Brightening White Cotton Bed Sheets - Why do Sheets Discolour?
Sheets and bed linen can naturally yellow overtime due to chemicals in washing water, transfer of colours from other fabrics, or stains from natural body oils and sweat. Here are some tips on how to brighten white organic linen without using chlorine bleach.
Why avoid chlorine bleach?
Chlorine bleach is dangerous if splashed or the fumes inhaled. Harvard University published a study which linked regular use of disinfectants by US nurses, including chlorine bleach, to increased risk of COPD ( chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and asthma.
These respiratory diseases can be fatal, and exposure just once a week was sufficient to significantly increase the risk of developing COPD(1). Manufacturing chlorine bleach products releases harmful gases into the environment. Good alternatives to chlorine bleach are available, and this blog discusses some of them.
Safe, Green Alternatives for Whitening Your Sheets
Here are some of the simple things you can use to help whiten and brighten your sheets:
• Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is a natural mild acid that can freshen your laundry and whiten your linen.
Simply add half a cup of lemon juice to the wash cycle. It is best to add it directly to the tub, or in a separate compartment to your laundry detergent.
• White Distilled Vinegar
Vinegar can remove odours from your linen, reduce static (so pet fluff or lint doesn’t stick to the fabric), soften fabric and can also be used as a whitener. Vinegar works best as a pre-soaker.
Add ½ cup vinegar to a bucket of hot water or your laundry tub and soak from 1 hour to overnight. Add 1 cup if you are filling your tub with a big sheet. You can create a paste for stubborn stains- but of course always spot-check if you are doing this to your coloured sheets.
Words of caution for acids such as vinegar:
o Some eco-cleaners add ½ cup of white vinegar directly to the washing powder or to the fabric softener compartment of washing machines; but washing machine manufacturers generally say to avoid using vinegar or other natural acids directly in the washing machine as the acid can damage rubber and metal parts over time (2).
o Balsamic or brown vinegar can stain – use white distilled vinegar.
o Don’t mix vinegar with hydrogen peroxide or bleach.
o Adding vinegar to your washing detergent, only works if your washing powder is not alkaline.
• Baking Soda
Image: baking soda shoot in studio" by aqua.mech
Baking soda is a known bleach alternative, for brightening whites, removing stains, and neutralizing odours. Baking soda is a mild alkaline when dissolved and can be used with alkaline laundry detergent.
Baking Soda is safe to use in most washing machines, but add it directly to your washer tub, rather than putting it in the dispensers. Using the dispensers may clog your machine.
How much baking soda should I use?
• Add ½ cup of baking soda to your washing machine tub when washing organic white bed linen. Use it in the wash or pre-soak cycle.
• Pre-soaking: Pre-soak using 1 cup baking soda in your laundry tub with 1-2 buckets of water, or use the pre-soak function on your washing machine- (putting the baking soda directly in the washing machine tub).
• Persistent stains: You can make a paste with equal parts baking soda and water, apply it to the stain and soak the item in water for around 30 minutes. Check your bed linen washing instructions or always do a spot check on coloured sheets.
Baking soda is gentle on fabrics and works well for people with sensitive skin.
• Oxygen Based Bleaches
There are several brands of Oxygen Bleach / Whiteners available, both online and in stores. Oxygen bleaches have a different structure than Chlorine bleach and are great to use for cotton. They can help prevent your white linen from becoming discoloured.
Most contain Sodium Percarbonate as a whitening agent and organic stain remover. Organic stains are those from organic sources, such as food, drink, sweat, body oil or blood. Oxygen bleaches can kill a wide range of bacteria, mildew, algae, fungi and are generally colour safe.
Sodium Percarbonate is biodegradable and leaves no harmful residues. it breaks down to oxygen, water and sodium carbonate in your wash water, so is very safe. Is also gentle enough to use with Septic systems, grey water and it can be used for household cleaning. It won’t remove mineral deposits from hard water.
How to use Oxygen Bleaches
Oxygen bleaches need to be dissolved in warm water. Sodium percarbonate solutions are most effective when mixed and used in water with a temperature range of 37 – 65℃.
For your sheets this means either:
• Adding it to your laundry detergent slot in a warm machine wash ( you can combine it with your standard laundry powder) or
• Pre-dissolve the powder and use it in your machines pre-soak cycle ( follow your machines instructions) or
• Dissolve the powder in warm water in the tub and soaking your linen for at least an hour or overnight, then washing as normal.
Each brand will have its own specific instructions to follow.
Whilst great for your organic cottons, oxygen bleach is not suitable for silk or wool.
• Homemade Combinations
A variety of homemade combinations can also work. One favourite is to mix ½ cup lemon juice, ½ cup white vinegar and 1 tablespoon of borax. This can be used as a soaking solution in about 4 L water or added to your washing machine tub.
So there you have it – no need to risk your health to achieve brighter, whiter bed linen – use one of these more natural alternatives for an environmentally friendly, healthy and safe solution.
References:
(1) Dumas O, Varraso R, Boggs KM, Quinot C, Zock JP, Henneberger PK, Speizer FE, Le Moual N, Camargo CA Jr. Association of Occupational Exposure to Disinfectants With Incidence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Among US Female Nurses. JAMA Netw Open. 2019 Oct 2;2(10):e1913563. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.13563. PMID: 31626315; PMCID: PMC6813668
(2) https://www.whirlpool.com/blog/washers-and-dryers/how-to-use-vinegar-in-laundry.html