09 February 2024 , 14:12
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Sometimes the natural options are the most effective. There are few things more disappointing than when your prized, crisp white bedsheets start to get marked with unsightly yellowing over time, and sometimes these stains can be hard to remove.
You might assume that bleach would be the best go-to solution for this kind of staining, but experts have explained that it might actually be doing more harm than good, and instead, they recommend opting for a natural cleaning remedy that will "easily" lift the stains, getting your bed sheets as fresh and bright as those you find in a hotel room, and the best part is this hack will only set you back a mere 16p.
The experts from Ecosa say that bleach might be best to avoid when dealing with this kind of stain, "Bleach contains chlorine, and chlorine bleach reacts to protein stains such as sweat, body oils, and more, creating yellow stains no matter how much you launder your sheets".
This means that bleaching the troublesome yellow stains might, in fact, make the situation worse, not better, so instead they recommend grabbing a bag of lemons for this task because the citric acid present in the fruit works as a "natural whitener" which can "easily remove mild stains and yellowing on your sheets".
There are a few ways that lemons can be used to tackle this cleaning task, firstly, you can cut one in half and squeeze its juice right into the drum of your washing machine, and then run a cycle normally with detergent, the experts claim.
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Another option is a pre-wash treatment, if you don't want to put the juice in your machine directly. Get a large bucket and fill it with around a gallon of hot water, and then add around 120ml of lemon juice to it, mix well and pop your stained sheets into soak overnight. The next day simply wash them following your usual procedure.
You can grab a bag of lemons at most supermarkets: at Tesco and Waitrose they cost around 30p per lemon, and at Sainsbury's, you can grab a bag of five for 81p which is only 16p individually.
Another natural option recommended by the experts is white vinegar and this can also be used as an overnight soaking treatment, but given that its scent isn't for everyone you may want to add some essential oils in too.
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