How to Wash White Clothes

It may seem tedious, but if you want to keep whites looking bright, the simplest thing you can do is wash them separately. Dyes from coloured fabrics, like denim, can sometimes bleed in the wash, which can discolour white fabrics.

To sort the laundry, start by separating white clothes from everything else. Then, separate delicate white garments—like activewear or items made from lace or silk—from the rest of the whites.

Check tags for care instructions to see which items are machine washable, and follow the directions for the recommended temperature and spin cycle. When in doubt, use cool water and handwash any delicate clothing.

(Related: How to Wash and Care for a Sports Bra)

Before you put your clothes in the washing machine, pre-treat any obvious stains—including wine, grass or sweat stains.

You can buy a commercial stain remover (tip: avoid chlorine bleach) or create your own stain-treatment paste using two parts hydrogen peroxide, one part washing-up liquid and a pinch of baking powder. Apply the solution to any discoloured parts of the garment and let it soak into the fabric for at least an hour before washing.

In a pinch, you can use liquid detergent instead of stain treatment.

Some detergents are better than others for washing white clothes. The type will depend on whether you want to use chemical or non-chemical whiteners.

Many whitening laundry detergents contain chlorine bleach. This chemical can be too harsh for some fabrics, as it whitens items by removing colour. It's best to only use these products on bleach-safe fabrics (again, check the tag). Avoid using chlorine bleach on wool, elastane, leather or other delicate materials.

As an alternative, try oxygen-based bleach. It is colour-safe, because it brightens whites without stripping colour from the fabric. You can supplement standard laundry detergent by adding a scoop of powdered or liquid oxygen bleach.

Alternatively, you could add half a cup of baking powder to the wash instead of oxygen bleach.

(Related: How to Get Your White Shoes Looking Brand New)

To keep whites looking bright, wash white clothes in the hottest water that the garment can handle to remove dirt and grime. To confirm what temperature is right for your clothes, check the tags.

Generally speaking, warm water (in combination with detergent) is effective at removing oils that cause stains and discolouration, but it's not hot enough to damage fabrics.

Try not to overload the washer with laundry to ensure every piece of clothing gets rinsed thoroughly.

Natural sunlight is great for drying white clothing—the UV rays act as a type of natural bleach. When possible, hang-dry white clothing in direct sunlight (however, avoid using this method with colours, as the sun can cause bright colours to fade).

If you can't air-dry clothes in the sun, dry them in a tumble dryer on the lowest setting. Don't use high heat, which can set stains into the fabric.