Rejuvenate white shirts and T-shirts with some simple DIY tips
Shirts, T-shirts, tank tops and more: we wear white clothes all year round and especially during the warm seasons, because sometimes there is no better make for our outfits. Super versatile and always appreciated, white garments are also the ones on which any form of dirt stands out the most. The most infinitesimal stains become very visible, and even the general color of a white fabric that is no longer brand new can lose the original brightness, so that in the end we wear them less and less often.
However, it is possible to whiten fabrics, and even without resorting to bleaching. Check out some of the methods described below:
If the problem is sweat, it is prudent to try to prevent this with some steps, where possible:
- Try various types of deodorants (some even natural or DIY types are sometimes very effective!). Keep trying until you find one that really reduces the problem better than others;
- Use deodorant not only on the armpits, but also (if it doesn't bother you too much) where a shirt collar rests on your neck.
- Talcum powder, instead of deodorant, is also a convenient solution for some, as it absorbs sweat.
- Protect the inside of clothing with special adhesive strips, especially in the case of silk or fine fabrics that cannot be treated aggressively in a wash and that may be used less often.
How to remove stains:
- Lemon juice: dilute the juice of one lemon in boiling water in equal parts, and pour it on the stain while the water is still warm (but not boiling).
- Hydrogen peroxide: dip a toothbrush or cloth in hydrogen peroxide and scrub from the inside of the stain. On more stubborn spots, it is sometimes necessary to do this several times.
- Hydrogen peroxide and dishwashing liquid: add a drop of dishwashing liquid when the hydrogen peroxide alone does not have the desired effect. Then leave the garment to soak in a basin for an hour.
- Baking soda (bicarb): mix 5 tablespoons in 120 ml of hot water, put the garment in a bowl, pour the mixture into it, scrub the garment and let sit for half an hour. After this time, rub it gently again and then rinse off with cold water.
- White vinegar: mix vinegar in equal parts with water in a spray bottle, and spray the mix on the stain. Rub gently and leave it to act before rinsing off with cold water.
To whiten a gray-looking garment:
Fill a basin with enough hot water to submerge the garment, immerse the item and then alternately add one of the ingredients listed above, leaving it to act for at least half an hour. Then remember, after washing, to dry the garment in the sun, since even the sun's rays help to whiten fabrics in a natural way!
Do you have a favorite method for whitening your garments?
