Techniques

• Always sort your clothes properly. Whites should be kept separate from colored clothing, and heavily soiled items should be washed separately. Proper sorting is the best way to avoid dingy, dull-looking whites.
  
  Sunshine is the best cure all for whites that have been thrown in the wash with colored clothing and have a dingy appearance. Hang a simple clothesline in your back yard and utilize the all-natural bleaching effect. You will also save money on your electric bill.
  
  Check your labels. Most whites can be washed with bleach, but some white fabrics will yellow if chlorine bleach is used. Follow the directions on the package since too much chlorine bleach can damage some fibers. If you have a few white items that say "no chlorine bleach," you can use a non-chlorine or oxygenated bleach; these are safe for all fabrics. Wash these in a load separate from your other whites. Wool, silk, and fibers made with spandex, other fibers and certain dyes cannot be bleached. The fabric label will give you any information you need.
  
  Use hot water when washing whites such as towels, socks, wash clothes and white cotton fabrics. The hot water and chlorine bleach combination will kill germs, remove stains and keep your whites sparkling clean.
  
  Follow the directions on your washing detergent. Linens and white clothing may turn gray-looking if you do not use the right amount of detergent and rinse the clothes thoroughly according to the New Mexico State University website. Measure the detergent according to the directions. If your rinse water has suds in it, you are using too much detergent. If the clothing has a gray tinge, wash it again with hot water and detergent. Add about a cup of fabric softener until the water has a slippery feel. If the clothes still appear gray, wash them again with only detergent and hot water.
  
  If you live in an area with hard water, you may have to add a powdered water softener to your wash. Soft water cleans clothing better than hard, because of the mineral deposits in hard water.