How to bleach a white T-shirt at home, proven methods

White T-shirts are part of the basic wardrobe, as they can be combined with different clothes. But only a clean thing looks stylish and neat. It is often quite difficult to achieve this, since over time the color of the products turns gray and yellowish appears. Housewives have to think about how to bleach a white T-shirt at home so as not to spoil the fabric and get a positive result. Many products are not suitable for items with prints or embroidery; each material reacts differently to chemicals.

How to wash a white T-shirt

If the stains on the T-shirt are fresh, there is a high probability that they can be removed using standard washing in an automatic machine or by hand. However, the housewife often remembers the presence of dirt and yellowness too late, so a regular detergent is not enough.

There are many different effective means to solve this situation.

Most products are made from synthetic fabrics, for which the use of chlorine-containing compounds is contraindicated. The same goes for washing at maximum temperature and evaporation. Useful tips that you can follow to wash a white T-shirt without damaging it:

• wash snow-white items separately from bright and multi-colored ones;
• Delicate fabrics are washed exclusively by hand;
• after washing, the item cannot be dried on a radiator, heated towel rail or heater of any type;
• when soaking, add a small amount of hydrogen peroxide to the water;
• add a few tablespoons of soda to the water for hand washing;
• For automatic bleaching, use industrial oxygen bleach, adding it to the compartment with the powder.

Before bleaching yellowed T-shirts, read the fabric contents on the label.

Precautionary measures

Precautionary measures will help you avoid troubles, fading of light-colored T-shirts, and staining. In order not to spoil the item, you should follow these tips:

1. Always sort your clothes by color at home before bleaching/washing. This will help avoid staining.
2. You should only use products that will not damage the fabric. Choose options based on the type of material. Follow the instructions carefully.
3. You should iron your T-shirt at home after bleaching carefully. High temperature will lead to the formation of yellowness and grayness of the fabric.
4. Dry in the shade, avoiding direct sunlight. The sun will lead to fading and the appearance of yellow and gray spots.
5. Store white T-shirts, socks, and underwear separately from colored ones to avoid staining.

At home, proper care and care for light-colored wardrobe items will preserve the snow-white shine for a long time. Abuse of frequent washing will lead to loss of attractiveness; the T-shirt will remain lying on the shelf, collecting dust.

The article has been verified by the editors

Whitening methods

If the T-shirt has old or complex stains, it has turned gray or yellowed, or has lost its snow-white color, simple machine or hand washing will not help. It is recommended to pre-soak heavily soiled items. Ordinary boiling will save you from sweat stains and other difficult-to-remove traces.

To return a white T-shirt to its sparkling whiteness, you can use proven methods passed down from generation to generation.

If your washing machine has an intensive wash mode, you can use it. Please note that evaporation and washing at high temperatures are not suitable for delicate fabrics, wool and synthetic fibres.

Soak

Pre-wetting the fabric makes the main wash process easier and reduces the operating time of the washing machine. If the stains are old and difficult to remove, this step cannot be avoided.

You can bleach a white T-shirt by soaking it first.

Basic recommendations for soaking:

• depending on the degree of contamination and the composition used, the item is soaked for 1-6 hours;
• before boiling, the T-shirt can be soaked in soapy water overnight;
• Before you start washing, soaked clothes should be rinsed with clean water.

Folk recipes have been tested for many decades.

Important! Soaking does not always precede other bleaching steps. Sometimes it is enough to keep the item in the prepared solution for several hours, rinse thoroughly under running water and dry on the balcony.

Digestion

A T-shirt can only be boiled if it is made of cotton or linen. Ideal composition for boiling: 200 g of coarsely grated laundry soap and 5 liters of water. For greater efficiency, you can add 2 tbsp to the boiling mixture. hydrogen peroxide or ammonia.

Boiling is an old proven method for white things.

The digestion time depends on the density of the tissue. If the material is thin, it is enough to bring the mass to a boil. Durable products are boiled over low heat for about 20-30 minutes after boiling.

After completing all manipulations, you need to wait for the solution to cool. The product should be rinsed thoroughly under running water.

Intensive wash

If you don’t have the time and energy to boil or soak, you can choose a special washing machine mode. It is recommended to bleach only cotton and linen using the intensive washing method.

Dry white items made from natural fabrics in the sun, this will help consolidate the bleaching effect.

You need to pour or pour detergent into the removable compartment for washing powder, and then add professional bleach (for example, white, Vanish) to it. The T-shirt must be washed at a temperature of at least 70 degrees, at maximum speed and with a spin cycle.

Synthetic T-shirts and tank tops cannot be treated with chlorine-containing compounds.

For many housewives, this method seems uneconomical. Firstly, the wash cycle takes much longer. Secondly, a larger amount of powder is required than usual.

Important! Washing gels are combined only with liquid bleaching compounds; only bleaching powders should be added to powdered detergents.

Preparation and tips

To preserve the original color, white wardrobe items should not be washed together with other items, even if they are light. You need to iron from the wrong side. Before ironing, check the cleanliness of the soleplate of the iron.

Washing water should be soft. You must follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer. It is recommended to dry white T-shirts outdoors if they are made from natural materials, and indoors if they are made from synthetic materials. Store in a dry cabinet and ventilate it periodically.

Folk remedies

Modern industrial compositions work wonders and easily help wash yellowed and gray T-shirts with traces of sweat and other contaminants. However, until recently, the range of household chemical stores was not so wide, and housewives had to use traditional methods.

Folk remedies for white clothes will help you deal with stains.

The use of peroxide, soda, laundry soap, mustard and other means allows you to return the product to its original appearance without significant material costs and large labor costs. Some methods have shown effectiveness in combating old stains that cannot be washed off with household chemicals.

Laundry soap

This product allows you to whiten and clean even delicate fabrics from traces of sweat or old stains. A yellowed, dirty, greasy T-shirt should be slightly moistened and well soaped with laundry soap, and then placed in a plastic bag.

The soap bar has a pungent, unpleasant odor; when preparing, open the windows for ventilation.

It is necessary to wrap it tightly to prevent air from entering. The product is left in this form for a day, after which it is rinsed with tap water. If desired, you can wash your clothes.

Important! Laundry soap does not leave any odor on wardrobe items. Even if wet things give off a slight soapy aroma, after drying completely in the fresh air, not a trace will remain of it.

Hydrogen peroxide

To remove small yellow stains, simply pour a little peroxide onto the stains and leave for half an hour until absorbed. Then the item should be rinsed under running water.

The T-shirt is rinsed in clean water and dried.

Synthetic and cotton fabrics with stubborn stains, grayed or yellowed are cleaned using a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and ammonia in a 2:1 ratio. It is necessary to prepare 30 ml of a solution from substances in the specified ratio and mix with 2 liters of water. The contaminated T-shirt is placed in the liquid for several hours.

To achieve maximum effect, it is necessary to periodically stir the clothes. After soaking, the item is rinsed thoroughly.

White

A concentrated substance can be used for bleaching only if the item is made of dense, durable fabric. It is better to wash tablecloths, towels, and bed linen with white, rather than T-shirts, which are most often contraindicated to be exposed to aggressive compounds.

Whiteness perfectly whitens things.

How to properly wash a white T-shirt using this bleach:

1. wear gloves to protect your skin;
2. Fill a basin with 3.5 liters of cool water, add 1 tbsp. whiteness and stir;
3. Pre-soak the T-shirt in soapy water, add the resulting solution;
4. leave the item in the liquid for 15 minutes (if the fabric is very thick - 20);
5. Rinse the T-shirt thoroughly.

Important! If you do not rinse the whites well enough, continued wearing of such clothing may lead to an allergic reaction. After washing, it is advisable to dry the T-shirt on the balcony or other place with constant circulation of fresh air.

Boric acid

Before using this method, you need to wash the T-shirt. 1-2 tbsp. the substances are dissolved in 3 liters of warm water, then the product is rinsed in the resulting solution for several minutes. The soaked clothes should be thoroughly rinsed under running water, and they will become snow-white again.

Soda

Baking soda is one of the most affordable means for bleaching and restoring snow-white clothes.

Baking soda is a good stain remover for a white T-shirt.

This versatile substance can be used in several ways:

• In the washing machine. Pour a standard amount of detergent into the powder compartment and add ½ cup of baking soda. You need to select a mode suitable for the material from which the T-shirt is made and wash it in the machine.
• Handwash. It is worth preparing a solution of 5 liters of warm water, 5 tbsp. hydrogen peroxide and 2 tbsp. soda The T-shirt is soaked in the resulting liquid for 3-4 hours. In the absence of peroxide, it is enough to mix only water and 10 tbsp. soda, and then soak the item in the same way.
• Boiling. Add 3 tbsp to a pan of water. soda You need to boil a dirty T-shirt in a solution and it will become snow-white again.

Baking soda will help remove stains on clothes.

Laundry soap and manganese

If clothes have acquired a grayish tint and are no longer pleasing with their crystal whiteness, you can use a method that has been used by experienced housewives for decades.

If you can’t find soap of the required concentration, then use Antipyatin soap.

Procedure:

• grate a piece of laundry soap on a coarse grater;
• pour the resulting shavings into a basin with 2 liters of warm water;
• add potassium permanganate until a light pink solution is obtained;
• dip the T-shirt completely into the liquid, cover the basin with a towel or film, and leave overnight;
• wash clothes in any way - in a machine or by hand.

Potassium permanganate will return the white color to things.
Using this method you can bleach old yellowish items. Soap and manganese are effective in combating old stains.

Mustard

The product helps to cope with the yellowness or grayness of white clothes. It is necessary to dissolve mustard powder (5 tbsp) in hot water (5 l), strain the liquid and dip a T-shirt in it, leave for several hours. After the specified time, the product is thoroughly rinsed with water and dried naturally.

Mustard will help achieve white color.

If your shirt has stains, you can use mustard in a different way. Mustard powder is mixed with water to form a paste. The mixture is applied locally to the dirt, then the item must be placed in a plastic bag and left overnight. In the morning you should wash the product by hand or in a washing machine.

Acetylsalicylic acid

If you don't have industrial bleach on hand, aspirin will come to the rescue. It is necessary to dissolve 5 tablets in 7 liters of clean water. The T-shirt should be immersed in the resulting liquid for 8-10 hours (or overnight).

Aspirin is an option for whitening things.

After removing the item from the solution, you need to wash it in any way (automatically or manually).

Important! Experts recommend additionally adding a few tablets of acetylsalicylic acid directly to the drum of the washing machine.

Lemon acid

This method is not suitable for bleaching delicate fabrics and wool. To lighten a white T-shirt, you need to:

• dissolve citric acid granules in boiling water (1 tablespoon of substance per 1 liter of water);
• soak the product in the solution for 5-6 hours;
• rinse under running water.

Important! Citric acid (1 tbsp) can be replaced with freshly squeezed juice of two lemons.

Citric acid is an assistant in whitening things.
Some housewives pour several bags of citric acid into the drum of the washing machine before washing. Detergent is added as usual to the special powder compartment. Then you should start the wash at maximum temperature. Things become snow-white again, this way you can remove the gray tint and yellowness.

Store-bought bleaches

You can bleach white T-shirts with purchased products, which are divided into 3 groups:

Most often, bleach is used as a chlorine-containing agent to boil and soak things. Do not use this method on T-shirts with prints or colored inserts. For soaking, add 2 tablespoons of product per 5 liters. Time – 30 minutes. Then thoroughly wash and rinse the T-shirt.

Compared with whiteness, oxygen stain removers are suitable for almost all fabrics, do not cause irritation, and there is no risk of whitish spots appearing on colored inserts. These products do their job best when bleaching items made from synthetic fabrics. To improve the effect, powder is used with an oxygen agent. To soak, you will need to heat the water to about 60 degrees and add stain remover in the amount specified by the manufacturer. Leave the soaked item for 30-60 minutes, then wash.

Professional products

Household chemicals stores offer many industrial compounds that show high effectiveness in whitening wardrobe items.

Use professional whitening products.

There are several types of professional products, the choice of which depends on the composition of the fabric, the degree of contamination and other factors:

• Oxygen bleaches. They are suitable for any type of fabric and can handle a variety of stains. Cons: short shelf life, high price.
• Contains chlorine. Chlorine bleaches are the most effective and affordable. However, they cannot be used for washing synthetic, wool T-shirts and delicate fabrics. Chlorine-containing products should not be added to the washing machine; moreover, they often cause allergic reactions.
• Optical. Such compositions do not cope with dirt, but create the illusion of a white T-shirt. The spots are masked using special reflective particles.

Things to remember

1. Choose a detergent based on the type of fabric. Chlorine-containing products are suitable for hand washing adult cotton clothing. Oxygen - for all types of fabrics, including children's and colored ones. Optical - only for white products.
2. Do not boil something with a pattern or photo print, it will ruin it.
3. Dry white clothes made from natural fabrics outdoors , and synthetic ones indoors.
4. When washing, follow the temperature recommended by the manufacturer.
5. Do not wash white items in hard water , the material will turn grey.
6. Before washing, be sure to sort items by color (white-colored-black) and type of fabric (delicate-thick) so as not to spoil the color and material during washing.
7. Wash the product immediately after soiling . Old stains are more difficult to remove.

How to bleach a graphic T-shirt

If the image is printed using thermal printing, white clothes can be bleached using any method. It is not so easy to lighten a product with a print. Under no circumstances should bleach or other aggressive substances be used.

White items, especially the popular T-shirts, wear out very quickly.

Otherwise, the design may fade or leave stains on the snow-white surface. It is better to use professional oxygen or optical brighteners; such compositions will carefully bleach the fabric and will not affect the image.

Important! Before you bleach a printed T-shirt, you need to take care of its safety. The pattern will be fixed and will not unravel in the future if, before the very first wash, you keep the product for several hours in warm water with added salt.

What doesn't help remove stains from white clothes?

Among the products that are used to remove yellow stains from white fabric, you will not find bleach containing chlorine. It acts in the opposite way: by reacting with organic components, it develops marks and makes them more noticeable.

When dealing with yellow stains on white clothes, it is not recommended to use hot water, as it makes the stain even more persistent. Wash off yellowing stains in water at room temperature.

How to remove difficult stains

The following method will help with old and stubborn stains that cannot be washed off with regular powder:

1. add 2 tbsp to a bowl with 4-5 liters of water. ammonia and 150 g of baking soda, mix until the soda crystals are completely dissolved;
2. soak a T-shirt in the solution and leave for 3-4 hours;
3. wash the item in the machine in the standard mode.

Yellow stains from sweat in the armpits also contribute to their inevitable deterioration.
Vinegar will help get rid of yellow sweat marks. Procedure:

1. mix vinegar essence (3-4 tbsp) and warm water (about 250 ml) in a container, heat it up a little;
2. immerse the T-shirt in the solution for a few minutes;
3. prepare a paste of salt, soda, hydrogen peroxide and vinegar;
4. Apply the resulting paste to the stain and wait 20 minutes;
5. wash the item in the usual way.

Use of household chemicals

To get rid of yellow stains on white things, it is recommended to use stain removers. It is important to follow the following rules when choosing such products:

• stain removers have an aggressive effect on the fabric, which is why they cannot be used frequently;
• such products can only be used to remove old and stubborn yellow spots;
• It is recommended to choose oxygen bleaches;
• stain removers should be left on the yellowed areas of white T-shirts for several hours, after which it is imperative to wash the items with regular powder.

The best stain removers for white fabrics include:

1. 
   Vanish Gold Oxi Action .
   This product includes oxygen as well as enzymes. It contains surfactants. Does not contain phosphates and chlorine. At the same time, it has a pungent odor. This product cannot be used for white wool and silk items.

2. Clean Home Bleach .
   Contains oxygen. Does not contain chlorine and phosphates. Suitable for white items made from any fabric. Can be used to remove yellow stains from thin white T-shirts. The stain remover does not smell. This product is effective only at high temperatures.
3. Frosch. Contains citric acid. Does not contain chlorine. Suitable for any white items. Can be used to remove yellow marks from children's T-shirts. This product eats into fabrics quite strongly, making Frosh difficult to wash.

The cost of Vanish Gold Oxi Action is 250-400 rubles. The average price of Clean Home bleach is 250-300 rubles. The cost of Frosch is 125-150 rubles.

How to care for white clothes

Snow-white things must be properly cared for. Otherwise, they will quickly fade or turn yellow.

Take care of your things and they will always look good.

Useful recommendations that, if followed, will help maintain the attractive appearance of the product for a long time:

• The correct way to dry. It is advisable to dry white T-shirts in the fresh air (not in the sun). The exception is synthetic clothing, which is best hung to dry at home.
• Clean iron soleplate. You should constantly monitor the cleanliness of the surface and, if necessary, use special pencils or other means.
• Dry clothes. Do not put your T-shirt in the closet unless it is completely dry. It is necessary to periodically ventilate the shelves with things by opening the doors for several hours.
• Sorting. Before washing white T-shirts, it is important to organize all items not only by color, but also by type of fabric. Cotton clothes washed in the machine together with synthetic ones will most likely take on a gray tint.
• Compliance with manufacturer's recommendations. Before you clean and bleach a white T-shirt at home and start ironing, you need to study everything that is written on the tag.
• Compliance with hygiene standards. Traces of sweat are very noticeable on snow-white clothes and are difficult to wash off. To prevent them from appearing, you need to follow the rules of personal hygiene and take measures to reduce sweating.
• Water softening. If water with a high level of hardness flows in the house, you should soften it before washing with citric acid or table vinegar. When washing a T-shirt by hand, you can first fill the basin with water and leave it overnight. After settling it will become softer.

White items require special care.
Snow-white clothes get dirty and fade very quickly, so fans of such wardrobe items should be prepared to care for T-shirts and bleach them in special ways. Don’t despair if your favorite item has turned yellow over time, or if stubborn greasy stains have appeared on it - there are many effective ways to restore the product to its former attractiveness at home.

Special formulations

Sometimes there is no time to use folk remedies, or they do not help. Then you need to think about how to bleach a white T-shirt at home quickly. Ready-made products will come to the rescue; you just need to dilute them with water according to the instructions or add them to the washing machine along with the powder.

Chlorine bleaches are considered the most effective. They are very aggressive and, if used frequently, destroy fabric fibers. Subtle matter cannot be purified in this way. It is not recommended to use chlorine bleach in your washing machine. They are often sold in liquid, gel, or powder form. The most famous: “Whiteness”, ACE Brilliant, Sanfor.

They are used as a last resort when the stain or yellowness cannot be removed by other means. When bleaching, you must first dilute the product in water, and only then dip the item. Do not apply pure bleach to fabric. The product should be diluted according to the instructions, without exceeding the recommended dosage and soaking time. When washing, hands must be protected with gloves.

Chlorine bleaches not only destroy synthetic threads, they can fix dirt and gray deposits on such fabrics.

Oxygen bleaches are safer; they do not destroy fabric and do not cause allergies. They can be used for hand and machine washing of products made from any materials. They are even suitable for T-shirts with embroidery or colored prints. Popular products include Persol, Bos, Oxygen, Mister Dez, Vanish Oxi Action.

Optical brighteners do not actually change the underlying color of the fabric. They contain particles with reflective properties that remain between the fibers of the fabric, creating a shining effect. Such bleaches are not suitable for T-shirts with designs and prints, as they do not help remove stains or yellowing. The most commonly used products are Tricolor, Heitmann, Vanish, and sometimes optical brightener is added to the powder.

Chlorine bleaches

Oxygen

Optical

Mixed fabric type

Modern designers, when making sports polo shirts, can add other materials to cotton, such as lycra. In this case, the products become more elastic, while maintaining the basic qualities of cotton in the form of good moisture absorption and air permeability.

For such fabrics, only hand washing is permissible, without strong chemicals and mechanical influence.

They should not be twisted when squeezing and should not be ironed with a hot iron.

Polyester is often added to cotton, then you can wash such a T-shirt in a washing machine, turning on the “synthetic” mode with a temperature of up to 60 degrees, without spinning.

Cotton or cotton fabric

One of the best materials for clothing is cotton and cotton fabric. It is comfortable, durable, easy to wash and practically does not stretch. It’s easy to bleach such a T-shirt at home. It perfectly withstands the effects of a washing machine under standard washing modes with a recommended temperature of up to 60 degrees.

To preserve the quality of things, add a little water softener, soda or regular table vinegar to the water.

Don't forget about fabric softener.

When hand cleaning yellowed cotton items, hot water with a small amount of bleach works well. Soak the T-shirt in it and rinse well after 15-20 minutes.

Do not dry such items; if they are slightly damp they will be easier to iron. Then hang it to dry on a hanger with wide hangers. Completely dry cotton is difficult to iron properly.