Over time, crisp white bedding can turn grey and dull. Using the wrong amount of detergent, washing whites with other colours and washing at low temperatures can cause white bedding to lose its brilliance.
White fabrics are also usually coated with optical brighteners, which wear off the more you wash your laundry.
Hotels, B&Bs and Airbnbs often have crisp, white bedding despite them being used and washed multiple times.
Trying to replicate the look at home can be difficult, especially if you have a large household, pets, and children.
Shane Wilde, known as @shanemwilde on TikTok, has shared his advice for keeping bedding and towels white.
Shane said: “I want to tell you our secret to keeping these things really white.”
The real estate expert, who previously owned and operated 25 Airbnbs in Utah, US, said most people think they need to use Clorox to keep white items white.
Clorox is a brand of bleach that is often used to disinfect, whiten and clean white laundry items. The bleach contains sodium hypochlorite and can also be used to disinfect surfaces.
However, Shane said Clorox does not have to be used to clean bedding. For white towels, Shane did suggest using Clorox; however, for sheets, he suggested a surprisingly common everyday item – white vinegar.
“For sheets, we use distilled white vinegar,” Shane said, “that is the key.”
He added, “Add a cup of distilled white vinegar to your detergent, and it will keep your sheets looking good.”
Shane mentioned in the comments that this hack should only be used on white linen, not coloured sheets and bedding.
White vinegar has natural whitening properties and can help break down dirt, stains and a build up of detergent.
Over time, using white vinegar should brighten white bedding without the need for harsh chemicals.
The natural item is also an effective fabric softener and doesn’t damage them like some conditioners do.
While most people think white vinegar will leave an unpleasant scent on their laundry, the cupboard staple can actually help eliminate strong odours caused by bacteria.
Distilled vinegar can be bought from most local supermarkets and online. Tesco distilled vinegar costs 35p and a litre of distilled vinegar costs £1.09 from Asda.
