Crisp white sheets make a bedroom look so elegant. You feel like you’re in a hotel – but they’re a nightmare to keep clean.
After a little while, those bright white bed sheets start turning yellow and no amount of washing gets them clean, but this hack will.
Whiten bed sheets with lemon juice
Forget stain removers and detergents, all you need is some lemon juice to make your white bed sheets sparkle again.
“Using lemon juice to whiten your bed sheets is one of my favorite tricks. Lemons are packed with citric acid, which breaks down stains and whitens fabrics without harsh chemicals. It’s like a little citrus miracle!” laundry expert Hyacinth Tucker told The Focus.
She said to grab 3-4 fresh lemons, water, and a big container or basin to hold your sheets. Squeeze the juice from the lemons into the container and toss in the peels too. Then, fill the container up with hot water and mix it all together.
“Next, submerge your sheets in the lemon water. Make sure they’re fully covered and let them soak for at least an hour. If you’re dealing with stubborn stains, leaving them overnight works wonders,” she explained.
After soaking, pop the sheets into your washing machine with your regular detergent and watch them shine!
White bed sheets turn yellow due to the natural body oils, sweat, and dead skin that becomes embedded in the fibers while you sleep.
Tips for extra brightness
The lemon juice will brighten your sheets on its own, but Tucker has some extra tips to make them even whiter.
Adding half a cup of baking soda into the washing machine with the detergent will add an “extra whitening boost,” she said.
If the weather’s nice, you should also hang your sheets outside to dry as sunlight’s UV rays will amp up the whitening effect and leave your sheets smelling fresh and lemony.
“This method is not only effective but also eco-friendly, so it’s a win-win. Plus, there’s something satisfying about using natural ingredients to get your linens looking their best!” she said.
You could also put lemon juice and water into a spray bottle and apply it directly onto stains, but never use it on colored sheets as the acid can cause discoloration.
Be wary of lemon in the machine
Some people put lemon juice directly into the machine alongside detergent, which does effectively whiten your sheets, but this isn’t recommended.
“A lot of people make the mistake of using both vinegar and lemon to wash their clothes in the washing machine but what they don’t know is this damages the appliance over time,” cleaning expert Delah Goamsi told The Focus.
He agreed that the best way to utilize the hack is to apply lemon directly to stains in your whites and then wash them in the machine after.
“It’s especially helpful at removing sweat stains and odours that are associated with these stains,” he said. “The acid in the lemon juice is able to rid the fabric of any organic residue and removes both stains and smells.”
Speaking of cleaning, here are 10 bizarre cleaning hacks you’ve probably never heard of, like cleaning the toilet with Coca-Cola!
Hyacinth Tucker owns The Laundry Basket, a laundry service pickup and delivery subscription in Maryland, DC and Northern Virginia. Delah Gomasi is CEO of MaidForYou, a large house cleaning agency based in Sydney, Australia.
