To bleach or not to bleach—that is the question. If “not to bleach” is your answer, you may have wondered if whitening clothes without bleach is possible. Let’s take a look at three simple yet powerful products that get the job done without harsh odors or strong chemicals.
There are times when you notice white clothing has turned dingy and dull due to common stains, sweat-soaked time on the soccer field or your tween’s insistence on wearing the same shirt multiple times a week.
You might be surprised to learn that some common products you likely have on hand in your kitchen pantry or medicine cabinet are effective laundry whiteners without bleach. Reach for these chlorine bleach-free alternatives to bring the sparkle back into your white laundry.
How to Use Vinegar in Laundry
This sour product gives sweet results in the laundry room.
- To brighten your whites, simply add a half cup of distilled white vinegar to the fabric softener dispenser or manually add it to your wash when the rinse cycle begins.
- As a bonus, vinegar also acts as a stain treater. Soak stains in undiluted vinegar for up to 30 minutes. Then wash clothing as usual.
How to Use Baking Soda in Laundry
Baking soda—it’s not just for baking cakes and eliminating odors. This do-it-all product has so many uses, including whitening clothes without bleach.
- Allow your washer to fill with water. Add a half cup of baking soda and let it dissolve. Then let the washer finish the cycle as usual.
- For dull cotton clothing that needs an extra boost, combine a cup of baking soda with a gallon of boiling water. Remove it from the heat, soak the clothes for a few hours and wash as usual.
How to Use Hydrogen Peroxide in Laundry
If you have 3 percent hydrogen peroxide in your medicine cabinet, reach for it the next time you need to transform your whites from dull to dazzling.
- Simply add one cup of hydrogen peroxide into the bleach dispenser. Then launder as usual.
Say Goodbye to Dull and Hello to Bright Whites with Simple Products
Whitening clothes without bleach is possible with simple products likely found in your home. Breathe easy by using vinegar, baking soda or hydrogen peroxide instead of chlorine bleach the next time you whiten your laundry.