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Whitening Whites: Laundry Tips

 
Question:
How do I get my whites whiter ? Some of my shirts are a dingy / grey color. HELP please!
 
 
Answer:
Whitening whites is easier than you might think!  All you need is a good detergent and some baking soda! 
 
Before I give you the tip for whitening you whites let me tell you about the awesome all-natural detergent I use.  When I was pregnant with my daughter everyone told me that I had to use Dreft Laundry Detergent to wash her clothes because it didn’t contain any harsh chemicals.  I agreed that it was important to use a gentle detergent for her clothes but it made me question, “why don’t I do this for our clothes?”.
 
I’ve always been a fan of Tide detergents because they smell so amazing, but when I started thinking about the dyes and other unnecessary things that were in the detergent I decided it was time to make a switch for, not just my daughter, but for my husband and I too.
 
Through a friend I discovered ECOS and I LOVE it.  ECOS is an all natural detergent and it is gentle on fabrics.  I have used ECOS on Malea’s clothes since she was born, I figured why use Dreft when I could use something that’s all natural AND good for the environment!
 
 
 
So back to the original question.  ECOS is great for whites but sometimes I like to give a little extra “umph” to my load of whites to get them even whiter! You all know what I mean, sometimes the whites just need a little extra whitening.  So here’s how you do it: adding 1/2 cup baking soda to your usual amount of liquid laundry detergent will give you “whiter whites”.  If you are fan of bleach {like I am} adding 1/2 cup baking soda in top-loading machines (1/4 cup for front-loaders) also increases the potency of bleach, so you need only half the usual amount of bleach. (source) 
 
With this simple tip you’re whites will be whiter than the rest! 
 
 
Follow up reader question:
Question:“Does the ECOS cleaner do a good job on kid stains?  In the past the natural cleaners I have used haven’t been the best on stains.”

Answer:
Yes it does, I have always had great results on Malea’s clothes.  I also use an oxi clean stain remover for tough stains but I only have to use it once in awhile.

About Anna

"Hi, I'm Anna! Wife, mother, child of God, and the founder of Ask Anna. I have always enjoyed cleaning, organizing, decorating and helping people, so I've put that all together on the pages of this blog. I truly hope my tips help you in your home and make sure to contact me if you have a question!"

Comments

  1. Crystal Heyne says

    I love ECOS too! But I do hate the container from Costco. It is way too big and awkward to pour when it is full. I always pour it into an old Kirkland side bottle with a spigot.

  3. tale of many cities says

    Hi Anna!visiting via blog hop! i am loving your b/w background!! clean, simple and very informative.. great job!! {new fan!}hope to see ya in my random world sometime! :)many blessings,-Tracie

  4. April says

    Lol! I was just wondering about this when I changed my sheets the other day. but my problem is I had my white sheets for over a year and they were still pretty white. I decided to throw some clorox in the water and they came out yellow…not bright yellow but you know what I mean…I guess you do anyway…what did I do wrong?!? Now I am really irrated and wishing I had left them the way they were!

  6. Marianne says

    I have moved to an area with lots of iron in the water, and I have noticed a definite orange cast to some of my whites. I could really use some ideas to get my whites back to white again! Any help would be deeply appreciated.

    • Anna says

      My suggestion would be to add 1/2cup of baking soda, along with the laundry soap, when you wash your clothes.