Looking for a natural way to whiten whites without using chlorine based bleach? Lemons are commonly used in two ways. Add 1/2 cup juice to your normal wash along with your detergent. Or boil your linens, napkins or other cottons with slices of lemon and let them sit for an hour before laundering as normal. Vinegar can be added to your wash cycle along with normal detergent, sprayed on spot stains or used as a fabric softener.Bicarbonate Soda is a universal cleaner, used in the same way as vinegar. Make a paste if you are using it as a stain remover. Hydrogen Peroxide is an excellent 'bleach'. Add 1/2 cup to a wash along with normal detergent.Sunshine is one of the most effective ways of whitening clothes and fading stains. Simply hang your clothes on the line instead of using the dryer.
Lemon, vinegar and hydrogen peroxide are acids, bicarbonate soda is alkaline when dissolved in water. Hydrogen peroxide is a strong oxidising agent and is commonly used to bleach things. All these items however have broad based applications as they variously act as whiteners, brighteners, sanitisers and have antiseptic qualities which makes them an effective and natural cleaning agents. Don't mix any of these ingredients together. Use them separately and only use on white fabrics as they may strip colours from your fabrics.
Use Soap Nuts to wash your clothes. They are as effective as a store bought detergent, but much cheaper, low allergy and very simple to use.> > For general cleaning, add a teaspoon of bicarbonate soda to every wash and half a cup of vinegar as a fabric softener.>