Secret you Can Washhh: Wonderful Whites

We’ve been talking all about why whites make a wonderful bed linen choice all year round... but a fresh bed of crisp white might sound a little daunting to take care of. So we’ve turned to our very good friends and washing wizards, Wilton London, to give us the scoop on how to keep your whites looking wonderful for years to come. Over to you Wilton...

As we creep further into Spring, it’s a great time for a refresh. If you still have that white tablecloth stained with red wine or the bedding in the guest room that just needs a little refresh; we have some Wilton top tips to keep those whites sparkling.

When working to keep whites bright, preventing any stains and fading is the best tactic. Most people know to wash their whites separately but being super thorough about this will keep your whites look extra fresh.

If you have enough white washing, make sure to also separate out any heavily soiled items as this can avoid dirt transferring. If you don't have enough to run a separate load, pre-treat or soak the heavily soiled items. Check out some of our best planet kind pre-treatment tips in our sustainable washing guide.

Make sure you're dosing your laundry liquid correctly. Too much liquid will mean excess suds which will make cleaning less effective. The suds won’t get rinsed properly, and stick to your items, carrying any dirt with them.

Don't forget the washing machine too, a clean washing machine is essential for keeping your whites looking wonderful. You could even try our vinegar cleaning trick for this, to easily get rid of any build up.

For items that just need a refresh after a few uses or pieces that have patterns of white and other colours, wash below 40 degrees. This will help prevent fading or whites becoming dull after a few washes.

For any stains you can use oxy bleach to help removal. Unlike traditional chlorine bleach, oxygen bleach uses much gentler sodium percarbonate to get the job done, white being kind to your items and the environment. You can use it in the wash, and as a pre-treat soak. Check out our tips for using oxy bleach here.

Hang your whites outside, even through the winter months. If we’re lucky enough to get a clear winters day, and there’s no rain on the forecast, don’t be afraid to get the washing line up. Heat isn’t needed to dry items, the wind and air circulation is most important. Plus, the sun’s UV rays are amazing at naturally bleaching to keep your pieces wonderfully white.

Thank you Wilton for making caring for whites seem like a breeze, now to fill the linen cupboard with stacks of wonderful white bed linens.

What will you choose?