Washing white undies?

Westfalia2

Hi there,

Fond as I am of white cotton or lace underwear, I hate the way it always goes that lovely thousand-wash grey hue after a couple of months. Any tips on how to keep it white? Bleach is fine for 100% cotton but not good for any synthetic fabrics as it can make them turn yellow. I usually handwash the smalls.

I know this is a very Good Housekeeping question but thought I'd throw it out there...

try one of those oxi action type jobbies like vanish or something, they're good!

allandanyways

Wash all yer whites together if possible, and use the Punch Keep it White thingys, like Colour Catchers, but they're brilliant. If the whites aren't totally greyed, the sheets will make them a bit brighter too.

SeekUp

Apparently white vinegar keeps whites from getting yellow-y -- works wonders on the armpits of shirts. Perhaps it might help as well.

Latchy

Buy some new ones ? from my expierence womens undewear isin't that expensive eh ?

valery

Westfalia2 wrote: »

Hi there,

Fond as I am of white cotton or lace underwear, I hate the way it always goes that lovely thousand-wash grey hue after a couple of months. Any tips on how to keep it white? Bleach is fine for 100% cotton but not good for any synthetic fabrics as it can make them turn yellow. I usually handwash the smalls.

I know this is a very Good Housekeeping question but thought I'd throw it out there...

Asked the same question a while back, there are a few products on the market and available in all supermarkets. Stay white and back to white are two. next time your in dunnes ask an assist. and you will get sorted.

Latchy

Latchy wrote: »

Buy some new ones ? from my expierence womens undewear isin't that expensive eh ?

:rolleyes:

I think she means when she buys new ones how do they stay white!!

The Big Red Button

Latchy wrote: »

Buy some new ones ? from my expierence womens undewear isin't that expensive eh ?

Yeah, I see them as being pretty much disposable. For everyday wear I just get the five-packs for like 3 euro or something in Penneys, I don't bother taking care of them and just throw them out and buy new ones when they get worn-looking.

Recession you say?! What is this recession you speak of? :cool:

Westfalia2

Thanks all for the very speedy replies! Will try to find the punch stuff, couldn't see it in Tesco today. A friend said there's some sort of a blue sachet or tablet thingy you put into the wash that gives that bluey-whiteness but she couldn't remember the name. If anyone knows would appreciate it. In the meantime will try your suggestions...

Westfalia2

I should have clarified, it's more bras and camis I'm concerned about. I don't stress it too much over the knickers but nice bras are pricey!

outsourced_ire

I've been in college the last 4 years, and my mother, god love her, can't wash clothes to save her life. All whites seem to come out grey/bluey, whether she uses bloody colour catchers or not.
For the last year I was in an apartment that actually had a washing machine/drier. I washed me own clothes, keeping all whites together, and all colours together and quite amazingly, they stayed white.

Just keep all the whites separate from everything else.

Pythia

I do a separate dark wash, a white wash and a red wash. Keeping the whites totally separate keeps them white. You shouldn't need to do anything else.

Westfalia2

I hand wash all my underwear so it's always done separately. I find machine washing really greys them quickly, even on an all-white wash.

Now I really feel like I'm in a Vanish ad....

Will try your suggestions - thanks all!

cuckoo

The 'grey' effect is why I don't buy white underwear in the first place!

I'll happily throw cream bras into a colours wash (with clothes that have been washed several times before) and they come out fine.

On slightly the same topic: i got a few great little fabric bags with zips for washing underwired bras and tights - think it was the sock shop (long gone now) that i picked them up in. After years of great service they're beginning to give out on me.

I've seen mesh/net ones in Dunnes, and gave them a try - fine for the tights but the hooks on bras could still poke out through the holes in the mesh and catch on the inside of the drum or on other clothes in the machine.

Does anyone know where bags like my good 'ol ones can be found? With zips, and made of a fabric that is fine enough so the hooks can't get through?

SeekUp

cuckoo wrote: »

I've seen mesh/net ones in Dunnes, and gave them a try - fine for the tights but the hooks on bras could still poke out through the holes in the mesh and catch on the inside of the drum or on other clothes in the machine.

If you hook the bras before you put them in the bag (and in the wash), you won't have to worry about the hooks getting caught on anything.

Lia_lia

Never happens to me. But always put the whites together in one wash.

lemon_sherbert

I've had no trouble washing colours and whites together, if you add one of those colour catcher sheets the colour doesn't run.

MissFlitworth

Westfalia2 wrote: »

Thanks all for the very speedy replies! Will try to find the punch stuff, couldn't see it in Tesco today. A friend said there's some sort of a blue sachet or tablet thingy you put into the wash that gives that bluey-whiteness but she couldn't remember the name. If anyone knows would appreciate it. In the meantime will try your suggestions...

I think that might be Punch Ultra Whitener




I use it and it's pretty fantastic, keeps my white stuff really white

MJOR

My mom swore by doing four different washes. White,lights darks and brights. I use those colour catchers, keep it white sheets and on my bedclothes (which are cream) the vanish oxi action. It gets rid of fake tan. The keep it white is ina silver pack and as far as i know is available everywhere.

I think the undies get discoloured if you wash them above 40. The elastic greys.

cuckoo

SeekUp wrote: »

If you hook the bras before you put them in the bag (and in the wash), you won't have to worry about the hooks getting caught on anything.

Genius! Sometimes the simplest solution can be elusive. Thanks SeekUp!

Oh The Humanity

MJOR wrote: »

I think the undies get discoloured if you wash them above 40. The elastic greys.

AHHHHHHHHHHH !!! Really?

I have trouble with this all the time! Does my nut in! I am really careful about separating whites yet sometimes the grey look sets into things despite that. I sometimes wash them at 60 etc!

I heard that there is a bleachy/whitener product IN the undies when you buy them. When that starts to wash out they show their true colour underneath! Grey!

I've tried all the vanish, and colour run remover and whitener on things that have become grey without success.

Funny enough all this only happens in this house I am in now. I lived in another one before and it never happened! Could it be the water?

valery

[quote=Oh The Humanity.

Funny enough all this only happens in this house I am in now. I lived in another one before and it never happened! Could it be the water?[/quote]




Mmmmmmmmm, sounds like a case for the x files, yep, queue the music...na na na na na na

Oh The Humanity

valery wrote: »

Mmmmmmmmm, sounds like a case for the x files, yep, queue the music...na na na na na na

:eek::eek::eek:

Ghosts in me pants!