Nothing looks as wonderful as a crisp white shirt. White clothes are especially beautiful in the summer. Unfortunately white clothes and fabrics are magnets for stains -- and that can create a special problem today that white clothes didn't have in the past.
What's that problem? Today's clothing makers often apply a finish to white clothes to make them appear whiter. The problem with this is that bleach will often react with the "finish" on the clothing turning it yellow. If you have ever applied bleach or a bleach pen to white clothing only to have a large yellow mark where the stain once was, you'll understand.
It's especially tempting to try to bleach away a stain on white clothing or fabric. It's better not to bleach than it is to risk ruining your clothes or having a yellow stain that you can't remove on one of your favorite articles of clothing. What should you do if you have yellow stains from overbleaching on your white clothes? Here are some steps for handling yellowed whites:
To remove yellow bleach stains from overbleaching:
Bear in mind that some stains will not come out. If you have yellow stains on white clothes from overbleaching, try using RIT Color Remover.
To remove yellowing from white clothing:
Sometimes, white clothing will become yellowed with time and not from overbleaching. Once again, Rit comes to the rescue with Rit Color Brightener. This product is suitable for white fabrics that can be bleached. For white fabrics that cannot be bleached, use Rit White Wash to brighten white fabrics and remove yellowing.
To keep white clothing and fabrics looking good
The first step to keeping white clothes looking good is to remove the stains properly to begin with. Avoid the temptation to "spot treat" a stained white garment with bleach. I recommend using the more fabric-friendly approach. My favorite is
OxiClean powder to treat stains because it doesn't interfere with most finishes on white fabric. But as always, be sure to test an inconspicious area first to be certain and before applying any spot or stain treater to your clothing. If the stain doesn't come out right away, then keep reapplying the OxiClean. I have yet to find a stain that won't yield to OxiClean.
Kathryn Weber is the publisher of the Everydayclean.com Calender -- the calendar that helps you end the power struggle with your house. Keeping a clean home is about knowing what to clean when. Virtually everything that needs to be cleaned is on this calendar in a year-round cleaning schedule that helps you keep your house clean easier and faster. Click here for more information.