Bleaching white clothes

[Betty Lou]

I need to bleach some all white clothes that have those wonderful modern anti-perspirant stains and other discolorations like around the neck area of shirts.

What proportion of bleach should I use ? How long should they soak ? Should I just use the washer bleach cycle? I have a feeling it won't be long enough to really clean them and that they need to soak in a bucket for a while or something.

I'd like to avoid using something like Restoration which I've seen recommended here since there are no colors and since it costs so darn much.

Thanks,

[Phisherman]

Soaking clothes in bleach will weaken the fabric and this is not recommended. Adding a laundry booster such as Mule Team Borax, soda ash, and/or a water softener may help. Use vinegar, rather than a fabric softener, in the fabric softener dispenser. Dry the clothes outdoors on a sunny day. You can try OxiClean instead of the household bleach (not together), but I have not had good results using OxiClean in the clothes washer. You can soak your clothes overnight in detergent, but again, leave out the bleach when soaking.

[Dorot29701]

I agree that soaking clothes overnight with plain detergent is a good thing. Then wash them as usual and near the end of the wash cycle add clorox bleach. If you have a full washer load I would use about a cup full - but I would be careful to dilute it with water before pouring it in the bleach dispenser. That way the clothes get enough to take the stains out but it's not in the clothes long enough to weaken fibers.

Dorothy