Keeping White Clothes White?

Nature Bright will do the trick. It is an enzyme and is non-toxic. I no longer use bleach either. A few years ago I switched my home to all non-toxic cleaners. Who knew the smell of clean was no smell at all! I used to think the smell of chemicals was clean. Yikes! Because the products so impressed me I became a Shaklee Independent Distributor, and Nature Bright was a pleasant surprise. Here is a link to see what you think.
http://healinghappens.myshaklee.com/us/en/products.php?sk...

I LOVE the new Tide stain release gel packs. My whites look awesome!

I love using Oxi-Clean. To me it works even better than bleach!

We use Oxyclean along with our regular detergent. We haven't had any issues with it. Oxyclean seems to get our whites a lot whiter. You could also try to spot clean with Shout it out sray or gel. I know it works great on tough stains.

I have read on this site a while ago where someone recommended using dishwasher detergent to soak your whites before you wash them in the machine. I haven't tried it but it sure seems like it would work.

Good luck!

I sort my white and very light colors out and wash them together. I use OxyClean in addition to HE detergent and they stay white. I wash them in cold water most of the time because some of the clothes say use cold water and I discovered that warm water causes fuzz balls on some of those.

I also sort my clothes separating the more heavily soiled from the lightly soiled.

The reason hot water worked better for rinsing when SA Mamma H had to hand wash her clothes is that hot water does more easily rinse out the detergent/soap than cold water.

It"s important to not use too much detergent. My Dad, who both sold and serviced appliances, said that most women use too much detergent. If your water is not hard try using 1/2 the amount suggested on the detergent container. If your water is hard still use 1/2 the amount but add a powdered water softener.

I use the second rinse cycle on my machine just to be sure all the detergent is washed out.

Detergent left in the clothes does make them dingy. My Dad demonstrated by washing a clean load of whites using only water softener and the water became sudsy and after a second rinse the clothes were brighter.

I rarely, if ever, use bleach and I like my clothes to be bright. I wear most white and light colored clothes one time only so that there is very little dirt build up.

For the swim suit, wash it every time you wear it. When several of us go swimming I put all of them in the washer, on cold water, and run them thru the gentle cycle without using any detergent. I do sometimes put in OxyClean if they're looking dingy. Never dry them in the dryer. They lose elasticity but you probably know that.

I use oxyclean as well, and it does make a difference. One thing people used to do before bleach and all that, that my mother-in-law does sometimes is to lay the wet clothes out flat in bright sunlight. Sunlight is a natural bleacher, so it can help.

Powder type cascade dish detergent. NOT the cascade complete. I learned that recently from someone here. Works really well!

Just soak in water and cascade for a few hours (even overnight), rinse, then wash as you normally would.

L.,

I'm not a huge white wearer, BUT I do love Clorox 2. Put it in every load with the soap and no worries! But there are times when I'd love my toddlers white onesies to really just stay white! AS IF!!

For your swim suit I'd wash that in Woolite, and of course don't put anything you'd not want to accidentally bleed onto it in with it. Swimsuits are great overnight sink soakers! :)

Hope some of that helps.
V.

Bleach works for me in cold water.

I don't know about the chemical stuff, but using hot water makes a big difference. I lived in a developing country for most of my 20s and my hubby worked drilling water wells in the mud. We washed our clothes by hand. I noticed a HUGE difference when we used really hot water to rinse instead of tap water.

The dryer is horrible at making whites dingy.

I'm a fan of oxi-clean and also of borax.