Keep your whites white and darks dark

Published 3:04 pm Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Of the many household tasks, doing the laundry seems to be a no-brainer: Put clothes in the washer, add detergent and press start.

Here are a few tips that will keep your clothes and linens in near-original condition.

Keep whites white

Wash whites separately: The best way to retain whiteness is to launder white items together in the hottest water the fabric will tolerate (at least 120 degrees). Choose detergent with a bleach alternative and/or enzymes, using the maximum amount recommended.

Don’t use chlorine bleach: Combined with iron and hot water, it can yellow clothing. Instead, use oxygen bleach, which is more effective (and more environmentally friendly).

Add a laundry booster: Increase the cleaning power of a detergent by adding borax, oxygen bleach or washing soda. Before washing, soak heavily soiled items using an enzyme detergent (available at many supermarkets) or oxygen bleach, and launder them separately.

Pretreat stains: To remove perspiration and greasy stains, pretreat with liquid detergent, dishwashing liquid or shampoo. Gently rub the liquid into the fabric using a clean toothbrush.

Tackle colored stains: Address food spills, such as coffee or juice, and underarm yellowing by applying undiluted liquid oxygen bleach directly to the fabric immediately before laundering.

Use a color remover: When your whites become dull, wash them with a color remover (available at many supermarkets). Alternatively, soak fabrics that won’t shrink in boiling water and oxygen bleach in a basin.

Minerals and water: If your water has a high iron content (look for reddish stains in the shower and toilet), launder with an iron-removing product (at many supermarkets).

If your water is particularly hard, you may not be able to get whites pristine unless you install a water softener, which removes minerals.

Keep darks dark

Wash darks separately: To help preserve dark items’ original colors wash darks together using the cold-water cycle (60 to 80 degrees).

Use the shortest cycle: Select the appropriate setting depending on how soiled the clothes are.

Any liquid detergent without a bleach alternative is suitable (liquids work better in cold water; powders may not dissolve fully).

Minimize abrasion: Close zippers, fasten hooks and turn items inside out. Wash items of similar weight together.

Avoid the dryer: Whenever possible, hang dark items to dry (out of direct sunlight). When you use the dryer, opt for the lowest temperature. Remove them from the machine while they’re slightly damp.

Keep the brights bright

Separate by color intensity: Launder colored items in two groups: brights and pastels. Wash new brights on their own for the first few cycles, when they’re most likely to bleed dye.

Turn items inside out: Reverse items before washing and choose the shortest cycle appropriate.

When colors run: If brights do bleed onto other clothing, don’t put the stained items in the dryer. The heat will set the dye, making any discoloration permanent. Instead, launder the clothes again separately.

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