Brighten Up Yellowed Whites On Laundry Day With A Clever Medicine Hack

White fabric can yellow and generally take on a dingy look after it's been laundered only a few times. A common question is how to bring discolored white laundry back to life so we don't have to get rid of it. There is a hack for that which just may surprise you: Alka-Seltzer. To the dubious readers with a cynically raised eyebrow, there is a scientific reason that the tablets you use to settle your stomach will spruce up your whites. 

Alka-Seltzer is made from sodium bicarbonate (also known as baking soda), citric acid, and acetylsalicylic acid. The alkaline liquid produced when Alka-Seltzer is dropped in water breaks down oils, stains, and odors, which is also why it works to quell stomach acid. The acidic components of Alka-Seltzer are also said to break down organic stains, though the fizz created by putting the tablet in water (carbon dioxide being released) does nothing for the laundry (but it's fun to watch). In fact, Alka-Seltzer is at the center of a host of brilliant household hacks that you should know. One caveat, like any technique or cleaning product, this Alka-Seltzer hack will be more effective on some discoloration than others. If it does not remove the stain, move on to another product.

To try this hack, drop two Alka-Seltzer tablets into a quart of water. After the fizzing has finished, soak your garment in the liquid overnight. In the morning, take it out of the liquid and rinse it out with cold water. If the garment was clean before the process, there is no need to put it through a wash cycle. One additional step you can take is to dry the clothing outside in the sun, which should further whiten the garment.

If you are having problems with odors remaining in your clothes, Alka-Seltzer can help you there as well. Many odors you'll find in clothes, from perspiration to urine and even vomit, are caused by acidic compounds. The sodium bicarbonate in Alka-Seltzer is a base. It will neutralize the acidic odors. Soaking the garments as described above will give the Alka-Seltzer's alkaline nature time to counteract the acids. When it's soaked sufficiently, rinse the garment out and wash it if needed. Fun fact: Hanging the wash outside on a clothesline will also remove odors.

Its smell-freshening power can be used to clean your washing machine and dryer. Front-loading washers have rubber gaskets that help lock the water behind the door. Those gaskets often get funky with use, growing bacteria or mold. Use a mixture of water and Alka-Seltzer to clean those gaskets. You can also wipe down the drum of your washer and the dryer with the solution. Simply add three tablets of Alka-Seltzer to 8 ounces of water, and after the fizz has fizzled, put the liquid in a spray bottle to use it as a general-purpose cleaner. (You can even clean your floors with it!)