Prevent Your Whites From Yellowing In The Wash With One Affordable Solution

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White clothing, linens, and towels remain popular among most households. Not only does the color pair with just about any other hue, but it also tends to evoke a contemporary vibe. But oh, how this color is difficult to keep clean. Aside from the occasional stain, white fabrics also tend to turn yellow over time. One tried-and-true fix for yellowing whites may rest in an affordable bottle of Mrs. Stewart's Concentrated Liquid Bluing — but only when used as directed.

Before eliminating yellowish tones from white fabrics, it's important to first understand why this happens in the first place. There are actually blue undertones that make your whites appear white. These are added by companies via a process called "bluing," which helps fabrics look ultra-white when they reach stores. This all boils down to color science, as blue can cancel out the appearance of yellow.

So, if you've already ruled out sweat and other causes of yellow stains, you could be dealing with washed-out blue tones. This process causes the white fabric to appear slightly yellow all over. The goal of Mrs. Stewart's Bluing solution is to help restore the blue undertones in your garments, linens, and towels, thereby offsetting the appearance of yellow. This bluing technique is also the reason many laundry detergent companies historically used blue dyes in their products before switching to optical brighteners. Be aware, though, that this product does not remove yellow stains from clothing.

Before buying and using Mrs. Stewart's or any other commercial bluing solution, there are some key rules you need to be aware of. First, you should not use the product alongside detergents and fabric softeners. Don't mix it with bleach, either. Bluing solutions do contain synthetic dyes, so you'll want to take steps to protect your hands and clothes while using Mrs. Stewart's laundry solution. Wearing disposable gloves and an apron is a smart solution.

Once you have a bottle of Mrs. Stewart's, combine ¼ teaspoon of the product per 1 to 2 quarts of water, as recommended by the manufacturer. If you have a front-loading washing machine, use 2 quarts. You should never add undiluted bluing solution to your laundry, as this will cause stains. Always add the diluted bluing liquid to the final rinse cycle. If you have a top-loader, this is as simple as adding the diluted Mrs. Stewart's directly to the laundry. Alternatively, you can add the product to the dispensers in a front-loader.

Overall, Mrs. Stewart's Bluing can help white laundry appear whiter, but it cannot rescue an excessively worn-out garment. It's also possible to accidentally stain white items blue if you use too much of the product. Following all instructions on the bottle will help to ensure you aren't left with a bigger problem than what you started with, including blue stains on laundry. Aside from white fabrics, the company also says that customers sometimes use the product to brighten other colors.