How to Make Sheets White Again?

By
Romeo Vitelli
Romeo Vitelli
Expert Writer
Received his doctorate in Psychology in 1987, spent fifteen years as a staff psychologist in Millbrook Correctional Centre. In 2003 went into full-time private practice. read more
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Last updated: August 15, 2023
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There is no feeling greater than when you lie on your crisp, white sheets at the end of a long, tiring day. But it can be quite annoying and disappointing when you see that your favorite sheets are no longer white. Over the course of time, your white sheets can start to turn yellow due to a number of reasons. Using too much of an inexpensive detergent or excessive use of bleach, or even improper storage can lead to yellowing.

This article will tell you how to make sheets white again. With the different whitening methods, you won’t be changing your sheets that often.

Methods That You Can Try

How to Make Sheets White Again?One way you can use to make sheets white is to use a few simple household items when you wash. These items can be used before, during, or even after washing your sheets with a regular laundry detergent. It is ideal for you to wash your sheets at a hot temperature as the heat will help kill allergens.

  • You can use Borax for your sheets. Borax is a powdery white mineral and a laundry booster. You can easily find it in any local grocery store. To use Borax, you add half a cup to a gallon of water and soak your sheets overnight. Borax has whitening power and can help make your sheets white again. After overnight soaking, you wash your sheets with a mild detergent, and they will look as good as new.
  • Similar to Borax, you can use vinegar to soak your sheets overnight. Vinegar’s acidity helps make your sheets white again. Once you wash the pre-soaked sheets with a mild detergent, it is important that you air-dry your sheets, or the vinegar smell might remain.
  • Baking Soda is another household item that you can use to make sheets white again. Baking soda has natural whitening abilities as well as odor neutralizing abilities. To use baking soda, you add half a cup of it to any laundry detergent. Using them together will help make sheets white again as baking soda boosts the detergents’ cleaning powers. You will end up with white, odor-free sheets.
  • Lemon juice can also be used for whitening purposes. The  citric acid in lemon Trusted Source 16 Surprising Uses for Lemon Juice Around Your Home Learn some of the amazing things lemon juice can do around the house, including stain removal, cleaning, and insect control. www.thespruce.com is an organic and natural bleaching agent, as suggested by Spruce. You will have to pour the juice of one lemon while washing your sheets. Once you wash them, the sheets will not only end up white, but they will also have this refreshing citrusy scent that can make your sleeping experience more pleasant.
  • For an extra whitening boost, you need to air-dry your sheets in direct sunlight. Sunlight also has bleaching capabilities that can help make sheets white again. Unlike dryers, direct sunlight won’t set stains on your sheets.

Extended exposure can also be harmful as the sun can rot fibers. So take your sheets inside immediately after they dry.

  • Boiling your sheets is sort of a last resort. For this purpose, you take a large-sized pot and fill it with water and 1/4th cup of any detergent along with bleach. You can also use solutions gentler than bleach, like OUT White Brite Laundry Whitener. While boiling, ensure that your kitchen is ventilated properly or the fumes from the boiling water can be harmful. Boil your sheet in the water for 10 minutes while making sure that the pot is not overloaded. You also need to keep on stirring the pot with a pair of tongs after every few minutes. Take out the sheets once you have achieved your desired level of whiteness. After this, you wash the sheets in a washing machine, as you would normally. This process ensures that your sheets are white again.
  • You can also use bleach directly as it contains chlorine that can help whiten your sheets. For this purpose, you add half a cup of bleach while washing your white sheets and end up with your desired result. However, excessive use of bleach can also be harmful to your sheets.


What to Avoid

Avoid Using Fabric Softeners

While fabric softeners may make your sheets comfortable and smell good, they do not rinse off properly. This causes the chemicals to build-up in your sheets which is impossible to get rid of. Instead of softeners, use vinegar as an organic and natural alternative. Vinegar not only helps whiten your sheets but also acts as a fabric softener.

Avoid Eating in Bed

How to Make Sheets White Again?Do not bring food into your bed, as this results in spilling and staining on the sheets. Removing food stains can be difficult and can cause damage to your white sheets.

Avoid Excessive Use of Bleach

While bleach may whiten your sheets immediately, it also contains chemicals that can be harmful to the quality of your sheets. Use bleach only once in a while to ensure that the quality of your sheets does not deteriorate. Also, ensure that you get high-quality sheets. You can always choose between percale or sateen sheets.

Tips to Make Your White Bedding Last Longer

Once you follow the steps to make your sheets white again, it is essential that you maintain their whiteness. Get the best percale sheets and follow these basic tips to help your bedding last for a long time Trusted Source Love your silky white sheets? Here’s how to make them last. - The Washington Post Tips from the pros on washing, drying and ironing fine bedding. www.washingtonpost.com .

Wash Your Sheets Frequently

How to Make Sheets White Again?When you sleep on your bed, you leave dead skin cells, sweat, and body oils. This accumulates and attracts allergens to your bed. While these allergens may trigger allergies in you, they are also responsible for the yellowing of the sheets. Therefore, it is essential to wash your sheets at least once a week. This will not only help your sheets remain white, but it will also help you to avoid any kind of sleep disruptions.

While washing, also ensures that you remove any detergent residue as well. Detergent residue also causes discoloration.

Use an appropriate amount of detergent that is recommended for washing. If you are looking to buy new sheets, we recommend the Pinzon Set.

Wash Your Whites Separately

Avoid washing your white sheets with your colored laundry. This helps avoid the risk of color bleeding onto your white sheets.

Wash Your Face at Bedtime

How to Make Sheets White Again?Washing your face or even showering before getting into bed helps prevent the transferring of dirt and pollutants onto your sheet. This helps keep the sheets clean so that dirt doesn’t accumulate on your sheets or cause any sort of yellowing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Do White Sheets Turn Yellow?

There are numerous reasons as to why this happens. One of the reasons is the aging of the sheet due to the dirt and sweat that accumulates on the sheet. As time goes on, this build-up gets harder and harder to remove. Even detergents can leave a residue on your sheets and damage them, which is why you need to keep on using the methods and tips mentioned above to ensure that your sheets remain white. And always choose the best sheets. They can either be Tencel or bamboo.

What Is the Best Temperature for the Sheets? 

How to Make Sheets White Again?You can wash your sheets in hot or warm water as higher water temperatures help kill all the allergens. However, do make sure that you read the washing instructions or care labels before washing.

Each sheet can have a different requirement, depending on the varying fabric material.

How Often Should You Wash Your Sheets?

Since sheets lose their whiteness because of the accumulation of body oils and dirt, it is recommended that you wash your sheets once a week or once every 4 or 5 days. This helps prevent the stain from setting in your sheets. Ensure that you rinse well after washing.

Can I Use Liquid Bluing for My Sheets?

How to Make Sheets White Again?Liquid bluing is one other way that you can use to make sheets white again. Liquid bluing counteracts the yellow shade in your sheets. You use a quarter teaspoon of liquid bluing with some water and pour the solution over your sheets. Wash it after some time. Make sure that you rinse off properly and on time, as liquid bluing can cause staining as well. You will also have to keep on using it regularly as the bluing effect wears off after every wash.

Will the Whitening Methods Damage the Quality of the Sheets?

If you follow the whitening methods properly and do not overdo them, then your sheets will retain their quality. The whitening methods are quite detailed and tell you the dos and don’ts of making sheets white again. Ensure that you read them thoroughly and follow them according to your requirements.

Final Thoughts

Having crisp, white sheets is crucial for your bedding and your room decor. While your sheets can yellow very quickly, you can also make your sheets white again. If you follow all the tips and methods on how to make sheets white again, you will be able to maintain the whiteness of your sheets with ease.

After ensuring that your sheets are white again, you should take precautions in order to avoid their yellowing. Make sure that you handle your sheets with care and wash them correctly according to the methods directed above. Once you are able to achieve that, your sheets will not deteriorate over time and, in fact, last for a more extended period.

References

1.
16 Surprising Uses for Lemon Juice Around Your Home
Learn some of the amazing things lemon juice can do around the house, including stain removal, cleaning, and insect control.
2.
Love your silky white sheets? Here’s how to make them last. - The Washington Post
Tips from the pros on washing, drying and ironing fine bedding.
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