Why You Should Think Twice Before Putting White Clothes In Your Dryer

Laundry was not one of the 12 tasks of Hercules. Lucky for him as he would likely have never completed it and there goes the whole legend thing. As fortunate as we are to have modern conveniences making chores like doing the laundry so much easier than times gone by, perhaps we have lost some benefits our grandparents may have gleaned from their methods. Tossing our clothes into a dryer is so handy, but what if doing so was harming the vitality of your white clothes? Could machine drying be the dastardly deed causing distressing dinginess? The answer is yes.

White clothes are notoriously hard to keep bright and white. Washing them with colors and using detergents that are not formulated for white fabric can all lead to yellowing and gray outcomes. In addition, drying whites at high temperatures can lead to color transfer and a loss of vibrancy. In fact, it is important to learn how to use a clothes dryer. What can you do to deter dinginess? Several things, starting with avoiding the dryer and embracing the line.

Drying your white clothes and linen outside on a line is a great way to keep your whites from discoloring. First of all, the sun bleaches the fabric gently. It also disinfects and removes unwanted odors. Sheets dried on the line are a pleasure to sleep in. In addition to those benefits, air drying in the sunshine at a low temperature prevents the discoloring that occurs in your dryer at its higher temperatures. However, not all of us have the opportunity to hang laundry outside. If that is the case for you, there are still some things you can do to keep your white clothes looking their best. 

First, follow the machine's instructions regarding the dryer's maximum temperature that clothes can accommodate, and dry your whites at a low temperature to avoid discoloration. Further, never wash them with colored clothes and always use a detergent formulated for washing whites that include whitening ingredients, like OxiClean. It is okay to wash whites in hot water, but if the clothes are not especially dirty, use warm water instead — it is easier on the fabric. Using baking soda as an additive to your white loads is another way to keep them looking whiter and brighter. Unless the fabric is very delicate, getting stains out by using bleach is a good way to fight yellowing and discoloring that can occur.

Treating stains immediately will be much more effective than waiting for laundry day. Enzymatic spot cleaners or even tried and true products like baking soda on fresh stains will be much more effective. But with all that, don't forget the benefit of drying your whites outside on a line.