How to Clean White Sheets

A lot of fabric care labels discourage washing with chlorine bleach, even on white cotton T-shirts. But, detergent alone is often not enough to thoroughly clean whites. Extensive testing and research show it’s safe to use Clorox® Bleach as directed on many items.

Before you start washing, we always recommend you do either a bleachability or colorfastness test. More information on these tests is included below after the washing instructions.

To Machine Wash:

1. Fill

   Fill Clorox® Bleach to the maximum line of your washing machine's bleach dispenser. If your washing machine does not have a bleach dispenser, add 250 ml of Clorox® Bleach to top-loading machines or 125 ml to front-loading machines. Add your favorite detergent.

2. Wash

   Start your normal wash cycle. For best results wash at 40°C. Always check the fabric care label.

To Hand Wash:

1. Rinse

   Rinse to remove loose soil.
2. Soak

   Fully soak garment for 5 minutes in a solution of 4 tablespoons (60ml) of Clorox® Bleach per 2 L of water.
3. Wash

   Wash as usual with your favorite detergent.

Test for bleachability

To make sure the item is bleachable, you can do a quick bleachability test. Make a solution of 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of Clorox® Bleach and 1/3 cup of water. Apply a drop of this solution on a hidden area of the fabric. Rinse after 5 minutes and dry. If there is no color loss, you can safely use liquid bleach on the item as described above.

There are some fabrics and materials that should never be bleached. These include: wool, silk, leather, spandex and non-colorfast items.