# Keeping white dress shirts clean and bright



## LeeReynolds (Jan 23, 2012)

What is the best way to keep white cotton dress shirts clean and bright?

I ask because I've noticed that my undershirts tend to progress from white, to off white, and end up well in the beige area before I discard them.

Normally I wear dark dress and button down shirts, but I do have a few white ones that I've begun wearing a bit as of late.

I'd like to keep them in good condition as long as I can. 

If anyone has any laundry recommendations for these, I'd much appreciate it.

In case it matters, I do have a nice front-loading washer and dryer that does a good job of protecting my clothes from undue wear and tear. I'm mostly looking for insight on what detergents, whitening agents, water temperature, etc, I should be using.


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## Tempest (Aug 16, 2012)

Bleach and bluing. Also, pre-treat with detergent and try to minimize the machine drying as any residual detergent or staining gets cooked in.


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## MWhisler (Oct 4, 2008)

I agree, pretreating and bluing for sure. I also pause the wash cycle and let mine soak in the washer for an hour or two then let them continue washing and on through rinsing etc.


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## Charles Dana (Nov 20, 2006)

Wash your white shirts with only white shirts using Tide with "bleach alternative" and with Borax. (I read somewhere that the Borax neutralizes the minerals in wash water, and that those minerals contribute to the dingy appearance of clothes. Neutralize the minerals, prevent the dingyness. Is this true? Who knows? But I have been able to keep my white shirts white using Tide plus Borax.)

Another thing: Alexander Kabbaz, a maker of custom shirts, once wrote that unprocessed cotton is naturally tannish/grayish, and that it has to be bleached in order to be white. Hot water, over time, gradually breaks down the bleach in white cotton fabric, causing it to slowly revert to its natural dingyness. Accordingly, wash your shirts in warm, never hot, water, and either hang them to dry or use a dryer on the low or medium setting.


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## drlivingston (Jun 21, 2012)

Oxi-Clean


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

I soak all my shirts in a few extra doses of Oxi-Clean (or the generic alternative -- it's all the same), the regular amount of detergent, and the normal amount of water in the washer, pausing the washer before the actual agitation begins. Leave overnight or even a day, starting one night and then finishing the wash cycle the next. I find most stains (including the dreaded ring around the collar and cuffs) tend to go away doing this and it keeps my whites pretty bright without the need for bleach.


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## TsAr (Mar 21, 2013)

Surf Excel and bluing does the job for me....


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## WICaniac (Sep 25, 2013)

I know the OP asked for washing recommendations, but using astringent (applied with a cotton ball) on the neck before donning a white shirt reduces ring around the color; pit stains can be eliminated altogether by changing your deodorant.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Or wearing an undershirt.


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## WICaniac (Sep 25, 2013)

Jovan said:


> Or wearing an undershirt.


 But that were sufficient for some of us....


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## Stubbly (Jul 26, 2013)

Tempest said:


> Bleach and bluing. Also, pre-treat with detergent and try to minimize the machine drying as any residual detergent or staining gets cooked in.


Chlorine bleach or non-chlorine bleach?

Non-chlorine bleach dosen't seem to work very well. Chlorine bleach allegedly damages fabric.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

WICaniac said:


> But that were sufficient for some of us....


How is it not? Most of those pit stains aren't actually from sweat, they're from the aluminium chloride in antiperspirant. Undershirts are cheaper to replace than a shirt. (Though Deo-Go can remove those stains.) It's best to just use plain deodorant and an undershirt, I've found. I've had success with SweatBlock, but it's a bit pricey and some people don't like the idea of blocking the sweat glands under one's arms understandably.



Stubbly said:


> Chlorine bleach or non-chlorine bleach?
> 
> Non-chlorine bleach dosen't seem to work very well. Chlorine bleach allegedly damages fabric.


I've found my method to work pretty well. I never use chlorine bleach on anything, even towels.


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## tigerpac (Jan 23, 2014)

Can do it old school style... Just buy new shirts

Jk, oxy clean


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## WICaniac (Sep 25, 2013)

Jovan said:


> How is it not? Most of those pit stains aren't actually from sweat, they're from the aluminium chloride in antiperspirant. Undershirts are cheaper to replace than a shirt. (Though Deo-Go can remove those stains.) It's best to just use plain deodorant and an undershirt, I've found. I've had success with SweatBlock, but it's a bit pricey and some people don't like the idea of blocking the sweat glands under one's arms understandably.
> 
> I've found my method to work pretty well. I never use chlorine bleach on anything, even towels.


Regarding the aluminum chloride, you are now echoing my original suggestion to change deodorant. Your first response, however, was "*or* wear an undershirt" (implicitly without changing deodorant). I, for one, cannot wear deodorant containing aluminum chloride even with an undershirt as the sweat and chemicals saturate and stain both layers. If you revisit my earlier post, I think you'll find that we are merely agreeing with one another.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

No malice intended.


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## WICaniac (Sep 25, 2013)

Jovan said:


> No malice intended.


None perceived. And I should have been more precise in distinguishing between deodorant and antiperspirant (as I use the former term in an a broad, colloquial sense).


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## Tempest (Aug 16, 2012)

Stubbly said:


> Non-chlorine bleach dosen't seem to work very well. Chlorine bleach allegedly damages fabric.


Yeah, it's riskier but with whites I'd rather have the garment life cut in half and remain snowy white than last forever as a dingy embarrassment.
I use maybe 1/4 cup or so every month or so. If you directly spot or something, you can indeed disintegrate fibers.


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## IvanD (Jan 5, 2012)

Another vote for Oxi brite (or it's equivalent)
I have to wear white shirts as part of my work uniform and my good lady refuses to put greying shirts on our washing line, so a dose of the old Oxi brite goes into every white wash. 
I have some work shirts that after being worn and washed every week for the last two years are still as bright as they were the day they were unpacked.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

Jovan said:


> Or wearing an undershirt.


But by wearing an undershirt will make you sweat more.


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## Stubbly (Jul 26, 2013)

Tempest said:


> Yeah, it's riskier but with whites I'd rather have the garment life cut in half and remain snowy white than last forever as a dingy embarrassment.
> I use maybe 1/4 cup or so every month or so. If you directly spot or something, you can indeed disintegrate fibers.


Jovan's "method" may work... However, in some cases, more stringent methods may be necessary, even if such methods could reduce a shirt's lifespan.


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## mfs (Mar 1, 2009)

ditto on the oxy-clean. And I do machine dry, but only on medium heat and remove still somewhat damp.


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## BrianPaul (Jun 12, 2009)

140 degree water, tide, and Oxy. Soak overnight.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Howard said:


> But by wearing an undershirt will make you sweat more.


Not necessarily.


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## Checkerboard 13 (Oct 6, 2009)

Simple system: wear once; drop off (when a half dozen or so worn shirts have collected); pick up clean on hanger; repeat.

To any who might complain that commercial laundering shortens the life of shirts, I would reply that shirts are expendables and my time is valuable. There are far more important things in life (like polishing shoes!) that one can devote time to.

(And despite my cavalier attitude toward their care, it's several years before any of my shirts wear out. The MOP buttons suffer occasionally, but that's what spare buttons are for... and the laundry doesn't charge for replacing them.)


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## mjpwooo (Dec 27, 2013)

What is bluing? Never heard of it.


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## Tempest (Aug 16, 2012)

You know how old ladies would use a blue-tinged dye so their hair would look silvery white instead of plaque yellow? Same principle. A blue wash-in dye used in sparing concentration. There's a good chance it's in the grocery store laundry aisle.
https://mrsstewart.com/


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## FalconLorenzo (Aug 14, 2013)

Howard said:


> But by wearing an undershirt will make you sweat more.


This was always my theory and for years I never wore undershirts because in the summer I can be a real sweaty guy. However, the reality is that a lightweight cotton v neck shirt will probably not cause any conceivable increase to body temperature and even if it does most of the sweat is absorbed by the undershirt and does not seep through to your outer shirt. I am a convert as of two years ago and I love undershirts now.


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## Acme (Oct 5, 2011)

^+1. :smile:


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## Fading Fast (Aug 22, 2012)

BrianPaul said:


> 140 degree water, tide, and Oxy. Soak overnight.


Yes, similar to Jovan's method, I do this and the whites come out insanely bright and clean and without a bleach smell (and, overtime, I think bleach actually yellows things).


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

140 degree water, though? :crazy: That sounds really harsh. I use warm water if needed, but make sure the rinse is cold. Obviously washers will differ, but basically the warm water will have done its job to help loosen stains and be cold by the time you come back to it.


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## medhat (Jan 15, 2006)

I think I've tried all these recommendations with varying degrees of success, but back to the OP concern (dingy overall shirts), it isn't uncommon that the issue is TOO MUCH detergent, not too little. As I recall this is particularly an issue with HE washers, folks use their "typical" amount of detergent (or non-HE designated detergent) and over time this builds up on the clothing. Might this be contributing to OPs problem? May be worth a run or two through the washer without detergent (although I might be tempted to treat the collars alone, either with any of the already-recommended suggestions, a "laundry bar", or (not mentioned yet, but previously posted by Andy) a bit of regular hair shampoo). Just another idea for consideration.


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## Spex (Nov 25, 2012)

I've been wearing these Uniqlo Dry-Fit undershirts for a few years now during the warmer months (and their HeatTech undershirts in the colder months). If you've ever been to Tokyo during the summer (or even the later spring) you'll know that the Japanese need something to combat the humid heat, as a great deal of the men are dressed in somewhat uniform navy blue office suits. I figure they must know what they're doing. I usually wear the grey versions. The white ones have suffered pit stains. but better that those stains go to a $10 undershirt rather than a more expensive dress shirt.


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## Fraser Tartan (May 12, 2010)

Warm water with Oxiclean added to load about every other time easily prevents dinginess for me. The local water is soft water so that helps. I use the Oxiclean soak method for dingy but otherwise nice thrift finds. It's an easy and highly effective solution.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

FalconLorenzo said:


> This was always my theory and for years I never wore undershirts because in the summer I can be a real sweaty guy. However, the reality is that a lightweight cotton v neck shirt will probably not cause any conceivable increase to body temperature and even if it does most of the sweat is absorbed by the undershirt and does not seep through to your outer shirt. I am a convert as of two years ago and I love undershirts now.


Lorenzo, I sweat perfuciously during the summer and it's something I can't help with.


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## Tim Correll (Jul 18, 2005)

All of these problems people are having keeping white dress shirts clean and bright is why I have all of my shirts (regardless of color, pattern, solid and so on and so forth) dry cleaned. They come out clean and bright every time unless the stain is really bad. In that case, I have to throw the shirt out. Fortunately, this is ultra rare for me.


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## BrianPaul (Jun 12, 2009)

Jovan said:


> 140 degree water, though? :crazy: That sounds really harsh. I use warm water if needed, but make sure the rinse is cold. Obviously washers will differ, but basically the warm water will have done its job to help loosen stains and be cold by the time you come back to it.


Sorry, it's actually 120 degrees. It's similar to the method my father uses for his stock of rental tuxedo shirts if they have really bad stains.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Audi S5 TC said:


> All of these problems people are having keeping white dress shirts clean and bright is why I have all of my shirts (regardless of color, pattern, solid and so on and so forth) dry cleaned. They come out clean and bright every time unless the stain is really bad. In that case, I have to throw the shirt out. Fortunately, this is ultra rare for me.


Get a better cleaner if they can't get a stain out. Your shirts are actually wet cleaned, by the way, unless all of your shirts are silk or something.



BrianPaul said:


> Sorry, it's actually 120 degrees. It's similar to the method my father uses for his stock of rental tuxedo shirts if they have really bad stains.


Still seems a little high in heat. That's practically boiling them and sounds like it could cut down on the useful life.


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