Now that February is here spring is just around the corner, which means many people will be freshening up their bedrooms and it may be time to give your sheets a good wash.
If you notice any dingy yellow marks on your sheets then do not be alarmed, as bedding often becomes stained due to oils in sweat building up on the fabric during winter time.
It may seem strange to sweat more in winter but your bedroom is likely to be hot at night if you have the radiator on and the windows closed which can cause more humidity.
Yellow-stained sheets can look unsightly but there is no need to throw them away, as the bed experts at Casper have shared you just need one simple ingredient to get sheets white again.
They said: “Lemon contains citric acid, a natural bleaching agent, which helps brighten your sheets without the use of chemicals.
“Using lemon juice is an all-natural method that’ll leave a pleasant citrus smell on your sheets. There are two methods for using lemon to whiten yellowed sheets.”
You should not use bleach to clean sheets as the chemicals can react to the protein in sweat, leading to discolouration, patchy spots and even deepened yellow marks rather than remove them.
However, citric acid in lemon juice can break down sweat stains and is particularly effective on yellow stains caused by sweat or body oils.
Lemon juice is a simple, cheap and powerful tool when it comes to laundry as it is also acidic, which can also help loosen any bacteria on your sheets to wash them properly.
How to use lemon juice to properly clean bedding
All you need to do is place your bedding in the washing machine as you normally would. Then pour fresh lemon juice directly into the detergent drawer of your washing machine and also add your usual laundry detergent.
Choose a warm setting but do not put your washing machine on an extremely hot cycle as this can set sweat stains.
Put your machine machine on a wash and once it is done, dry your sheets outside in the sun if you can.
The expert said: “If possible, air-drying your sheets in the sun is another great way to keep your sheets crisp and white. The sun has natural bleaching properties and won’t set any stains as a dryer would.”
The ultraviolet rays in sunlight will react with the citric acid in lemon juice to help naturally brighten your sheets and help make tough stains fade away.
Your sheets and other white bedding will be completely clean, bright and smell amazing thanks to this natural laundry method.
