There’s something incredibly cozy about crisp, white bed sheets that invite you in for a snooze after a long, tiring day. White sheets not only look elegant and comfortable but are also quite versatile. They can be a part of any room decor and used in any season.

Keeping them white, however, can be a struggle.

Over time, our precious white sheets turn a dingy yellow due to body sweat, oil, etc. And restoring them to that sparkly clean white color is easier said than done.

If you, too, are wondering how to whiten sheets, we’ve got you covered! After thorough research, we’ve found some easy and effective tips and tricks for how to keep white sheets white.

When you’re struggling to answer how can I get my white sheets white again, you may come across several tips. But know that not all whitening ingredients are good for your sheets.

For example, while chlorine is a common bleaching agent used to whiten sheets, it can be hard on the fabric.

Thankfully, there are plenty of other effective and safe ingredients you can use instead! Take a look at some of the best whitening ingredients that will give you clean white sheets without damaging the fabric.

Many consider lemon the best way to whiten sheets. Lemon is a citrus fruit with citric acid content that can help bleach stains and make your sheets brighter. Plus, it will leave a sweet citrus smell that will make your bedding more inviting!

This one simple ingredient is very potent and removes stains easily.

So, if you want to know how to whiten yellow sheets with lemon, here are a couple of methods you can try.

• Mix the juice of one lemon along with your regular detergent and put it in the washing machine with your sheet.
• Run a regular machine wash.

• In a gallon of hot water, add a cup of lemon juice.
• Soak the sheets in the solution for around an hour if the yellowing is new and not too intense or overnight for stubborn stains and yellowing.
• Put the sheets in the machine and run a regular wash.

Vinegar and baking soda are some of the most common pantry staples commonly used to whiten sheets. Now, you must have a tornado of questions circling in your head like does baking soda whiten sheets? Or how to whiten sheets with vinegar or baking soda?

Vinegar and baking soda are both magic ingredients that are popularly used for cleaning purposes and to get rid of foul smells.

So far this week I've used baking soda and vinegar to clean my drains and whiten my sheets #cleancleaning

— CB (@collynkb) April 24, 2016

So, if you want to know how to whiten sheets with baking soda and vinegar, here are two methods that will help.

• Add half a cup of baking soda to the washing machine.
• Add white vinegar to your fabric softener dispenser.
• Run a regular machine wash.

P.S. Make sure that vinegar and baking soda are separate.

• Mix half a cup of vinegar with a gallon of hot water.
• Soak the sheets for about an hour and run a regular wash cycle.
• Air dry the sheets to remove the smell of vinegar.

• Add half a cup of baking soda to your laundry detergent.
• Machine wash as usual.

Borax or sodium borate is a powdery mineral compound that contains boron, oxygen, and salt. Along with cleaning, borax is also used to kill insects and molds and to remove odors. Borax can also soften hard water, which is often what damages fabric.

So, here’s how to whiten sheets with borax:

• Add half a cup of borax to a gallon of water.
• Soak your sheets in the solution overnight.
• Run a regular machine wash.

You can also add borax to your washing machine for a regular wash. But borax will not completely dissolve in cold water, so make sure you run a warm cycle.

Bleach is very effective in removing stains and yellowing. However, it is highly potent and can reduce the lifespan of the cloth if not used carefully. Hence, it’s best to use bleach for white sheets that you would not mind potentially damaging or if the stain is too stubborn to remove via other methods.

When bleaching sheets white, use the following method:

• Wash the sheets with a gentle detergent.
• Add around half a cup of bleach and run another cycle.
• If the sheet smells of bleach, run another wash cycle with hydrogen peroxide and your regular laundry detergent.

Bleaching white sheets may come with its cons but you are rewarded with sparkling white sheets that always look new.However, if you’re worried about discoloration from using bleach, you can simply use oxygen-based bleach for a gentler option. As Quora writer Jane Alford says, “The most gentle method to whiten washable clothes is to mix a solution of warm water and oxygen-based bleach.”

If you’re hesitant about using bleach and are wondering how do I get my sheets white again without bleaching, liquid bluing can work as an excellent alternative.

Liquid bluing is essentially a solution with a blue dye that neutralizes the yellow in your clothes.

How? 

Well, according to the CMY or RGB color wheel, yellow and blue are opposite to each other. This means they form a complementary color harmony and will neutralize each other. The result is white fabric with no trace of yellowing!

Here’s how to useliquid bluing to whiten sheets:

• Dilute one teaspoon or half the bottle cap of liquid bluing in a gallon of water.
• Pour this solution into your washing machine along with your regular detergent.
• Run a regular machine wash.

Hydrogen peroxide is a fantastic option when you’re wondering how to whiten dingy sheets.

Here’s how to whiten yellowed sheets with hydrogen peroxide:

• Add hydrogen peroxide along with your regular detergent.
• Run a regular wash but with warm water.

P.S. Hydrogen peroxide can also be put in the bleach dispenser.

Now that you know the different whitening ingredients, let’s answer your question, can you make yellowed sheets white again?

Here is a step-by-step detail on how to whiten sheets:

Pre-Soak

When you look up tips for how to whiten bed sheets, the most common answer you will receive is pre-soaking. Pre-soaking helps loosen the stains, which helps get them out more easily. There are many ways in which you can pre-soak your laundry and the most simple one is soaking in hot water. But if you are looking for an answer to how to whiten cotton sheets/bamboo sheets/linen sheets, simply use half a cup of lemon juice or vinegar or borax in a gallon of hot water.

After you have soaked your sheet overnight, you can run the first machine cycle. For this cycle, you can use any of the below whitening agents:

• Juice of 1 lemon
• ½ cup of baking soda
• ½ cup of bleach
• 1 teaspoon liquid bluing
• White vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser

Second Cycle

If you get white sheets in the first cycle, you can move on to drying the sheets. But if you still see some yellowing or if you smell any residual odors, you can run a second cycle. 

For this cycle, skip the detergent and wash your sheets in hydrogen peroxide. It will get rid of any odors and give you clean and fresh sheets. 

Dry

Sun drying is the best drying method when you want to bleach your clothing. Sun has natural bleaching properties that will make your sheets brighter without leaving any stains.

Spot Treatment On White Sheets

Now that we know how to whiten sheets, let’s have a look at how to get stain out of white sheets through quick and easy ways.

Treating stains immediately is most important to avoid the stain from seeping deeper into the fabric. 

For treating spots on white sheets, make a baking soda paste by mixing baking soda with water in a 1:2 ratio. Apply the paste to the affected area and let it dry completely. 

Wipe off any extra paste and run the sheet through your regular machine wash cycle. Once washed, dry the sheet in the sun or hang it somewhere in your home to air-dry. Avoid heat drying as it can cause residues to stick to the sheet. 

Tips To Maintain Your White Bedding

Learning how to whiten sheets is fairly simple, but how to keep them white? remind you of something? And for that matter, how do hotels keep their sheets so white?

Whether you are looking for answers to how to whiten linen sheets or how to whiten bamboo sheets, here are a few tips and tricks you can employ to keep your sheets looking white for a long time:

1. Wash Regularly

You do not want to let the stains set in or the yellowing to worsen by taking long gaps in between washing. It will make it much more difficult to remove these stains later. 

2. Keep Foods And Drinks Away From The Bed

The proteins and oils in foods and drinks can cause staining and other permanent damage to your sheets.

3. Wash Bedding, Especially Light Shades Separately

Colored clothing can bleed its colors in the machine and cause your white sheets to discolor permanently.

4. Get Into Bed Clean

You can reduce yellowing by taking a shower or at least changing your clothes before getting into bed so that all the sweat, oil, and grime from the day do not transfer to your bed sheets. 

5. Replace Sheets Every Week

Increase the durability of your sheets and keep them looking new and fresh for longer by regularly changing your sheets. It will reduce wear and tear and preserve the fabric.

6. Retire Sheets As Needed

If you are using your sheets regularly, remember to replace them every two to three years.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Can I Make My Sheets White Again Without Bleach?

To whiten your sheets without using bleach, Treat stains immediately your sheets in lemon juice, vinegar, or borax. If they are not too yellow, skip the presoak and use any of these ingredients in your washing machine along with your regular detergent. 

Should You Wash Sheets In Hot Or Cold Water?

Washing sheets in hot water will help loosen the stains and get rid of yellowing more easily. The high temperature also kills bacteria and allergens. But make sure you read the manufacturer’s instructions for delicate fabrics. 

How Often Should You Wash Your Bed Sheets?

It is ideal to wash your white sheets around once a week or once in four to five days. 

Why Do White Bed Sheets Turn Yellow?

Perspiration, body oils, and products you apply on the skin react with the chemicals in the laundry detergent and bacteria resulting in a yellow hue that stains the sheets. 

How To Whiten Dingy Sheets?

Dingy sheets are a consequence of washing dark and light-colored clothing together. You can prevent this by washing your whites separately. To further whiten your sheets, use any whitening agent like hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, borax, or bleach.

How To Get Blood Out Of Sheets?

Acting quickly is your best bet when fighting against tough stains like blood. To remove blood from your sheets, run the stained part under cold running water and avoid rubbing as it will set the stain deeper. Once you feel that you have removed as much as possible, use hydrogen peroxide or some other stain-fighting agent.