How do you look after your white blouses

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How do you look after your white blouses

Sylvia

(website)

Active Member

A practical question.

As a person who likes minimal style, it's shocking to me that I have not a single classic white blouse left in my closet. Reason being that they all turn yellow, especially at the under arm part.

So how do you look after your blouses and prevent this from happening? How long does a white shirt last for you? Do my shirts turn yellow because of the humid environment here in Singapore?

Any tips much appreciated!

14 years ago

General

10 replies

Latest reply was from ironkurtin

Kate

Veteran

I no longer have light colored blouses (and haven't bought any white tops in 3 years!) for exactly this reason. I can't wait to hear what people say!

14 years ago

Eva

Member

As far as I've heard it's a matter of skin/body chemistry. Could very well be true since some people don't seem to have the problem.
I hope I'm wrong...

14 years ago

Sylvia

(website)

Active Member

Eva: really some people don't have this issue? Bad luck for me then as my white pants and skirt turn yellow too...It takes a lot of work to keep them white...

14 years ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Maybe it is not you turning the garments yellow, but your water. Not sure what the water is like where you are, but I had big problems with whites turning when I lived in a house with a well and an inefficient water treatment system -- the hard water is awful on skin and hair... and clothing.

14 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Mine go to the cleaners.

I have several so they are rotated. I think that helps too.

14 years ago

rae

(website)

Veteran

I look at white shirts like I look at hose: they must be practically disposable. I can't manage to keep them looking nice for very long, so I have to get them dirt cheap. :T

14 years ago

DressLover

Veteran

If you are able, switch to a deodorant that does not contain aluminum. Aluminum chemically reacts with the urea (present in urine, giving it the yellow color, is also in perspiration albeit in far less concentration) in perspiration which makes the yellow staining more aggressive.

If you can't change deodorants, wash the garments in the hottest water allowable by the care tag and at the highest agitation. This will break up the deodorant which has an incredible ability to cling to clothing fibers. If possible, dry cleaning is best.

14 years ago

Kafe

Active Member

I've read bleach actually turns whites yellow over time. I can't remember where I heard it though.

14 years ago

Queen Mum

Veteran

everyone here seems to advocate washing in HOT water

http://forums.macrumors.com/sh.....p?t=376025

I'd be leery of washing anything but pure cotton in hot though

and here are some tips to deal with those pesky deoderant/sweat stains

http://laundry.about.com/od/st.....stains.htm

14 years ago

ironkurtin

Veteran

I have a lot of white, and one thing that works is adding a nonchemical powder agent, like oxiclean. As for pit stains, I have found that squirting them with Shout, then creating a sort of paste from powder Tide With Bleach and the Shout, works very well. Let the mix dry, then launder.

14 years ago

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