There is nothing better than crisp bed sheets to collapse onto after a long day, but they can often be incredibly tricky to keep clean.
White sheets are more likely to become discoloured in summer as the hot temperatures mean people will sweat more, which will cause stains and build-up from natural body oils.
Luckily, Ruth Welton, a laundry expert from Soak and Sleep has shared that adding lemon juice to a normal wash can get sheets sheet and stain-free again.
She said: “To help remove stubborn stains, add lemon juice to your wash along with your normal washing powder or liquid.
“Approximately a quarter of cup will help shift marks because of the citric acid in the lemon.”
The citric acid in lemon juice can naturally dissolve sweat stains and other residue from bedsheets that cause them to become discoloured.
Lemon juice is also a natural bleaching agent and has antibacterial properties so will brighten the sheets while also removing any microorganisms that can contribute to stains.
Once the sheets have been washed hang them outside to dry if possible as the sun can also naturally whiten fabric.
Ruth said: “The sun acts as a natural bleaching agent, brightening your whites even more. Hanging your sheets on a line can also help to remove creases as they blow in the breeze, minimising the need for ironing which is better for the fibres.”
Once your sheets are white again try to wash them at least every two weeks to prevent stain or dirt build-up from discolouring them once again.
If your white sheets continue to come out grey or yellow then you may need to chance the laundry detergent you are using as it may not be effective at getting out stains.
Ruth said: “With good quality washing powder, you can launder your bed linen at lower temperatures which will help protect the fibres.
“Unless your bed linen is heavily stained, washing at 40℃ should be adequate because washing powders and liquids are made to perform at lower temperatures these days.”
Make sure to also never use bleach or hash chemicals on your bedding as it is one of the worst cleaning products to use to treat stains and will contribute to discoloration.
Ruth said: “Avoid the use of chemical bleach on your sheets as it can damage the fibres and it has a chemical reaction to protein stains like sweat that can make those stains appear more yellow.”
