I soaked a white shirt in a bleach solution to remove some mud and the shirt turned yellow instead. Does anyone know what I can do to turn it white again? I don't want to bleach it again.
Carolyn
I have done this before, since the old fashioned laundry blueing is hard to find. I have used some of the Rit royal blue dye and made a light batch and put the item in. It doesn't take much dye ... you can judge by the color. It brightens whites that have become dingy!
Be careful in working with dye, that you don't accidentally spill it.
(11/16/2004)
By syd
My friend uses Rit Dye Remover and uses it to spruce up her whites. (11/16/2004)
By jeanie
From http://www.victoriapacking.com/staininfo.html
(quote)Yellow stains
Stains caused by the use of chlorine bleach on wool and silk cannot be removed. White or faded spots caused by use of chlorine bleach on colored fabrics cannot be restored to the original color.(/quote)
If the shirt is 100% cotton, this is not a problem but if there are synthetics mixed with the fabric, it might be their reaction to the bleach as with the wool and silk above. (11/17/2004)
By ThriftyFun
I would try soaking the shirt in a mixture of laundry soap, bleach, and powdered dishwasher soap. The amount of dishwasher soap to a full load is 1 cup. If my whites start to get really bad I soak a whole load overnight in the mixture above and they come out as good as new. (11/17/2004)
By Julie
It sounds like the shirt is made of a synthetic material. Bleach permanently yellows many synthetics and synthetic blends. Check the care label. If it says "use only non-chlorine bleach when needed", you may not be able to get the yellow out. It wouldn't hurt to try an oxygen-based bleaching agent or a blueing agent. (11/18/2004)
By Leann
I have well water that reacts when bleach is added by turning white clothes orange. I use a small amount of a powder called "Iron-Out" that is available at WalMart. It costs about $10 a jug, but goes a long way. I use about half a cup in my whites in place of bleach. I only use it a couple times a month. It also will clean rust stains from your sinks and toilets.
By Harlean
Soak the blouse overnight in borax. If this doesn't brighten it sufficiently,
dampen it with lemon juice and let sit in the sun. (11/30/2004)
By Christine
NEVER use chlorine bleach on synthetic fabrics. It turns them yellow regardless of your water supply. It's just s chemical reaction.
(08/04/2005)
By Kat
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