How long can i soak clothes in bleach

It can be harder than we would like to keep our white clothes bright and clean, especially as white is such an easy colour to stain. This guide will help you learn how to make white clothes white again and keep them looking great wear after wear.

Table of Contents Show

You will need:
How to make clothes white again
Laundry detergent
Baking soda
Lemon juice
Removing stains from white clothes using white vinegar
Add vinegar to the fabric softener compartment
Use your regular detergent
Wash in washing machine
How to remove colour stains from white clothes using detergent
Wash your white clothing with a laundry capsule
Wash at 40 degrees
Air-dry the clothing
Pre-treat any remaining stains
How to bleach white clothes
Soak your clothes in cold water
Add bleach to the clothing in the container
Stir everything in the container and soak for 10 minutes
Remove and wash through with cold water
Leave to dry
Alternative methods to removing colour stains from white clothes
Dab lemon juice or vinegar onto the stain
Scrub with an old toothbrush
Leave to soak for ten minutes
Wash normally
What happens if you soak clothes in bleach too long?
Can you soak your clothes in bleach overnight?
How long can you leave fabric in bleach?
How long should you soak cloth in bleach?

Key Steps:

Pre-soak as a first step in how to make white clothes white again.
Use products like Persil to wash your white laundry and keep it bright, clean and fresh.
Use lemon juice or distilled white vinegar to lift colour stains from your white clothes.

White clothes look great when they’re brand new, but almost seem to attract stains. After removing stains from white clothes, use quality laundry products to take steps to keep your white laundry clean and fresh.

You will need:

Laundry detergent
Baking soda
Lemon juice

How to make clothes white again

When it comes to understanding how to make white clothes white again, the best way is to pre-soak them. There are three key soaks you could try.

Laundry detergent
Adding ¼ cup of detergent powder, like Persil, to a sink full of warm water and soaking your white clothes for two hours before a normal wash works to whiten them.
Baking soda
Dissolving one cup of baking soda in four litres of warm water makes not only a great whitening solution but also an effective deodoriser. Soak your white clothes in the solution for around eight hours before popping them in your usual wash.
Lemon juice
Boil two sliced (not halved) lemons in a large stockpot of water and then remove it from the heat. Then add your white clothes to soak for an hour. The lemon juice works as a great whitener.

Removing stains from white clothes using white vinegar

If your white clothes just need a little bit of brightening and you haven’t stocked up on detergent, you can try washing them with white vinegar.

Add vinegar to the fabric softener compartment
Add half a cup of distilled white vinegar to the fabric softener compartment of your washing machine.
Use your regular detergent
Use your usual detergent and of course following any appropriate instructions on the care label. Have a look at our article if you’re not sure what the washing symbols mean.
Wash in washing machine
Wash your whites in your washing machine.

The great thing about this method is that vinegar doesn’t bleach anything with colours in them. It also won’t leave a smell behind and will get rid of any remaining alkalinity from your detergent in the last rinse.

How to remove colour stains from white clothes using detergent

White clothes are so easy to stain, especially if a red sock or a blue shirt has found its way into a white wash. Here’s how to deal with colour stains using a good detergent.

Wash your white clothing with a laundry capsule
Pop a capsule in your washing machine, then put your white laundry in there.
Wash at 40 degrees
Wash on a normal cycle at 40°C.
Air-dry the clothing
Let the clothes air-dry, preferably in sunlight as the sun’s rays can help bleach the stains.
Pre-treat any remaining stains
Spot-check for any remaining stains. If you find any, you can pre-treat the stains with a little Persil Bio Liquid for 15–30 minutes before washing again.

How to bleach white clothes

Bleaching white clothing should be done with caution. So here's how to bleach white clothes properly to remove stains.

Use biocides safely. Always read the label and product information before use.

Soak your clothes in cold water
With a container, add cold water and soak your clothes. Ensure all the clothes are completely soaked.
Add bleach to the clothing in the container
Add a few tablespoons of bleach into the container where your white clothing is soaked.
Stir everything in the container and soak for 10 minutes
Stir everything together to make sure everything is soaked completely. Allow the clothes to soak for about 10 minutes.
Bleach can weaken or damage your fabrics if you soak for too long.
Remove and wash through with cold water
After 10 minutes, remove the clothing and wash thoroughly with cold water.
Leave to dry
Remove any excess water and leave to dry.

Alternative methods to removing colour stains from white clothes

These steps using lemon juice or distilled white vinegar will help remove colour stains from your white clothes.

Dab lemon juice or vinegar onto the stain
Dab the lemon juice or distilled white vinegar directly onto the stain.
Scrub with an old toothbrush
Use an old toothbrush to scrub the stain for a couple of minutes.
Leave to soak for ten minutes
Leave the liquid to soak for up to ten more minutes then rinse out the liquid.
Wash normally
Wash your clothes as normal.

Alternatively, if you have a stain that is still wet and fresh you can rub a little salt into it, which will help to absorb the moisture and lift away the stain whilst still in its liquid state.

The Poll

When buying dishwasher tablets, which of these is most important to you?

No harsh chemicals

Recyclable packaging

Removes greasy foods

Doesn’t leave residues

No pre-rinsing required

Value for money

0 Votes

Now you have all the tips you need for removing stains from white clothes and steps for how to make clothes white again you will be able to rejuvenate your wardrobe and keep your white laundry as bright as ever from wash to wear.

What happens if you soak clothes in bleach too long?

Bleach can weaken or damage your fabrics if you soak for too long.

Can you soak your clothes in bleach overnight?

For an entire garment, make a weak solution of bleach and water and soak your items overnight. Wash as usual the next day, adding 1/2 cup vinegar to the load for extra color brightening power.

How long can you leave fabric in bleach?

Add 1/4 cup of bleach to 1 gallon of water and soak the clothes for only 5 to 10 minutes; any more, and you'll start to break down the fabric. If you have stains on pastel, colorfast clothes, try soaking them in all-fabric bleach, which is gentler than chlorine bleach.