White towels are a staple in many households, but they’re also susceptible to becoming dull and discoloured over time.
Various things can cause this, from skincare products and hair oils to hard water and excess detergent. It can also be caused by colour bleeding if your whites get washed with dark items by mistake.
But thankfully, greying of towels can usually be reversed. So if you are wondering how to make your white towels white again, you’re in luck.
With the help of the products below, you’ll soon be saying goodbye to dingy towels and hello to crisp white ones.
Will Bleach Make Towels White Again?
While it may be tempting to reach for the bleach to brighten your white towels, you should proceed with caution.
Chlorine bleach is a powerful and corrosive chemical that can damage fabrics if not used correctly.
You’ll need to check the care label on your towels to see if they are bleach-safe.
It must also be diluted in water – around half a cup of bleach to 1 litre of water – to minimise fibre damage. Then, it should be tested on an inconspicuous area first.
If you do decide to soak your towels in bleach, you’ll need to wash them with detergent afterwards.
However, whitening towels with bleach can still lead to skin irritation. And it can make your white towels go yellow if used too frequently. As such, we’d recommend using a safer oxygen bleach alternative instead.
OxiClean is one of most popular options on the market, and is ideal for pre-soaking white towels.
Just add 1 scoop of powder to a sink filled with warm water, stir to combine and submerge your towels. Leave to soak for a few hours, then wash as normal.
How Can You Get White Towels White Again Without Bleach?
Looking for an alternative method to help make your white towels white again? Here are some other products and techniques you can try, which are all suitable for treating cotton towels.
Bicarbonate of soda & white vinegar
First up, if you prefer natural cleaning products, then bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar are worth a try.
Though not as strong as bleach and its alternatives, this signature laundry duo can help to restore dingy whites.
Better yet, they’re both affordable, readily available and non-toxic, so we’d suggest starting here. If this doesn’t work, you can then try something stronger.
The simplest approach is to add half a cup of bicarb to a hot laundry cycle alongside your usual dose of detergent.
This will increase the alkalinity of the water and give your detergent a boost. You can then add half a cup of white vinegar to the drawer in lieu of fabric conditioner. This will remove any leftover soap residue that may attract dirt and soften your towels too.
Or you can dilute 1 cup of bicarb in a bucket of warm water (4-5 litres) to make create a pre-soak.
Add the towels and leave for 6 hours before laundering, again using vinegar in the rinse cycle.
Tip: have multiple greying towels to treat? Up the dose and pre-soak them in the bath instead.
Soda crystals
If you find that bicarbonate of soda isn’t quite cutting it, you could try slightly more alkaline soda crystals instead.
To make your white towels white again, simply add half a cup of crystals into the drum of your washing machine.
This will work alongside your regular detergent to remove any stains. And the crystals will also soften the water and break down limescale within your machine to help keep white towels whiter for longer.
Or you can mix some crystals into a bowl of warm water and soak your towels for a couple of hours prior to washing. It’s up to you!
Vanish Oxi Action Crystal White
Don’t have any OxiClean on hand but don’t want to use bleach? Then Vanish stain removal powder is the next best thing. Particularly, one like Vanish Gold Oxi Action Crystal White with boosters specifically designed to brighten whites.
For best results, dilute one scoop of Vanish in a 4 litre bowl or bucket of warm water. Then submerge your towels and leave them to soak for up to 6 hours.
When time’s up, remove them from the solution and wash them straight away on a warm cycle. You can even add a scoop of Vanish to the cycle itself for an extra boost.
Rit Whitener & Brightener
Alternatively, Rit Whitener & Brightener liquid is another effective off-the-shelf product you can try. This product is safe for whitening all fabric types, including towels. But you’ll need to check the care tag as it requires you to use the hottest laundry setting that they can stand.
Once you’ve done that, select an appropriate cycle, start the machine and allow it to fill with water.
Then pour half a bottle of Rit Whitener into the dispenser drawer alongside your detergent, before flushing it well with 4 cups of hot water. (For a large load of towels, use the full bottle).
Hydrogen peroxide
The final product you can try to make your white towels white again is hydrogen peroxide. This non-chlorine bleach alternative is best used as part of a pre-soak cycle.
All you need to do is add half a cup of hydrogen peroxide to your washer’s dispenser with your detergent. You can then sit back and let the machine do the work for you.
Or, if your washing machine doesn’t have a pre-soak setting, you can create your own. Just start the cycle and let it run for 5 minutes so that the drum is full of water. Then pause it and leave the towels to soak for half an hour before restarting it.
As well as stain removal and whitening properties, the peroxide also has deodorising benefits, so why not give it a go? Just make sure you wear gloves when handling the bottle and that the area is well-ventilated.
Additional Tips for Whitening White Towels
- Select a biological detergent to tackle engrained dirt and stains, but don’t overdo it. In fact, when using other whitening products too, reduce the dosage slightly. And add white vinegar to the rinse cycle instead of waxy softener to cut through soap residue.
- Wash your towels regularly to prevent a discoloured buildup of dirt and mildew. For bath towels, once a week is usually often enough unless you spot a stain that needs treating right away. However, you should wash hand towels and tea towels every 3 days, or at least twice a week. This will keep bacteria at bay and help them stay white.
- Although many detergents are effective a low temperatures, towels should always be washed in warm water – ideally 60° Many dye-free white towels can also be washed at higher temperatures intermittently to keep them looking bright. Just check the label.
- Wash only white towels together to prevent greying caused by leeching fabric dyes.
- Hang your towels outside to dry whenever possible to make the most of the sun’s natural bleaching abilities. You can always finish them off in the dryer to soften them, but avoid dryer sheets. These will coat the fibres and reduce your towel’s absorbency.
Want more handy laundry tips? Explore a multitude of useful guides on our website to learn how to keep your clothing and towels looking their best.
A proud Yorkshire lass with a love for movies, music and cosy nights in! Once a self-confessed avoider of cleaning, she’s always on the lookout for new ways to make household chores as quick and simple as possible.
