If you’ve ever washed white clothes at home, chances are that you added some form of bleach or brightening solution to the mix. Why not, this helps to make the job easier. Doing the laundry is a regular chore for everyone. And to make sure that there are no dirty clothes and linens around the house, you need to invest in a washing machine. But there are days when you need to quickly rush through some dirty whites and can’t wait for the entire length of a washing cycle. The best option here will be to roll up your sleeves and wash the clothes by hand.
For many people, hand washing is not much of a problem as they already wash the dishes by hand at home. But it is a little different from manually doing the laundry. And especially when you have to wash white fabrics by hand. Whether you are trying to get the dirt off your white shoes or ink stains from your children’s school uniform, you will need to take a hands-on approach.
Machine Wash or Hand Wash – Which is Best for White Clothes?
Machine washing is always preferable when you have a lot of laundries to do. All you have to do is to sort the fabrics and load them in the washer, add detergent and let the machine do its thing. Handwashing clothes also isn’t all that complicated. While a bit of workout is involved, it’s the type that is good for your wrist muscles and hands. But you do want to know how to do it properly so you don’t tire yourself out.
Using a Washing Machine to Wash Whites
You can use your washing machine to easily wash white clothes. This could be the best option if you are looking to do the laundry overnight. And you can follow the steps below to ensure that you get the job done properly.
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· Ensure the washing machine is clean as you don’t want to wash clothes (whites for that matter) in a dirty machine.
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· Sort the whites properly. Only wash fabrics according to texture and color.
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· Use the right detergent for whites.
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· Use oxygen-bleach or better yet replace bleach with hydrogen peroxide for your laundry and cleaning.
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· Rinse and air dry your whites outside on a line.
Handwashing White Clothes
It may be a better option to hand wash your clothes if you need to get the laundry done quickly. It could also be the preferred method for washing light and delicate fabrics like lace, cashmere, wool, and silk. When it comes to properly wash white clothes by hand, you want to follow the safety precautions below.
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· Sort your fabrics properly according to texture and color.
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· Fill a large bowl with water and soak the whites inside.
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· Pour in detergent (preferably one for whites).
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· Wash the clothes gently and focus on stained areas.
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· Rinse the clothes with fresh water.
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· Air dry clothes outside on a line.
Is it Safe to Use Bleach for Whites?
You can use bleach for whites without any pattern or design on them. But you want to be careful with using bleach at home as there are many reasons why you should. For one, there is the issue of skin and eye irritations and respiratory problems, plus there is also how it could be too strong for certain fabrics.
Better Alternative to Bleach for Laundry (Hydrogen Peroxide)
When it comes to a better alternative to bleach for doing laundry and for washing white clothes especially, you can always trust hydrogen peroxide. It is safe, and can even be used for rinsing the mouth. There is also the added benefit that it can help as a natural fabric softener making it easy for your detergents to work. And the best part is that it does help add a bit of brightness to the whites.
