Keeping whites white

April 20, 2024 8:50 AM

I have literally never worn white clothes before. I’m starting to. The reason I’ve never worn whites is because I’m a messy puppy. I want and need to keep my whites nice, bright, unstained, and crisp. Please share your LIFESTYLE and LAUNDRY tips for maintaining pristine whites.

I’m particularly noticing yellow armpit stains and grime on collars (I swear I wash and scrub the back of my neck!)

posted by Balthamos to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (15 answers total)

Carry a Tide to Go pen
posted by saturdaymornings at 9:14 AM on April 20 [4 favorites]

I bleach whites occasionally. This necessitates purchasing clothing that can be bleached. So, not silky-feel-petro-hellscape articles of clothing that disintegrate if in the same room with Clorox.

When wearing white, I frequently eat less messy foods, as well as staying away from tomato-based dishes.
posted by cupcakeninja at 9:22 AM on April 20 [2 favorites]

1. Don’t wear your whites when doing anything messy. Use the “Mister Rodgers Technique” and change into “at home clothes” as soon as you get home.

2. Launder with Oxiclean White Revive (in hot water, if possible).

3. Carbona Stain Devils No. 9 for armpit and collar yellowing.

4. Make peace with the fact that it won’t stay bright, bright white forever.
posted by slkinsey at 9:22 AM on April 20 [5 favorites]

Don't wash your whites with any other colours.
posted by Stoof at 10:04 AM on April 20 [7 favorites]

Last time I wore white shirts was as a grubby school boy; collar (and cuff) grime was handled with a nail-brush, a dot of dish-soap (and baking powder?). You might look into laundry starch for 'crisp'.
posted by BobTheScientist at 10:58 AM on April 20

Try reducing armpit sweat at the source with heavy duty antiperspirants such as Certain-Dri or Drysol.
posted by shock muppet at 11:14 AM on April 20 [1 favorite]

I wash my whites using the "Bright Whites" cycle on the machine, which is essentially a preset for an extended soaking time. I edge the water temp down from hot to "eco-warm" for clothing and microfiber cloths so as not to shrink the clothing or ruin the cloths.

Pre-treat: Method stain stick on regular stains, Dawn dish detergent on greasy stains.

Detergent: 1/4 of the recommended detergent dose, 1/2 if the items are particularly dirty. Currently using an unscented eco detergent but I get whatever brand of that style is on sale.

Mix-ins: Oxy Clean White Revive
posted by MagnificentVacuum at 11:34 AM on April 20

Puracy brand enzymatic stain spray is the best stain remover I’ve ever tried.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 12:18 PM on April 20 [1 favorite]

You have to alternate bleaching with blueing
posted by toodleydoodley at 12:31 PM on April 20 [5 favorites]

Sweat shields for underarms might help. They adhere to the inside of the shirt and absorb sweat so it doesn't ruin your clothes.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 2:48 PM on April 20

In general:
- At home, wear aprons or smocks over your clothes;
- stain-repellent fabric sprays, like Scotchgard;
- clothing with built-in stain resistance (lots of manufacturers, for work wear, casual wear, travelers, etc.)

Re collar stains:
- keep exfoliating regularly, but before donning a shirt apply talc-free powder to your neck & shoulders;
- look into whether hair products, lotions, sunscreens or colognes are contributing to the staining;
- try disposable collar protectors (or use a piece of white athletic tape, removed at day's end);
- there are anti-ring collar spray products;
- here are specific stain prevention and removal tips.
posted by Iris Gambol at 4:00 PM on April 20

All my children wore white cotton onesies as babies - certainly couldn’t prevent them from soiling them constantly with food/milk/bodily fluids. But washing with hot water and a small amounts of bleach kept the onesies looking good as new. Honestly they were the easiest clothes to keep looking clean compared to clothes you couldn’t bleach.

tldr: cotton or other materials that can be bleached, separate from other color clothes, bleach!
posted by Wavelet at 5:45 PM on April 20 [1 favorite]

Rit Color Remover for when you inevitably build up a collection of white clothes that found their way into a color load. They also have a “whitener and brightener” product that I haven’t tried yet but it sounds like it’s for removing yellowing and grime like you describe.
posted by crime online at 7:29 PM on April 20

I love whites! Every week I soak my whites in oxyclean dissolved in hot water overnight before I launder them (with other whites only) with more oxyclean and detergent. It's an extra step, but none of my whites are stained and they stay white for a long time. I never use bleach.
posted by stinker at 12:14 AM on April 21 [1 favorite]

I like wearing the same clothes every day. When I was at uni, I had 14 identical white shirts (unfortunately I can't find that quality anymore). I just washed them at 60 C, but I made sure to always use a decalcifier in the machine.
posted by mumimor at 12:48 AM on April 21