https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whites-not-bright Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sat, 04 Apr 2026 01:05:39 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whites-not-bright#post-1224984 Wed, 16 Apr 2014 22:27:55 +0000 Gigi 1224984@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks, crutcher and rabbit! I have had good luck with Oxi Clean (well, with the "natural" knockoff, Oxo Brite), but some shirts are resistant. I will try soaking them separately in bluing, like rabbit suggests, instead of doing a whole load of whites. I have cream skinnies that I wash with the whites, and I want those to retain their yellowish hue. :^) </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whites-not-bright#post-1224815 Wed, 16 Apr 2014 18:11:50 +0000 rabbit 1224815@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oxi Clean is kind of miraculous.</p> <p>So my uncle showed me how they did the bluing thing in his family (I think his dad had a dry cleaning shop). &nbsp;After whatever bleaching/yellowing happened, either from use or because you were getting a stain out, take a plastic tub big enough for the item to circulate freely and add cold water. &nbsp;Add drops of bluing until the water is the color of a clear summer sky - mid range sky blue&nbsp;(it helps to have a white tub). &nbsp;Add your stuff and swish around. &nbsp; I don't remember if we washed it after.</p> <p>You can test with ratty handkerchiefs first. &nbsp;If you add way too much bluing, whites will turn grayish, but it really takes a fair amount to get to this point.</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whites-not-bright#post-1224763 Wed, 16 Apr 2014 16:58:48 +0000 crutcher 1224763@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I added some information from InStyle... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whites-not-bright#post-1224642 Wed, 16 Apr 2014 13:41:52 +0000 crutcher 1224642@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>The May issue of InStyle came yesterday with a tip for&nbsp; keeping whites pristine (p. 384)...The piece said if you want to know how to keep whites really white, ask a chef...The procedure is to soak whites in hot water, plus Oxi-Clean for up to two hours before washing...Says it really works...<br />(With this PSA, Ms. Wishy-Washy retires...) </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whites-not-bright#post-1220011 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 22:49:34 +0000 Aida 1220011@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Bluing sounds like it'd be more useful in a perpetually rainy place (like where I live), but I've got one of those water-saving-front-loading washers so there's no "water refill" stage the way a normal washer goes. I'd suspect that if I tried to add to the pre-rinse cycle it wouldn't get diluted enough. Hmm I'll have to think on that. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whites-not-bright#post-1219618 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 16:36:28 +0000 kkards 1219618@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>dustt, thanks for reminding me. i had forgot about bluing. (and i do remember the old ladies with the blue hair) </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whites-not-bright#post-1219604 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 16:29:28 +0000 Anonymous 1219604@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>What a great idea! Thanks for sharing, and I'm glad it worked! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whites-not-bright#post-1219598 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 16:26:12 +0000 karymk 1219598@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I soak whites in Bizz powder and hot water for a day. &nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whites-not-bright#post-1219562 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 15:21:31 +0000 crutcher 1219562@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I remember bluing from my own grandmother...Her clothes really never turned yellow because she was able...living in the south...to hang them out to dry all year long...What a wonderful memory...and it all came about because of yellow white jeans...smile..<br />Thanks ladies for your kind help...I appreciate your support...</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whites-not-bright#post-1219190 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 02:57:05 +0000 Gigi 1219190@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks, dustt! I always put my bluing in with the wash water; maybe that was the problem. I'll give it another try!&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whites-not-bright#post-1219138 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 02:10:50 +0000 dustt 1219138@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>depending on the load size - up to a quarter tsp - diluted in a quart of water after the washing machine fills back up on the final rinse - no bleach and no fabric softener - keep trying!! if it's really old and severely yellowed there maybe nothing that can help it - but I've gotten some seriously yellowed tablecloths and white shirts WHITE again. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whites-not-bright#post-1219120 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 02:00:41 +0000 Gigi 1219120@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have a bottle of bluing...but I don't know if I never used enough of it, because my clothes were still yellow! I always put in about four drops. Didn't do a thing. Do you have to start with the bluing before the yellowing sets in? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whites-not-bright#post-1219112 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 01:56:31 +0000 Caro in Oz 1219112@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>dustt - you are funny X2 &amp; I knew what you meant </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whites-not-bright#post-1219102 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 01:48:56 +0000 dustt 1219102@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>it's why they used to call all the old ladies blue hairs - they'd do a blue rinse to get rid of the yellow in their grey hair.... - ok that was a priceless tidbit of useless information!! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whites-not-bright#post-1219093 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 01:44:31 +0000 Gail Mcnulty 1219093@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I've got to try this bluing stuff.. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whites-not-bright#post-1218949 Wed, 09 Apr 2014 23:51:43 +0000 dustt 1218949@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>ok this is a really old tip from my grama - go buy some bluing at the grocery and follow the directions it does amazing things to whites that have dulled and yellowed a bit - use sparingly and according to directions!!!</p> <p><a href="http://mrsstewart.com/instructions-for-using-msb/" rel="nofollow">http://mrsstewart.com/instructions-for-using-msb/</a></p> <p>does this make me beyond old........???</p> <p></p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whites-not-bright#post-1218639 Wed, 09 Apr 2014 19:25:08 +0000 Aida 1218639@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks for the tip, I'll be trying this as soon as we get some good sun! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whites-not-bright#post-1218314 Wed, 09 Apr 2014 14:10:16 +0000 lyn67 1218314@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>What carolbee said:-). </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whites-not-bright#post-1218307 Wed, 09 Apr 2014 14:04:54 +0000 Angie 1218307@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Brilliant tip. Thanks.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whites-not-bright#post-1218236 Wed, 09 Apr 2014 13:03:02 +0000 carolbee 1218236@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks for this, will save for future reference. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whites-not-bright#post-1218168 Wed, 09 Apr 2014 11:18:17 +0000 crutcher 1218168@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>My white jeans were just a tad yellow when I pulled them out ...no bleach on the laundry tag...I found a suggestion online and tried it...They actually looked great when I brought them in last night...Magic&nbsp; formula: 1/4 cup lemon juice and a bucket of boiling water...Soak&nbsp; for 1 1/2 -2 hours...Wring and hand in the sun...Looked so much better...Anyone with other suggestions?... </p>