Yahoo News Mum shares how to whiten 'grubby' socks overnight without using bleach
White socks can quickly become a dull grey, but there's an easy trick to make them look as good as new.
Natural household expert Karen Lee has revealed that her kids' socks often return home discoloured after school or sports activities, leaving her struggling to get them spotless. She explained: "Since I no longer use bleach, I had to figure out how on earth I was going to wash these."
While bleach is a common go-to for whitening, it can weaken the fabric and even give socks a yellowish hue, making them appear even more worn. Karen, however, found a natural, bleach-free concoction that effectively removes those stubborn brown stains from socks.
READ MORE: 'Best' seaside town in Britain named with visitors praising it as 'place of beauty'
Hydrogen peroxide is a natural cleaning agents found in products like mouthwashes and tooth-whitening solutions. Due to its mild bleaching properties, it can effectively break down stains.
Soda crystals, also known as washing soda, possess a strong alkaline quality that helps dissolve acidic stains such as sweat or dirt. It can also enhance the effectiveness of standard laundry detergents.
How to whiten and clean dirty socks
You will need:
One tablespoon of liquid laundry detergent
One tablespoon of washing soda (also called soda crystals)
One tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide
Lemon juice
A washing basin or bucket
Method:
All you need to do is first shake off as much dirt from the socks as you can and place the socks in cold water to wash away as much of the dirt as possible.
Pour around a gallon of lukewarm water into a bucket or basin and add all the ingredients, making sure the powdered ingredients are completely dissolved.
Add the socks to the solution and make sure they are submerged in the water, then leave the socks to soak overnight or longer.
Karen shared: "I left these socks for two days (I forgot about them.) Hydrogen peroxide works with time so the longer it has to work on the stain, the better."
After soaking the socks, it's best to dry them outdoors on a sunny day since the bleaching effect of lemon juice is amplified by sunlight.
Karen remarked: "Something about lemon and sunshine - they are a great duo for whitening laundry."
Post-drying, the socks will emerge white, bright, and clean, but this straightforward laundry hack can also be applied to other items like towels to restore their brightness.
Karen added: "I am also going to use this method for my dingy white towels. I will have to tweak the formula a bit to be able to use for a large load but you get the idea for the ingredients.
"If you don't want to use bleach, hydrogen peroxide is your go-to whitener. Just be careful when you are handling it as it will whiten your dark clothes."
