Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

White clothes often discolor and lose their whiteness over time. You can use bleach to maintain the whiteness or return a brighter white to the clothes. Usually, you just need to pour bleach straight into the washing machine. However, if you are dealing with delicate fabrics, you may need to hand wash with bleach in a sink or sink. Bleach can even be used to lighten fabric colors or create decorative patterns on clothes.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Bleaching clothes in washing machine

1. 

   Separate all white clothing and clothing. Check all laundry and separate white clothes. Remember to choose only white clothes. Only combine white clothing with stripes or colored decorations if you are using bleach for colored clothing.
2. Check clothing labels. Read the labels attached to each item to make sure everything can be safely washed in a washing machine on hot water mode. You may need to hand-wash certain items that are all white but with delicate materials, such as lace tops. Some cotton items may also require hand washing or hand handling of stains to prevent shrinkage.

3. 

   
   
   Set hot water cycle. Change the other modes to “normal wash”. That way, the bleach will be activated by heat and bleach the clothes.

4. 

   Pour laundry detergent into the washing machine. Use the same amount of soap you would normally use for a load of similar clothes. Soap will help remove dirt and stains from your clothes. Pour detergent directly into the center of the drum.

5. 

   
   
   Measure out ¾ cup (180 ml) of bleach. You can either pour bleach into the bleach bottle cap to measure, or use a measuring cup specifically designed for cleaning. Pour slowly to prevent overflow.
   • If the load is more than half the washing bucket, add a little more bleach. If the washing bucket is not full, you should add less bleach.
   • There are several different types of bleach. Chlorine bleach is disinfectant but can damage delicate fabrics. Oxygen bleach, also known as color garment bleach or bleach for all fabrics, is more commonly used.
   • You can also make your own bleach by mixing a 50/50 mixture of water and lemon juice or vinegar.

6. 

   
   
   Pour bleach into the detergent tray in the washing machine. This tray is usually a small recess in the top rim of the washer. After you put bleach in the tray, the washing machine will drain the bleach into the tub when the water becomes hot.
   • For washing machines that do not have a bleach tray, simply pour bleach straight into the laundry detergent after the washing cycle has started and before you put your clothes in the drum. Wait a few minutes for the bleach to dissolve in the water, then put the clothes in.
7. Turn on the washing machine. You will pull or turn the Power button to the “On” position. Some washing machines have a simple button that you just press to start them. The washing machine will immediately start filling in water.
   • If you are using a horizontal load washing machine, you need to put the clothes in first and then start the machine.

8. 

   Put your clothes in the washing machine. Open the lid of the washing machine while bleach, soap and hot water are mixed. Gradually put the clothes into the washing machine, several at a time. Make sure clothes are not twisted tightly together. Close the lid of the washing machine with all clothes in it.

9. 

   Dry clothes as usual. If it's clothes that need to be dried naturally, take them out and hang them up. If not, you can put it in the dryer and dry in the proper setting.
   • If the clothes are not as white as you like, you can bleach them again to get the desired results.
   advertisement

Method 2 of 3: Wash clothes by hand washing

1. 

   Separate thin items. See the care instructions label attached to the clothes and keep separate items that say “hand wash” or “delicate”.
   • If the clothes are slightly dirty, soak for a while in the basin or sink with a little soap before removing it. This step will ensure that the bleach is evenly absorbed into the fabric.

2. 

   Make a cleaning solution with bleach and water. Cap the sink tightly, then pour ½ cup (120 ml) of bleach and 4 liters of water into the sink. It's best to use warm and hot water, but you can use cold or cool water if the label says so.
   • If you are going to wash clothes in the sink, make sure the sink surface allows bleach to be used. Some sink surfaces can be damaged by contact with bleach, such as certain rocks.

3. 

   Soak the clothes in the bleach mixture. Press down a little to soak the clothes. You can also put on gloves and slowly rotate your clothes a bit if you want. Soak clothes for at least 15 minutes.
   • Do not immerse bare hands in the bleach mixture when bleaching clothes. Instead, use sturdy, well-fitting cleaning gloves to protect your skin.
4. Rinse clothes with cold water after 15 minutes. Put on gloves, remove the stopper in the sink outlet or carefully move each garment from the basin to the sink to flush. Turn on cold water and place each item underneath. This step will help clean the chemicals.
5. Hang or spread each item to dry. Most thin clothing is not suitable for drying. Instead, you need to carefully dry each item on the drying rack. You can also lay the cloth on a hard surface and cover it with the clothes. advertisement

Method 3 of 3: Treating stains with bleach

1. 

   Make sure the stain is not oil-based. The bleach method is only applicable to white clothes, and is only effective for certain stains, such as stains from coffee spills or rubbing on grass. Bleach is not effective at removing oil-based stains, such as machine oil. Oil-based stains will get worse if you use bleach.
   • If you have to deal with oil-based stains, you may need to take the item to a dry cleaner. A professional dry cleaning service will have more effective chemicals than bleach.

2. 

   Spread a clean cloth over the work surface. Using a sturdy, flat surface like a tabletop is best. Spread a clean cloth over the work area, then spread the stain over the cloth. The cloth should be thick enough to absorb excess bleach.
3. Spread the item so the surface of the stain is facing down. This way, you will see the back of the stain for treatment. When you pour bleach onto the stain, it goes down on the towel underneath. If you are removing stains from your shirt, place a towel or cloth between the fabric layers.

4. 

   Make a solution of bleach and water. Mix one part bleach with 30 parts water in a small bowl. Stir the solution with a spoon so that the mixture is evenly dissolved. Mix only the minimum amount of solution you think is sufficient and add more if necessary.
5. Dip a clean cloth in the bleach solution. Use a cloth you don't mind getting dirty, dip the edge of the cloth in the mixture, then place it on the stain surface. You may need to rotate the cloth elsewhere to soak the clean part in the solution once the stain begins to appear.

6. 

   Rub lightly on the stain. Press gently while rubbing the stain in the direction from the edge to the center to prevent the stain from spreading. Keep doing this until the stain starts to peel off.

7. 

   Wash according to the instructions on the clothing label. Check that the stain is completely clean before placing it in the machine washing or drying process, as the washing-drying process can further strengthen the stain. If the stain is gone, you can put the clothes in the washer and dryer according to the instructions on the label. Or you can also hand wash and dry if the item is fragile. advertisement

Advice

• Chlorine bleach has a shelf life of about 6 months before it loses its effectiveness.
• If you bleach regularly, the fibers may weaken and eventually deteriorate. You should try to only erase when absolutely necessary.

Warning

• Make sure to keep bleach out of the reach of children.
• Do not mix bleach with other chemicals, such as ammonia. This can produce a dangerous gas that can be fatal or cause injury when inhaled.