Bleaching bed sheets - How?

[vpr]

I have a set of nice (expensive) cotton sheets. They're white with tiny black stripes on them. Over the past couple of years of use, the pillowcases have yellowed significantly. I think this is because of a reaction with the pillow protectors underneath.

My apartment's commercial washers don't have the corner slot where you pour in bleach. So, I let the washer fill up with water. Then I added in the bleach and let the cycle run through. It didn't make much of a difference however. Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong here?

 

[ColtRevolver]

Bleach often times turns cotton yellow instead of whitening it.

 

[Tirvine]

Bleach often times turns cotton yellow instead of whitening it.

Wool, too. Remember white wool Adler socks bleached to turn yellow, typically worn with bucks or saddle shoes in the early '60s?

 

[ColtRevolver]

No, I wasnt born until the late 60s...lol

 

[EclipseRedRing]

Maybe consider a soak in water with a quarter cup of bleach per gallon of water, followed by a regular laundry wash. I would try the bleach and water soak for an hour at first and increase the time if the results are not satisfactory. If an overnight soak does not do the trick then I would get new sheets or consider professional cleaning. All that said, I do not own expensive sheets and if I did then I would check with the wife first or I could find myself sleeping in the guest room.

 

[pierrelortie44]

I add the bleach first and directly in the tub (it mostly drains through the holes anyway). Then detergent, clothes, and start the machine.

 

[Bhugo]

take them to the cleaners. It won’t cost as much as wrecking the sheets.

 

[luvmysuper]

Get some laundry bluing.
Bleach and water that has an appreciable iron content can turn any white cotton fabric yellowish.
The bluing counteracts the yellowing and helps keep whites white.

 

[Old Hippie]

I wonder if it's a different problem? I make quite a mess of pillowcases with the skin oils on my shaved head. Bleach and washing soda, good detergent and a long soak once everything's mixed in the washer seems to work. Breaks down the fabric a little quicker, however.

O.H.

 

[Mitzie]

For wet shavers, the removal of specks of blood on white pillowcases, caused by disturbing scabs from nicks and cuts can be difficult to remove even after machine washing. Also here in the UK, white hospital bed linen, which is professionally cleaned often still looks 'yellowish.'

 

[BigLeegr]

If the yellow is from body oils, use a degreaser on them when washing. If it's just pillow cases yellowing you could try an oxygen bleach such as oxiclean and soak them in very hot water (pot on the stove). If it's because there was a reaction to the protector, then I got nothing.

 

[Frito Ray]

Have you tried OxiClean powder?

You just add it along with your normal detergent, BUT don’t mix it with bleach or use it on wool.

 

[ctr]

I would try a long pre soak with white vinegar only, then a heavy wash cycle with vinegar. Dry on low heat to avoid resetting stain. Might take a few cycles. But do not mix vinegar and laundry detergent.

 

[StillShaving]

I would also try some oxygenated bleach. Maybe try a presoak in the sink or tub before washing. But my main suggestion is to use some high quality detergent, something that has oxygenated bleach in the mix or other whiteners. Better detergent can be expensive but worth the added cost. Over a number of wash cycles the whites may lighten up.

 

[Toothpick]

Expensive cotton and a couple of years they are yellow?? I’d just get new sheets and stop using the pillow protectors.

Maybe try treating the stains separately instead of the whole load.

Or buy yellow sheets and call it a day.