You may have seen the unusual suggestion of using aspirin to whiten yellowed clothes.
The original source promotes dissolving several aspirin tablets in water and soaking white clothing.
It’s an interesting household trick, but it isn’t one I’d put at the top of the list.
There are better-established laundry products specifically designed to remove stains and brighten fabrics.
For stubborn stains, the American Cleaning Institute recommends appropriate stain removers, enzyme products or oxygen bleach depending on the type of stain and the fabric.
So rather than using medicine as a laundry ingredient, stick with products intended for laundry.
Your clothes—and your medicine cabinet—will probably be better off.
Try sunlight after washing
There’s another old-fashioned trick worth considering: air-drying white laundry outside in sunlight.
Sunlight can sometimes help white fabrics look fresher, particularly when combined with proper washing.
But don’t assume that leaving every garment in intense sunlight for hours is always better.
Repeated exposure to strong sunlight can affect some fabrics and dyes, and delicate materials may require different care.
The most important part is still the washing process itself: remove stains promptly, use the correct detergent amount and don’t overload the machine.
Don’t wash everything in extremely hot water
A common misconception is that hotter water automatically means whiter clothes.
Not necessarily.
The best temperature depends on the fabric and the garment’s care label.
The American Cleaning Institute recommends washing at the hottest temperature safe for the fabric, because water that’s too cool may not remove certain soils effectively.
But that doesn’t mean you should automatically choose the hottest cycle available.
Some fabrics can shrink, weaken or become damaged by excessive heat.
Always check the care label first.
For durable white cotton towels or sheets, a warmer wash may be appropriate. For delicate fabrics, a cooler temperature may be necessary.
Don’t overload your washing machine
This is one of the simplest changes you can make.
When a washer is packed completely full, the clothing has less room to move through the water and detergent.
That can interfere with soil removal and leave clothes looking dull.
The American Cleaning Institute lists overloading as one possible contributor to poor soil removal.
Instead of trying to fit one more towel into the machine, leave enough space for the laundry to move.
Sometimes cleaner laundry comes from doing smaller loads, not using stronger chemicals.
Treat stains before washing
If a white shirt has a visible stain, don’t simply throw it into the washer and hope for the best.
Treating the stain before washing can give you a much better chance of removing it.
The American Cleaning Institute recommends pretreating many stains with liquid laundry detergent, a prewash stain remover or an appropriate detergent booster.
This is especially important with sweat and deodorant marks.
For perspiration stains, the ACI recommends pretreatment followed by washing at the hottest temperature safe for the fabric. Older or stubborn stains may respond to enzyme products or oxygen bleach.
And there’s one rule worth remembering:
Don’t put a stained garment in the dryer until you’ve checked that the stain is gone.
Heat can make some stains much harder to remove.
What if the whites are already gray?
If your whites have gradually turned gray, the solution may not be one magical ingredient.
Several factors can contribute:
- Too little detergent
- Incorrect water temperature
- Overloading the washer
- Washing whites with darker colors
- Heavy soil buildup
- Mineral deposits in the water
The ACI recommends sorting laundry carefully, using enough detergent and washing at the hottest safe temperature.
For seriously dull whites, an oxygen-bleach soak may be more effective than repeatedly adding household ingredients.
And remember that some discoloration may be permanent if the fibers themselves have been damaged.
A simple routine for brighter whites
You don’t need to use all three methods at once.
A straightforward laundry routine could look like this:
Step 1: Separate white laundry from dark and strongly colored clothes.
Step 2: Check the care label.
Step 3: Pretreat visible stains before washing.
Step 4: Use the correct amount of detergent.
Step 5: Choose the warmest temperature that’s safe for the fabric.
Step 6: Don’t overload the washer.
Step 7: For dull or heavily soiled whites, consider a baking-soda presoak or a properly formulated oxygen-bleach product.
Step 8: Check the clothes before putting them in the dryer.
This approach is more reliable than simply adding more and more cleaning ingredients.
One thing you should never do
Never assume that because two products are individually safe, they’re automatically safe to combine.
This is particularly important with chlorine bleach.
Never mix chlorine bleach with vinegar, ammonia or other household cleaners.
The American Cleaning Institute warns that mixing bleach with other cleaners can create hazardous fumes.
Also remember that bleach isn’t automatically appropriate just because a garment is white.
Some white fabrics—including wool, silk and spandex—can be damaged by chlorine bleach.
When you’re uncertain, check the care label and the cleaning-product instructions.
The bottom line
You don’t necessarily need chlorine bleach every time your white clothes start looking dull.
A few simple habits can make a noticeable difference:
Baking soda can be used as a laundry booster or presoak for heavily soiled items.
White vinegar can be useful in certain laundry situations, but it should never be mixed with chlorine bleach.
Oxygen bleach provides a purpose-made, gentler alternative to chlorine bleach for many washable fabrics.
And don’t forget the basics: sort your laundry, pretreat stains, use the right amount of detergent, avoid overloading the washer and follow the garment’s care instructions.
Sometimes the secret to brighter whites isn’t a stronger chemical.
It’s simply giving your laundry the right treatment from the beginning.
