White sheets can look crisp and clean when freshly laundered, but over time they may start to appear dull, gray, or yellow. Keeping your white linens looking bright white can seem like a challenge. Fortunately, there are several effective methods you can use to banish dinginess and restore a like-new look to well-loved sheets. With some sound laundry practices and homemade solutions, you can keep your white bedding sparkling white for years to come.
Wash and Dry Properly
How you launder your sheets plays a major role in preventing yellowing or graying over time. Here are some key tips for washing white linens:
Use Hot Water
Wash white sheets in the hottest water recommended on the care label, usually hot or very hot if available. Hotter water helps dissolve soils and oils that dull white fabric. Lukewarm or cold water won’t get sheets as clean.
Add Bleach or Oxygen Booster
Liquid chlorine bleach is a tried-and-true whitening agent. Add 1/2 cup of bleach to each load of white sheets. Check the care label first; high concentrations of bleach can damage some fabrics. Oxygen boosters/activators are gentler alternatives containing hydrogen peroxide. They are very effective at whitening.
Use a Good Laundry Detergent
Detergents with added brighteners help maintain the brightness of white fabrics. Powder detergents tend to work better than liquid at removing oils and preventing graying. Use a full dose per the detergent instructions.
Skip the Fabric Softener
Fabric softeners and dryer sheets can leave a residue on fabrics that leads to dulling over time. They coat sheets with a thin film. For bright whites skip these additives. Vinegar in the rinse cycle works well as a natural fabric softener.
Shake Out Sheets
Before loading sheets, shake them vigorously to dislodge any dust or lint embedded in the fabric. This prevents graying from debris buildup over time. Check pockets too.
Dry Thoroughly
Make sure sheets are completely dried to prevent moisture from remaining in the fabric. Line drying in the sun naturally bleaches and whitens. For machine drying, use the highest heat setting recommended for the fabric. Remove sheets promptly from the dryer.
Pretreat Stains and Soiling
Pretreating spots and stains before washing can help sheets come out brighter. Here are some tips:
Make a DIY Prewash Spray
Mix 1 part hydrogen peroxide, 1 part blue Dawn dish soap, and 4 parts water in a spray bottle. Lightly spray soiled areas of sheets and let sit 5-10 minutes before washing. The peroxide whitens; the soap breaks up oils.
Target Oily Stains
For greasy stains from lotion, body oil or makeup, rub a small amount of dish soap directly on the spot before washing. Dish soap cuts through oils.
Sprinkle With OxiClean
OxiClean helps lift stains like sweat and blood from white fabrics. Dampen the stain, sprinkle on some OxiClean powder, let sit to activate, then launder as usual. It whitens as it removes stains.
Use Lemon Juice
For dingy yellow stains, rub lemon juice directly on the area and place sheets in direct sunlight for 30 minutes before washing. The acid and sun bleach out the discoloration.
Make a Baking Soda Paste
For serious yellow discoloration in one area, mix baking soda with just enough water to form a spreadable paste. Rub it into the stained portion of fabric. Let sit before washing. Baking soda whitens and deodorizes.
Alternative Whitening Methods
In addition to proper washing practices, there are some extra steps you can take with sheets or white shirts to maximize whiteness.
Soak in Borax Solution
Add 1/2 cup Borax powder to a bucket or tub of very hot water. Place sheets in the solution and let soak for several hours or overnight. Borax helps boost the cleaning power of water to remove dulling residue.
Hang in Sunlight
For an all-natural whitening method, hang sheets on an outdoor clothesline in direct sunlight. The UV rays from the sun have a bleaching effect over time. Wetting sheets slightly first may enhance the brightening.
Whiten in Saltwater
Add 1 cup of table salt to a sink or tub filled with very hot water. Soak white sheets for 30 minutes for an easy homemade whitening booster. Salt helps break down stubborn grime.
Make a Whitening Solution
Mix 2 parts baking soda, 1 part hydrogen peroxide, and 1 part blue Dawn dish soap in a spray bottle. Lightly mist sheets, let sit 5 minutes, then launder. This solution whitens, deodorizes and lifts oils.
Use Vinegar Rinse
During the rinse cycle, add 1 cup of white vinegar which will help brighten whites and remove any traces of soap residue. The acetic acid in vinegar whitens, deodorizes, and softens fabrics.
Prevent Yellowing Over Time
Stop dinginess before it starts with these everyday tips:
Rotate With Other Sheets
Using the same set of white sheets day after day causes a gradual buildup of body oils and dirt. Rotate 2-3 sets so sheets get a chance to fully whitened before being used again.
Protect From Light
Store off-season white bedding away from light. UV exposure can promote yellowing over time. Keep sheets in an opaque storage bin or drawer.
Air Out Mattresses
Flip and rotate mattresses to prevent body oil accumulation in one area. Allow mattresses to air out fully before remaking the bed with clean sheets.
Shower Before Bed
Take a quick shower before bedtime to rinse off body oils and sweat that transfer to sheets. Skin oils rub off on linens during sleep.
Use Mattress Pad
A waterproof mattress protector prevents oils and perspiration from being absorbed into the mattress. Change and launder these pads regularly.
Wash Sheets Weekly
Launder sheets at least once a week, more often if you perspire heavily. The longer oils, dirt and dead skin cells remain on sheets, the more dingy sheets become.
Keep Pets Off Bed
Don’t let pets sleep on top of the made bed. Their dander and oils contribute to soiling on sheets and cause them to look dingy faster. Use a cover or blanket to protect bedding.
How to Keep White Sheets White – Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get yellow stains out of white sheets?
- Soak sheets in hot water with oxygen bleach or borax for several hours before washing. The longer you soak, the better the results.
- Try soaking just the stained portions of sheets in lemon juice and then placing them in direct sunlight. The acidity and sun’s UV rays help remove yellow discoloration.
- Make a paste of baking soda and water and rub it into yellowed areas before washing. Baking soda works to naturally lift stains and whiten fabrics.
What laundry detergent is best for white sheets?
- Look for a powder laundry detergent that contains optical brighteners and enzymes. These help prevent graying and keep whites their brightest.
- Detergents with added oxygen bleach help maintain whiteness by naturally lifting stains. OxiClean is one popular example.
- Simple detergents without dyes, perfumes or fabric softeners are best since these can leave residue that dulls fabric over time.
Should you use bleach on white sheets?
- Yes, bleach is very effective at whitening and removing stains from white bed sheets. Liquid chlorine bleach helps whites maintain their brightness best.
- Check fabric care labels first. While most white linens can be bleached, high concentrations of bleach may damage delicates like silk.
- If concerned about damaging fabrics, oxygen bleach is a gentler alternative containing hydrogen peroxide instead of chlorine.
Why do my white sheets turn yellow?
- Body oils, sweat, lotions and accumulated dirt cause white sheets to turn yellow and look dingy over time with repeated use and washing.
- Using too low of a wash temperature fails to get sheets fully clean. Lukewarm water won’t remove oils and soils as effectively as hot water.
- Fabric softeners, while making sheets feel soft, can leave behind a residue over time that causes dulling.
How can I whiten sheets without bleach?
- Soak sheets in very hot water with borax or washing soda, which help brighten whites.
- Hang sheets outside in direct sunlight. The sun’s UV rays naturally bleach and whiten fabrics.
- Make a paste of baking soda and water and rub it into dingy areas before washing. Baking soda whitens without bleach.
- Add lemon juice or white vinegar during the rinse cycle for an all-natural brightening effect.
How do hotels keep sheets so white?
- Hotels wash sheets daily using commercial-size machines that utilize very hot water for maximum cleaning.
- They typically use industrial-strength detergents and whitening agents that contain bleach.
- Some also use ozone technology in laundry machines to naturally brighten through oxidation.
- Sheets are changed over frequently so they don’t have time to become too soiled.
How often should you wash white sheets?
- For optimal whiteness, wash sheets at least once a week. This minimizes the buildup of body oils, sweat, and dead skin cells that make sheets dingy.
- During hot summer months or if you sweat heavily, it’s best to wash sheets 2-3 times per week.
- Remember to also wash pillowcases frequently since skin and hair oils transfer to these as you sleep.
- Rotate between 2-3 sheet sets so the same ones aren’t being used each night.
Can you ruin white sheets by washing them too much?
- No, frequent washing will not ruin white sheets. In fact, it helps them stay whiter for longer.
- The heat, agitation, detergents and bleaching agents used in washing remove the oils, sweat and grime that makes sheets dingy.
- Washing too infrequently is more problematic since dirt builds up and stains set over time.
- As long as you follow fabric care instructions, washing sheets frequently should not damage them.
Conclusion
It is possible to keep your crisp white sheets looking bright, fresh and clean for years to come. By incorporating some of these laundry tips and whitening tricks into your routine, you can banish yellowing and graying from bed linens. With proper washing and care, you’ll be able to enjoy soft, bright and beautiful white sheets for many nights of sweet dreams ahead.