One common ingredient doubles up as a natural bleaching agent capable of breaking down even the toughest stains
Keeping your whites pristine can be a tough task, as they’re susceptible to becoming discoloured, yellow and stained – and stubbornly so. While there are many tricks employed to restore brightness to whites, one expert has unveiled a “simple” and “budget-friendly” solution costing just 69p.
Even better, this remedy is probably already in your kitchen cupboard. Thomas Bird, textiles specialist and owner of Fabric Online, revealed: “Lemon juice is a natural and affordable solution to making your whites even whiter.
“Lemons contain citric acid, a natural bleaching agent that effectively breaks down even the toughest stains.
“Unlike chemical whiteners, such as bleach, it lifts stains from your clothes without the risk of damage, making it the perfect alternative for brightening your whites.”
In addition to its cleaning and stain-busting capabilities, lemon juice can also leave garments smelling wonderfully fresh, so it eliminates any unpleasant odours at the same time.
While it “works wonders” on whites, it shouldn’t be used on coloured fabrics due to its bleaching effect, reports the Express.
How to brighten whites with lemon juice
To utilise lemon juice for its brightening effect, start by squeezing juice from three lemons into a glass, yielding roughly half a cup.
Pour the lemon juice directly into your washing machine along with your usual laundry detergent.
Set your washing machine to its standard cycle and let the “magic” happen.
The expert advised: “After the wash, let your clothes dry as usual, and watch the noticeable difference as they dry.”
If the weather allows, hanging your laundry outside can give it an extra boost of brightness.