How to bleach?

20 Comments

Apparently I don't understand how bleach works. I have some bedsheets that need bleaching, but I don't know what I'm supposed to do.

First, I put the sheets in the wash and put the specified amount of bleach in the bleach slot. When the sheets came out, they looked exactly the same. I tried it again immediately and they came out a little gray-ish in the middle.

After that, I tried putting some bleach directly on the sheets. When they came out, they were white only where the bleach touched them when I poured it in, making the clean spots look more like white paint stains.

So now I feel like a dumbass. I read online to try mixing some bleach with some water in a bucket and soaking the sheets in that before throwing them in the wash. But not sure I want to try anything so risky, yet.

What am I supposed to do? The sheets are brown-ish, originally white, from extended use and the color doesn't come out with normal washing.

You're not using enough	1
You're using too much	2
Soak in a bucket	11
Other	8

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Comments ( 20 )

GinaHead

9 years ago

You have to use hot water, as hot as you can get it, to activate the chlorine.

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  9 years ago
  
  Best advice so far.
  
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Anonymous Post Author

9 years ago

I'm a little put off by exactly how unhelpful most of these comments are. Everyone just buys new sheets? How do the bleach companies stay in business if no one uses this stuff?

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- dirtybirdy
  
  9 years ago
  
  I never buy white sheets. And you shouldn't either unless you want to be associated with the kkk...
  
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  - kingofcarrotflowers
    
    9 years ago
    
    Sheets?
    
    And here I was picturing you snuggled up cute in a nest.
    
    Not that I was picturing you asleep....................
    
    What I meant was.............
    
    * quickly walks away *
    
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- howaminotmyself
  
  9 years ago
  
  Most people regularly use bleach when they wash white sheets. They don't wait until they are stained. They are probably saturated with body oil that won't come out with simple water and the bleach can't get to the stain.
  
  How old are the sheets? Sometimes new ones are necessary. If you insist on salvaging them, try soaking them in citrus based detergent and then bleach them..
  
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  - Anonymous Post Author
    
    9 years ago
    
    I never saw the point in bleaching if they're already white. They're pretty old sheets, but I do insist on salvaging them if possible. I'll try the detergent and bleach soaking ideas.
    
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    - howaminotmyself
      
      9 years ago
      
      People bleach to disinfect and sterilize as well as making things white. It is to prevent from getting dingy. But there are other ways to prevent it. And you may have waited too long to get the body funk off your sheets. Oil is one of the hardest things to get out. And citrus really is the best way to cut oil. So good luck.
      
      Personally, I never use bleach. We use vinegar to sterilize everything. I almost forgot about that. The kitchen rags always get washed with vinegar.
      
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EccentricWeird

9 years ago

I honestly don't give a sheet what your laundry problems are.

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shuggy-chan

9 years ago

Maybe its just time for new sheets

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- EccentricWeird
  
  9 years ago
  
  Your fanclub sickens me.
  
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  - shuggy-chan
    
    9 years ago
    
    why, whats up.
    
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charli.m

9 years ago

I have white tank tops that have gone off white. I soaked them in a bucket of bleach then rinsed and washed with vinegar and lemon and dried in the sun. It took a few times before they looked ok, so I don't bother now cos I don't like using bleach.

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searchy

9 years ago

Look up anal bleaching. It will change your life.

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EccentricWeird

9 years ago

Next time don't take a sheet on your laundry.

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I_steal_free_bread

9 years ago

Apply the bleach to your butthole.

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- RoseIsabella
  
  9 years ago
  
  I think that's what the Kardashians do!
  
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Pika-girl

9 years ago

I actually have never used bleach, but I looked it up once... and it said to never apply it to dark colors... So... that shirt was ruined (I was thinking of bleaching it because I made a mistake while drawing on this white shirt. Now, it's just... a stain, not art...) ...

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RoseIsabella

9 years ago

Honestly, I rarely if ever use bleach because it weakens the fibers and can eat holes through the fabric. I buy expensive, high thread count sheets so I prefer dingy sheets to ones with holes eaten through them.

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loopoo

9 years ago

The only thing I bleach is my hair, why not just get some new sheets, by the time the beach is bought and you've done it, buying new would be easy.

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Are You Normal?

How to bleach?