Bleach alternative to whiten clothes

[Dan_Musicant]

Bleach can be environmentally hazardous (evidently depending on its usage), and soaking your white clothes (such as white T-Shirts) in a bleach solution is said to weaken the fibers. I can't say I know the ins and outs of this. Maybe I should just use chlorine bleach to try to whiten my fast-fading white T-shirts. I noticed a non-chlorine bleach at Costco and am tempted to buy it next time I go there. I don't remember, but I figure it's oxygen based.

What do people do to whiten clothes in this way? Is chlorine bleach still the way to go?

[Dawn]

I'm impressed with the oxygen bleaches when I mix them with washing powder but still use chlorine based for stand alone bleaching.

[Rod Speed]

Dont bother with white T shirts in the first place.

It does have those downsides.

The other approach to whitening is to use a detergent thats designed to do that. They basically add fluorescent stuff that fixes the yellowing problem a different way.

[TT]

If you want the easiest whites you should use a "bluing" agent. It's called Mrs. Stewart's Bluing. Wash normally with detergent, then use it only on true whites in the rinse cycle.

it's an optical brightener, not a bleaching agent. I find this stuff to be the easiest way to whiten.

You can also whiten using lemon juice, baking soda, even peroxide. Just do a soak for at least an hour in a solution of your chosen whitener + water. I typically go 1/4" lemon juice, or a few scoops of bsoda, or 1/4 cup peroxide.

Sometimes I use oxyclean for organic stains like wine, or juice, coffee, blood, etc. This is where the oxyclean really shines.

-Tom

[Mrs Bonk]

I see this is cross posted with a frugal group and one can't get any more frugal than my whitening tip so I will, on this occasion leave them in. see my tip below:

Hang whites outside on a fine day and let the sun do the work. HTH

[Phisherman]

[Dan_Musicant]

[teleflora]

I soak my whites overnight in a cup or so of really cheap dishwasher detergent and the hottest water I can get into my washer. I only let the tub fill about half way up and then I agitate for a few seconds, turn off the washer, close the lid and let them soak. The next morning I add my laundry detergent, let the machine fill the rest of the way for a large load and let it go thru the cycle with a second rinse. I then rinse them again and add the Downy. I haven't used bleach for awhile now and I think the clothes are lasting a little longer. The bleach seemed to weaken the fabric and elastic in the socks.

Cindy

[Bonnie]

[teleflora]

[FH]

Mule Teams Borax at the grocery store.