As of: January 30, 2024, 1:30 p.m
By: Andrea Stettner
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White laundry quickly loses its radiance and stains are particularly visible.
The right washing temperature can help.
Whether socks, towels or shirts – white laundry only stays bright and beautiful if you care for it properly.
The washing temperature also plays a role.
However, other factors are more crucial.
Washing white laundry: At what temperature does it get really clean?
The temperature at which white laundry can be washed depends on the material.
© YAY Images/Imago
As with other laundry, the temperature at which you should wash your white laundry depends primarily on the material.
The same applies to the correct washing program for white laundry.
To prevent delicate shirts, sweaters, etc. from shrinking or losing their shape, you should always follow the care instructions on the washing label.
Basically, lightly or normally soiled white laundry gets clean at 30 or 40 degrees.
Bed linen, towels and other textiles made of cotton or linen can usually be washed at a higher temperature of 60 degrees.
At this temperature, when using a heavy-duty detergent, the laundry is additionally bleached and most germs are killed.
If towels still smell after washing, it could also be due to the washing temperature.
The
Washing Forum
recommends the following washing temperatures regardless of white or colored laundry, depending on the degree of soiling:
Washing temperature |
Degree of pollution / special features |
|---|---|
30 degrees |
Normally/lightly soiled laundry, stored dry |
40 degrees |
heavily soiled or has a strong, unpleasant smell or was stored damp |
60 degrees |
washcloths, towels, kitchen linens/food preparation textiles; e.g. tea towels, aprons, dishcloths |
other particularly soiled textiles, such as work clothing and textiles that come into contact with animals |
|
Laundry soiled with feces, vomit or blood |
|
Laundry for sick people, their carers or particularly vulnerable people (pregnant women, infants, immunocompromised people) |
|
90 degrees |
only necessary on medical advice (e.g. for people with weakened immune systems) |
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Always pre-sort white laundry and choose the right detergent
To ensure that your laundry stays white and does not turn gray or discolored, the following tips will help:
Always wash white laundry separately from colored or even dark laundry.
Even a colorful item of laundry in the drum can lead to unsightly discoloration.
For white laundry made from insensitive fabrics, it is best to use a heavy-duty detergent in powder form.
These contain bleach, which ensures that the laundry stays white and does not turn gray.
Bleach is activated at temperatures as low as 40 degrees, but the bleaching effect increases as the temperature increases.
These bleaches are not contained in liquid detergents, universal detergents or colored detergents.
Use a wool detergent for white wool clothing and a mild detergent for silk.
This protects the sensitive materials.
Home remedies help against gray haze and yellowing
If a gray stain has already formed on your white laundry, it is best to hang the laundry outside to dry, as sunlight also has a bleaching effect and can make your white laundry shine again.
In addition, home remedies help to remove an unsightly gray film or yellow stains on white laundry.