Looking for the whitest whites possible.

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oliger

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 11, 2018
Messages
211
Location
Indianapolis, Indiana
I am looking for advice on how to get gleaming super white clothes. Specifically socks. My socks slowly darken on the bottom side over time. I recently found a place to get phosphates, and it made a small difference, but the discoloration is still there.
I am aware that line-drying makes clothes whiter.
I am looking for suggestions on:
Detergent
Chlorine vs oxygen bleach
Methods of soaking etc.
Anything that will make a difference.
 
Whites

There are numerous factors that will affect how white your clothes are. If your socks are slowly darkening on the bottom it is likely due to dirt not being fully removed, of course. So a strong detergent in hot water is key to remove it. Oxygenated bleach is to bleach any potential stains that remain. One key is rinsing. If not adequate enough, whites will be dingy. Personally, I use Tide powder for a good combo of cleaning and whitening. However, I do highly recommend Tide Ultra Stain Release as well. It 'cleans' better than Tide powder but does not have the whitening effect that the powder does. Of course you can add Oxygenated Bleach to induce that effect. Phosphates are a good additive as well as it will help keep the soils in suspension and boost detergent effects. Soaking is great as long as you are using cool or warm water to allow the enzymes to work on stains that require it. Personally I don't usually have protein, blood, or other stains that require enzymes or warm water, so I generally do not perform soaks. However, other people will have other opinions.
 
Cleaning Whites

 

<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino;">My routine is based on months of experimenting.  Two issues I had to consider were an allergy/sensitivity to fragrance so I have to be careful there and we have mechanically softened water.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino;">We have a F/L washer with the ability to heat the water.</span>

<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino;">I use Miele Ultra White Powder detergent and OxiClean powder.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino;">I set the machine for a PreWash and Sanitize.  I think it heats to about 161 degrees.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino;">The PreWash gets a small scoop of OxiClean and about 1/4 scoop of powder detergent</span>

<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino;">The remainder of the detergent goes in the Detergent dispenser</span>

<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino;">I don't do any additives in the rinse but I do set for an extra rinse.   Cycle time is about 3 hours.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino;">Our whites are screaming white.  We had an issue with the darkness on the white socks and all that is gone.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino;">Hope that helps.  You will likely get as many options as you get replies.  I am aware that the Miele white powder does contain oxygen bleach as some will likely remind me, but I will tell you I can tell when I forget the OxiClean.  They just seem to need that extra boost.</span>
 
The "whites" cycle on my

new Samsung FL is long, but not the hottest temp. Max. bleach line in the dispensor isn't very much, but neither is the water level. It does a great job. Only needs 2 rinses to get most of the bleach scent out. My white loads are usually small. Just socks, dish cloths,and drying towels, and face/hand towels. A few select T shirts or mens briefs. If there is a stain, I pretreat, and use normal cycle with the hottest water temp.
 
Cycles

I should have mentioned, generally I do use the whites cycle for multiple reasons. It uses slightly more water than the normal and heavy duty cycle, has powerful interim spins, more aggressive tumble pattern, and uses tap hot water (~140ºF once the machine is full). Using the sanitize option on this cycle boosts temperature to 155ºF. Of course, stains that are difficult are pretreated.
Another additive I recommend is ammonia. Using 1 cup in the wash makes a big difference. Just be sure to never mix with chlorine bleach.
 
I probably should have mentioned my washing machine. It is a Maytag 806 - traditional toploading machine.
A few of you have mentioned "Whites cycle" I have no such thing. Although I do use hot wash water.
 
>> I am looking for suggestions on:
>> ...
>> Anything that will make a difference.

There's a lot of visual trickery in making white colors appear "white" to the human eye.
Many "white" paints, for example, aren't pure white, but instead have a hint of blue in them.

For laundry, do some searches and read up on "bluing" for the old-school technique, and then for something more modern, start researching the "optical brighteners" aka "Fluorescent Whitening Agents" in modern detergents. Not all detergents have them due to environmental concerns. If you have an older washer, your owners manual might even have a section with specific bluing instructions. (Older Maytags did.)
 
For sure!

Laundress posts no name, or locale oter than mountains. Does anyone know her personally? Has she been to any wash in's? Perhaps she is a classified person and inside that mountain in Colorado etc.?
 
Would it be inappropriate to ask if any member who might have contact information ask if she's ok?

For some reason I mentally picture her living in a Brownstone on Striver's Row (or similar area, perhaps to the east?). Said Brownstone is unrestored because it was always kept up. The original 1890's single pipe steam heating system is still in service.

If I had to guess why I think all this, I'd say from the steam heat thread a few years back.

Or maybe I'm conflating several similar, but unrelated sources of information.

[this post was last edited: 4/17/2020-18:39]
 
BLUETTE ...

... is still around!

My grand-aunt Phil used "bluing" in her whites. She kept it in a cobalt blue bottle that had a "whiskey pourer" top, like from a bar. I don't remember the larger container the bluing came in. I do remember her saying it was to get her whites really white.

I know some older relatives used Bluette and were happy with it.

Actually, this is a timely topic for me. Work requires I always wear solid colors that contrast with my skin so I have hardly anything white.

However, to reduce my paper towel dependency as much as possible I've bought 100 cleaning rags (like dish rags but a bit thicker) and a few dozen over-sized hand towels, all white. I should see just how white I can get them :-)

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=bluette+laundry&_sacat=0
 
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Whites whites

I know that the two type of machines are completely different... but

In a front loader (a standard European profile wash front loader) it is really very easy to have whitest whites if you are washing properly.

I don't have that much whites as others colors, but still have pretty much and I want them to stay white so I am washing them on a long 90°C cycle with a good powder detergent containing 30% of oxygen bleach. I have never ever used chlorine bleach for doing laundry because the high temperature and oxygen bleach does the job without yellowing and damaging the clothes.
(Some people prefer 60°C, but I prefer 90°C)

Whites come out always brilliant.

Another important thing I've noticed for whites is that if you have some very dirty whites (like I do for example for my working uniforms) don't wash them straight ahead with the other whites that aren't so dirty.
I first soak my dirty whites uniforms overnight in a bucket again with a powder detergent and the next day I wash them along with the other whites as described.

Ingemar

gorenje-2020041803002704002_1.jpg
 
Hi Ingemar!

How is everyone over there? Anyone with the virous? I spoke to a gal from Albania who works at the Italian gourmet store we shop at 2 weeks ago. She said she hadn't heard any bad news from home then.
 
Hi Mike, hugs

Luckily here in Slovenia the situation is under control and we are good, thank you. Life and work for those who work in supermarkets, drugstores and some other few activities (all the rest is closed) are now different but you get used to it. Well yes, for the moment (already 40 days) it isn't like it was before, but we all hope it will pass.

Our borders with Italy, Austria, Croatia and Hungary are now closed.

We are a small Country with 2,1 million of inhabitants, with 1317 cases of infection and a total of 70 people has died. (60% were +85 years old, more than 80% were +75 years old)

I hope all you guys are ok, you and your family members. And I hope all will pass soon. Virtual hugs to all

Ingemar

gorenje-2020041808582404260_1.jpg

gorenje-2020041808582404260_2.jpg
 
Thank You Ingemar-HUGS too!

We're all fine. Southeast Michigan has been affected third hardest after New Jersey, and New York. Even some supermarket employees have died.
 
Whites!

Very timely thread for me. We have white sheets and towels, and most everything comes out OK except the bottom sheets which come out a bit dingy.

I start them in hot (SQ TL) with detergent and a generous scoop or two of oxygen bleach and alternate soaking and agitating sometimes soaking overnight. I don't do this method--overkill--every wash, but periodically. Then usually (in good weather) line dry. I'm still not quite satisfied with the bottom sheets. I know a very long soak in oxygen bleach works on many tough stains.

What I've learned from this thread so far is that I may need to rinse more. Would it be a good idea to add a cup of vinegar to the rinse? What about the ammonia? Should I try an ammonia wash?

And finally, since I'm asking about sheets. I prefer vintage 100% cotton percale sheets. The top sheets keep their original slightly crisp texture longer than the bottom sheets. The bottom sheets get softer and the weave becomes less defined. Anything I can do about that or is that just the way sheets wear?

And I second concerns about Launderess. I am sorry for those who have been hit hard by this virus either by health or economic stability. Those who have lost loved ones have my deepest sympathy.

Sarah
 
Re: 21 & 23

#21:

There're no specific plans that I'm aware of as there's no way to know when travel will become advisable. However, there seems to be a general consensus that we'll need at least one once we're past this current crisis.

#23:

The bottom sheets have body weight on them so there's much more physical abrasion sop they'll show wear sooner. Not much to be done about that.

I remember being sort of stuck with the same situation but I don't think it was sheets. I'd wash the 'clean' sheets with a cup of ammonia. I think I used 2 cups but that might've been too strong (expert opinion, please?) and I was just lucky. Anyway, full cycle with just ammonia , no detergent and do an extra rinse. Then do the same but use 2 cups of vinegar instead of ammonia. That should wash out any residual detergent and dirt possibly trapped within. I'd use the hottest water you're comfortable with.

That might do the trick. If not, at least you'll have a more accurate picture of the dinginess.

One thing that has worked when nothing else has is Didi7. I know a lot of people tend to roll their eyes but I've had it work miracles just like in their commercials years ago. If you're dealing with general dinginess and not a specific stain, I'd dissolve the Didi7 FULLY in a cup of hot water and use that in place of detergent. The directions tell how much to use for a TL, I've forgotten what, but that's what I followed.

Hope this helps,

Jim
 
Washing Whites:

As we have all white sheets and towels and I insist on white undergarments. (My commercial laundry background) I launder them in the SQ FL as follows.  

Hot Pre-Wash with Tide detergent which ends up warm which is ideal (Skip this with towels only used once and purge hot water line).

 

Hot wash on Whites cycle, Heavy Soil, Hot (140F) water that is very soft (I have an EcoWater system). Tide liquid HE Turbo and Clorox Bleach.

Run all 5 rinses with 2 TBL Mountain Spring Downy in final rinse. 

DO NOT use more FS than this as it will gunk up your machines and waterproof the towels. Always use the maximum number of rinses when using LCB to avoid fabric damage in the dryer. 

 

Launderess:  Are you OK dear lady? We are concerned about you.  I also have a sister in NYC and I am a bit concerned.  

WK78
 
@sarah re white sheets

Has your combiner's unit been installed yet? That may get your sheets whiter as it will heat the water won't it? Start on cool and let it heat with a good detergent and it should end your dingy sheet woes... :) It works with ours as we have all white bedding and nothing comes out dingy.

Austin
 
I have a lot of white T-Shirts with prints and such.

And I have to confess: Those loads are probably my biggest laundry "sin".

Since I wash for my own I work around a bit.

I wash my underwear (socks and underpants), my white T-Shirts and my colored T-Shirts (like only 4-5 a week) in one load.
I don't wear the colored shirts outside, so the bleaching on them dosen't mean much.

I use a long 40C (104F cycle) depending on soil with a prewash.

Items are worn about once, so that works fine.

To ensure some sanitary treatment I use a powdered detergent and add a good scoop of an oxygen additive.

For my white towels I just run a long 60C (140F) with a small dose of detergent (the soiling is verry little usual) and a large dose of oxy additive.

For my bedding I often run a prewash before the 60C cycle due to the kind of soiling.
Then normal dose of detergent and oxy.

Only time I use chlorine bleach is on kitchen towels and cleaning racks or white curtains.

One thing to look for in a detergent is an "optical brightener" aka blueing.

Over here at least I always noticed that hospital whites were less white than householdwhites.
Reason is that their detergents don't contain these additives which are technicly a blueing.

Only with that optical trick you get those "blinding white in the sunlight" results.
That's the same reason well washed whites look glowimg blue under UV light and well washed colors shouldn't.
 
Launderess

I was considering launching a thread to inquire about our beloved Launderess/Cimberlie.

 

I've been fearing the worst, but if he's a nurse, then he likely hasn't had much leisure time.  I hope that's the reason he's been absent as opposed to something much worse.

 

Re: living in the mountains, that person is likely the ever-controversial and uber-paranoid Keven, AKA Panthera.  AFAIK, not a soul here has inquired about his absence, which speaks volumes about the general sentiment.  There is a lather, rinse, repeat aspect to his periodic vanishing acts.
 
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