites.
4
Wash each pile of clothes separately, one at a time in the machine. Run the washing machine on the appropriate settings for each pile. Then, dry your clothes in the dryer as you normally would.^{[6]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Keeping Your Whites from Fading

1
Don’t use more detergent than what the instructions recommend. Use the laundry detergent cap to add the precise amount of detergent to your load based on packaging instructions. Using excess detergent can lead to filmy buildup that attracts more dirt and is more noticeable on white clothing.^{[7]
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- The amount of detergent you should use depends on load size and on the strength level of your detergent brand.
- At the same time, don’t use too little detergent to wash your clothes. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions as closely as possible to get the best possible clean for your white clothes.
- If you want to wash your clothes with vinegar in addition to detergent, only add the vinegar during the rinse cycle after the detergent is out. Otherwise, your clothes will end up oily.^{[8]
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  Expert Source
  
  Susan Stocker
  Cleaning Guru
  Expert Interview. 22 November 2019.}
2
Treat stained whites with cold water before washing them. Use a sponge or washcloth dipped in cold water to scrub stains from coffee, wine, or blood. Vigorously scrub the stains, then let the clothing sit for about 15 minutes before washing it.^{[9]
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- Do this as soon as possible after staining the piece of clothing for best results.
- Don’t use hot water on stains– it may actually cause them to set, which will ruin your white clothes.
Tip: If your clothes have armpit stains, soak them in white vinegar for about an hour before throwing them in the washing machine to remove the stain.
3
Use the hottest water that you can for the fabric type you’re washing. Hot water is more effective at killing germs and bacteria, as well as preventing white clothes from fading. Wash your heavily soiled clothes in hot water, your sturdy fabrics and moderately soiled clothes in warm water, and your delicate fabrics in cold water.^{[10]
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- Make adjustments to water temperature as needed based on care labels to prevent clothes from shrinking or becoming misshapen. For instance, clothing made from nylon, spandex, lycra, and certain cotton blends may shrink in hot water.
4
Avoid using bleach on fabrics other than cotton. Bleach typically helps whiten clothes, but chlorine- and oxygen-based bleach brands can weaken some fabrics and lead to white clothes looking gray or yellow. If you want to bleach an artificial fabric, substitute bleach with household ingredients that have natural bleaching properties, such as ¹⁄₂ cup (120 mL) of either lemon juice, white vinegar, baking soda, or hydrogen peroxide.^{[11]
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- These ingredients also make whites whiter without the added risks of toxicity and skin irritation.
5
Add bluing agent to your laundry load to make your whites look whiter. Bluing agent formulas make whites whiter by releasing a small amount of blue dye to the water, which paradoxically works to brighten your whites. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to add the bluing agent to your wash water.^{[12]
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- The agent is typically removed during the rinse cycle, so you don’t have to worry about it after you add it to the wash.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Bleach

1
Check the labels on your clothes to make sure they can be bleached. A hollow triangle on the care tag means that any bleach can be used on that item. A triangle filled with diagonal lines means that only non-chlorine bleaches can be used on that item. A solid black triangle with lines crossed over it means that that item cannot be bleached.^{[13]
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2
Run your clothes in the washing machine on hot. The heat will ensure that the bleach is activated during the wash cycle. Leave all the other settings on the machine as they normally are for the clothes you’re washing.^{[14]
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- For example, if you’re washing a small load of delicate whites, set the machine to “small load” and “delicate” settings.
Tip: Be sure to add detergent to the cycle before you add your clothes.
3
Add the bleach to the cycle per the manufacturer’s instructions. The bleach bottle will have specific instructions for how much bleach to add to the wash water, depending on the size of the load and the type of fabrics being washed. Use the measuring cup that came with the bottle to measure out the correct amount of bleach and add it to your machine’s bleach dispenser.^{[15]
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- After you’ve washed your clothes, dry them as your normally would. The bleach will not affect what you have to do to them afterwards.

Expert Q&A
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Question

How do you wash white clothes in the washing machine?

Susan Stocker
Green Cleaning Expert
Susan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices.

Susan Stocker

Green Cleaning Expert

Expert Answer

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If you are using detergent, the amount of detergent you should use depends on load size and on the strength level of your detergent brand.
Question

Do you wash whites in hot or cold water?

Susan Stocker
Green Cleaning Expert
Susan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices.

Susan Stocker

Green Cleaning Expert

Expert Answer

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Hot water is good, but make adjustments to the water temperature as needed based on care labels to prevent clothes from shrinking or becoming misshapen. For instance, clothing made from nylon, spandex, lycra, and certain cotton blends may shrink in hot water.
Question

Do you need bleach to wash white clothes?

Susan Stocker
Green Cleaning Expert
Susan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices.

Susan Stocker

Green Cleaning Expert

Expert Answer

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No! You can use ingredients like white vinegar or baking soda, as these ingredients also make whites whiter without the added risks of toxicity and skin irritation from bleach.