A woman has shared her simple three-ingredient hack to get white bedding looking brand new – and it’s far better than using bleach
If you’re struggling to keep your bedding pristine white, you might be reaching for the wrong cleaning supplies. Pillow covers and bedsheets can easily become tainted, with sweat build-up causing those pesky yellow stains that seem impossible to remove.
While bleach may seem like the go-to solution for keeping bed linens spotless, home décor guru Jodi Brungardt from Lyndale Drive warns against it, revealing that it only made her stains more stubborn. Jodi explained her experience: “My mom used bleach on everything white, and for whatever reason, she could keep whites just that, WHITE. Not me, seems everything I bleach, turns yellow. So after all my research (trial and error) I discovered bleach is my enemy!”
The issue with bleach is that it can’t tackle sweat or body oils; it actually ends up locking protein-based stains further into fabrics rather than removing them, reports the Express. However, Jodi has found a saviour in everyday pantry staples to whiten her bedding again.
Opting for a natural method, she soaked her discoloured sheets in a concoction consisting of white vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice, resulting in an unexpectedly effective clean. She shared her homemade remedy: “This time, I added about a cup of white vinegar, a couple of heaping tablespoons of baking soda and lemon juice to the gallon of water.
“Remember making volcanoes erupt in 5th-grade science class? This mixture has the same effect….there was lots of bubbling, fizzing and smoke going on.
“I got busy with another project, so I don’t know exactly how long I let them soak, maybe six hours, but look! The yellow dingy-ness is GONE!”
The nifty laundry trick doesn’t just shift stains from your bedding; it also naturally brightens the fabric without the need for harsh chemicals.
White vinegar’s acetic acid content works wonders by dissolving sweat stains and wiping out bacteria, leaving your sheets squeaky clean.
Thanks to citric acid, lemon juice not only tackles those pesky stains but also naturally bleaches the fabric, reviving any dull or dingy bed linen. Packing a punch in the freshness department, baking soda absorbs odours while lifting stains, ensuring your bed linens come out smelling and looking fresh.
All you need is to submerge your bedding in warm water mixed with lemon juice, white vinegar, and some spoonsful of baking soda in a tub. Let the concoction work its magic on your linens for a few hours or even better overnight, and watch as the stains start to fade away.
After soaking, chuck the bedding into your washer just like any other day but with an ace up the sleeve, add a couple of tablespoons of baking soda straight into the detergent section, alongside your usual wash potion. Go for the regular wash setting, and follow it up with an extra rinse cycle, sprucing things up by pouring 120ml of white vinegar into the fabric softener compartment.
Finish off by air-drying your laundered items instead of tossing them in the dryer for that crisp feel and fragrance. If possible, it’s best to dry your sheets outside as the sun’s rays are a natural bleach. Should the weather be too chilly, then drying them indoors is perfectly fine.
Jodi shared her own experience: “I didn’t put them in the dryer. Personally, I think the dryer ‘sets’ stains, so I let them air dry. During my research, I also read that hanging them on the clothesline and allowing the sun to naturally bleach the white sheets is an excellent option.”
After drying, the bedding ought to be totally pristine, without any stains, and smell delightful all set for you to enjoy a sound sleep in fresh sheets.
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