Bedsheets becoming stained and discoloured in the summer is perfectly normal as people tend to sweat more, but it can be incredibly frustrating trying to get bedding white again.
Bed sheets and pillows often become a dingy yellow colour over time as the fabric absorbs liquid such as sweat but also body oils, lotions or skincare products which will leave stains.
These stains need to be washed as soon as possible as they can harbour bacteria, dead skin cells, fungal spores or dust motes which can impact both your health and sleep.
It may be tempting to reach for a bottle of chlorine bleach but Aimee Rayner, a laundry expert from Happy Beds, has revealed it is better to use natural products rather than harsh chemicals to wash bedding.
Aimee said: “Chlorine bleach can react with protein-based stains – such as sweat or urine – and cause yellowing, the opposite of what you want.
“If not washed correctly, bleach could also leave a residue on your bedding that could cause skin irritation. This could be even worse if you use moisturiser or tan each night, and those build up together – providing an ideal breeding ground for bacteria.”
The best way to wash and whiten bedding
One of the most efficient ways to brighten bedsheets and pillows to get them white again is simple lemon juice, which not only makes fabric smell amazing but is also incredibly cheap.
Lemon juice contains citric acid, a natural cleaner which can break down stains but also acts as a natural bleach to whiten fabric.
Aimee said: “Using lemon juice, which you can buy for just 80p, add around 120-240mls (depending on the level of the stain) to the washing machine before you set it off on a cycle.”
You can also soak any yellowing bedding in a tub of lemon juice and warm water before washing them as a thorough way of getting any stains out.
This is the best way to restore white bedding and remove stains, but it should be noted that you should not use lemon juice on any colourful fabrics.
Aimee said: “Lemon juice works better on some stains than it does others – such as grease, food or protein stains, including bodily fluids like sweat.
“You need to be careful if using this method on darker bedding, as it could bleach dark bedding if you hang it out to dry and expose it to sunlight. However, it does not have this effect on white bedding.”
How to use lemon juice to restore white bedding
All you need to do is fill a basin or bathtub with warm water and add your white bedding, then pour in half a bottle of lemon juice.
Leave the bedding to soak for one or two hours, then put it in the washing machine on a normal wash.
Alternatively, you can pour lemon juice directly into the detergent dispenser and then run the bedding on a regular wash with your normal laundry detergent.
Once the bedding is washed, hang it out to dry outside on a sunny day as it will help enhance the lemon juice and the whitening effect is amplified.
Aimee said: “This isn’t always possible, but where you can, dry your white bedding outside.
“Drying on a very high heat can cause the colour to fade, leaving your whites dull. As we suffer from heat damage, so do your sheets, which can burn and stain.
“However, the sun can naturally whiten sheets when hung outside, so leave them on the line where possible for a couple of hours.”
Your bedding should be white, stain-free and sparkling clean once again only lemon juice, a natural and very efficient way of brightening bedding.