Reckitts Blue

For my whites I do a 60 degree wash using Vanish white. I don't use any other washing powder with it. But that keeps my whites white.

Have a look in Waitrose they have packets of small white sheets to put in white wash, the seem to work, though I swear by Persil ,non bio

I am with the Vanish brigade - it is very good indeed. My tealtowels looks like new. I am a recent convert but a permanent one. You only need a tiny bit and I wonder if it washes all the limescale out.

Always wash on a hot wash.

I always use a scoop of vanish whitening powder on a very hot wash -90 degrees. In my washing machine instructions it says that it's good to use this wash weekly as it prevents lime scale build up!

We run a big old holiday let in South Devon and our Housekeeper keeps our whites glowingly white by adding Vanish to the wash. Either that or she’s wees on them but just doesn’t tell us.

Well, as a last resort, add dilute bleach to the wash and see what happens

I remember DM sending me out in the garden when I was young to 'fetch the sheets in off the line, there's a dear' - to find they were frozen solid

Do you use Fairy washing powder or gel? I find that just does not rinse out, have rinsed towels so many times before the water ran clear.

Oooh! Might give the hanging on the line in a hard frost idea a go, although better put my gloves on first !

Hang your sheets on the line when there is a hard frost....that does the trick. For frost bite of the fingers though.....

Thank you all for your comments. In answer to the various questions, the bedding is 100% cotton. I don't think I've been using too much washing powder, and rinse with vinegar rather than fabric softener, as it's supposed to get rid of more of the detergent.

I haven't tried Glo White, but may well give it a go.

I used to do the laundry on 90 degree wash, but stopped because I was worried about not being eco friendly.

Not sure about peeing on the sheets, but I'm sure my husband would be happy to give it a go! lol.

Not much sunshine in Wales at this time of year.

Don't really want to replace with a different colour, as people like to see that the bed linen is REALLY clean, with no suspicious stains that might be hidden on coloured sheets.

Have now tried Googling the Reckitt's Blue, and found some instructions, so for anyone who's interested, it can be added to water and then put in the final rinse of the machine, but that sounds a bit iffy to me, as some people have said they've had patchy results, so I think I'll go back to using the hottest wash, then try Glo White, and if that doesn't work, will get the Reckitt's Blue, and try doing the rinse the old fashioned way, and put it in the bath for the final rinse so that everything gets thoroughly covered.

All cotton can be boiled but polycotton may go yellowish and I don't think you would ever get it white again.

I’d ditch the white bed linen altogether and get something less likely to discolour. White is lovely at home, but hard work for a let.

I remember mam used to just give a couple of swishes with the blue bag in the rinse, bag used to last a few washes.

Blue bags were used in the rinsing water

What's the bedding made of, NudeJude? All cotton or polycotton? One year seems very soon to be turning yellow.

It could be a build up of detergent residue - are you using too much?
Maybe not hot enough wash?

I would stop using fabric conditioner and instead, put a squirt of dishwasher rinseaid in the conditioner compartment. This will ensure as much detergent as possible is rinsed out. I've been doing this for years and would never use fabric softener again.

How does that work then?
My pee is ... oh never mind!

You could always pee on them, like the Romans used to do to get brilliant white laundry.

sorry NudeJude!

Where are you in the world NudeJuder?
I wondered because if you are not on mains water your water supply could be very slightly discoloured even if it is filtered, I have noticed this when I have washed whites when we have been overseas. Hanging them out in hot sunshine bleaches them too (if you have any where you are).

I think it’s added to the final rinsing water, but you should be able to google it.I visited what used to be the Reckitts factory ( Lake District) last year, very interesting.

Have you tried glo-white? You can buy that in supermarkets

What temp do you wash the bed linen ? I always use the hottest wash which keeps them white and kills any bacteria.

You just swished them about a bit in the rinsing water.

My aunt sometimes swished it in a jug and used it as a hair rinse!!! Worked though.

I thought they were just put in and remember the boiling on the gas hob in a big pot