fashion

RI Care Guide: Keep your whites pristine

There's nothing like the feeling of wearing a crisp white button-down, a stain-free white dress or a bright white t-shirt. It's basically that new-sheets-and-freshly-shaved-legs feeling, but for clothes. As good as it feels, let's face it; keeping whites white can be hard. Whether you're a serial coffee-spiller or someone who has their laundry down to a fine art, we can almost guarantee that you've typed "How to get 'x' stain out of white clothes" into Google at some point. Well, we're here with our top tips to keeping your white clothes even fresher, crisper and brighter than ever….

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1. Check the care labels

Yes, we really are starting with the basics. First things first; make sure you read the care labels before you do anything. It might seem obvious, but this step is often overlooked (especially when you've got a million and one other things to do).

2. Separate your laundry

Washing your white clothes separately from your coloured clothes is one of the easiest ways to keep your whites white. Doing this will prevent the colour from bleeding and transferring onto those crisp white pieces, keeping them looking fresher for longer.

3. Pre-treat stains

Although we wish you could just throw your wine-stained t-shirt into the washing machine and have it come out as good as new, you can't.

Most stains will respond to a spot treatment with a stain-remover just before washing, whilst some stains take a little bit more elbow grease. For these, look to an overnight soak in an oxygen-based bleach which is safe on most washable fabrics (except wool and silk). Make sure to follow the label instructions of your particular stain remover, just in case.

4. Choose the right temperature

Hot or cold? Hot water typically works best to remove dirt or stains but be careful; the last thing you want is your white shirt coming out as a shrunken piece that only your cat could wear. This is where step 1 comes back in. Check. The. Care. Labels.

5. Use a delicate cycle

A cycle that's gentler and shorter will cause less abrasion to the fibers, helping to keep your white pieces looking as good as new.

6. Avoid fabric softener

Have you ever looked at your clothes and thought they looked a bit grey? This could be down to a build-up of residue from your fabric softener. Instead, some experts recommend using baking soda and vinegar.

7. Dry them outside

When it comes to keeping your whites white, the sun is your best friend. Whenever possible hang your whites to dry outside so that the sun can work its magic, helping to preserve the colour and fiber integrity of all your pieces for longer.