Whiten yellow stained bed sheets with one natural item everyone has in kitchen

During the summer months, it's quite common for bedsheets to become stained and discoloured due to increased sweating — and it's not a pretty site.

Bed sheets and pillows often turn a dingy yellow over time as they absorb liquids like sweat, as well as body oils, lotions, or skincare products, all of which can leave unsightly stains.

These stains should be addressed promptly as they can harbour bacteria, dead skin cells, fungal spores, or dust mites, potentially affecting both your health and quality of sleep, reports the Express. While you might be inclined to grab a bottle of chlorine bleach, laundry expert Aimee Rayner from Happy Beds advises using natural products instead of harsh chemicals for washing bedding.

Aimee explained: "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."

For a highly effective method to brighten bedsheets and pillows and get them white again, simple lemon juice is recommended, which not only leaves fabric smelling fresh but is also very cost-effective. Lemon juice, which contains citric acid, is a natural cleaner capable of breaking down stains and acting as a natural bleach to whiten fabric.

Aimee stated: "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."

Yellowing bedding can also be soaked in a tub of lemon juice and warm water prior to washing, providing a thorough method of removing any stains. This is the optimal way to restore white bedding and eliminate stains, but it's important to note that lemon juice should not be used on colourful fabrics.

Aimee added: "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.""

1. How to use lemon juice to restore white bedding.

2. Simply fill a basin or bathtub with warm water, add your white bedding, and then pour in half a bottle of lemon juice.

3. Allow the bedding to soak for one or two hours, then wash it in the washing machine on a normal cycle.

4. Alternatively, lemon juice can be poured directly into the detergent dispenser, and the bedding can be run on a regular wash with your usual laundry detergent.

5. After washing your bedding, it's best to let it dry outdoors in the sunshine to maximize the whitening effects of the lemon juice used in the cleaning process. Aimee advised: "This isn't always possible, but where you can, dry your white bedding outside."

She also warned against using high temperatures for drying, saying: "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."

Adding a key tip, Aimee stated: "However, the sun can naturally whiten sheets when hung outside, so leave them on the line where possible for a couple of hours."