How To Remove Yellow From White Shirts! I wear a white work shirt to my job. It is our official uniform so it needs to be bright white. When I wash my white shirts in my top loading washer, they always come out slightly yellow in color. I use normal detergent and sometimes chlorine bleach. How do I get my white laundry brighter and the yellowing of my white work shirts removed?
Yellow stains or a yellowish coloring on white shirts and other white laundry is caused mostly from the age of the clothing, sweating, smoking or nicotine, cooking residue, improper washing, and other stains. An old white shirt will tend to get yellow over time.
You will notice that white clothes that hang in your closet for long periods of time will begin to yellow. There are proper methods to get the yellow stains out of white clothing such as shirts, socks, and underwear.
5 WAYS TO REMOVE YELLOW STAINS FROM WHITE CLOTHING
Tip #1 – Reduce the use of chlorine bleach.
To remove the yellow coloring from a white shirt or any other white article of clothing, stop using excess chlorine bleach. When you wash clothing using excessive chlorine bleach, the chlorine in the bleach weakens the clothing fibers and may cause white clothing to turn yellow or get an overall yellow tint over time. You can still use chlorine bleach when washing whites, just simply reduce the amount you use with each wash.
Tip #2 – Begin using an oxygen bleach.
Removing yellow from white clothing is best accomplished by using oxygen bleach instead of chlorine bleach. This is a more gentle procedure and can remove the yellowing in most white clothing. This is best done in a top loading washing machine. Add the yellowed whites to your washer and fill the washing machine with warm or hot water. Then add an oxygen-based bleach and let soak overnight. Dump in approximately a half cup of distilled white vinegar when the washer begins to run the rinse cycle. This should remove most yellowing from your white fabrics or clothing.
Oxygen bleach plus for white clothing
Tip #3 – Try using a color removing product.
If the oxygen bleach does not remove the yellow spots or yellowing in your clothing, try using a yellow color remover product that will strip away the colors in the white clothing. This product is used for only pure white clothes. A laundry color removing product is mainly used for white undershirts, white socks, or white underwear. If your white clothing has any other colors on them, this product is not recommended as it will fade out the colors. Only use on pure white clothes and fabrics.
Yellow color remover product for white clothes
Tip #4 – Use a liquid bluing agent. (For white clothing that has severely yellowed)
An old school product for yellowed whites is called laundry bluing. This bluing agent should be added to the wash cycle or rinsing cycle. This product is to get white clothing to appear brighter white. This product can be used incorrectly and stain your clothing, so read the directions on the product before you use it.
Mrs. stewart’s bluing agent for white clothes
Tip #5 – Use natural sunlight.
Hang a rope line outside and try drying your white clothing outside in the sunlight. The suns rays actually help to whiten the clothing or fabric. The sun’s ultraviolet rays do have the power to make white clothes whiter. Give it a try to see if this helps to remove the yellow stains on your white shirts.
WHAT CAUSES YELLOW STAINS ON WHITE CLOTHING?
Certain situations and time can turn a white shirt yellow…
If you work in a restaurant and your white shirts turn yellow, it may be from the cooking residue in the air.
If you work with people who smoke, the smoke in the air contains nicotine and tar and can stain your white shirt.
If you work in a HOT environment, you may sweat enough to turn the white shirt yellow.
If you have a white shirt that is 10 years old, it may turn yellow from age alone.
If a white shirt gets yellow stains around the white shirt collar it is from heat and sweat.
So consider the reasons why or how your shirt turned yellow and use the methods above to get them bright white again!
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If you have white clothing that no matter what you do has yellow stains in them, consider replacing them or contact us below and we may be able to recommend a product that can help to remove the yellow in your white clothing.
To one full washload two cups apple cider vinegar removes much of detergent residue and use about half liquid detergent. Not powders or cakes or pods.
If no vinegar use one cup baking soda.
After several consistent washings
You will see difference!