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Q: I used chlorine bleach on my tennis whites and they
came out yellow. Do you have any idea why?
A: The most likely cause is the quality of your water. Sudden changes
in water quality frequently occur in the summer months, particularly in rural
areas or where the water comes from a well. You probably have metals (iron or
manganese) either in the water itself or in the pipes. These metals react with
sodium hypochlorite, which is an active ingredient in chlorine bleach. The interaction
creates colored materials that deposit onto the garments. After drying, the garments
are essentially dyed with the colored material. To prevent this from happening
in the future, investigate using a product specially formulated to treat your
water supply. To reclaim the stained tennis whites, look for a product that is
designed to remove rust stains in the laundry.
Q: Everyone in my family is diligent about using sunscreen
and my daughter uses a self-tanner when she wants that tanned look. This is all
good for our family's skin, but not necessarily for our clothes, as both
products occasionally produce stains. How do I remove these stains?
A: Pretreat with a prewash stain remover, and then launder, using the
hottest water that's safe for the fabric. In the case of the self-tanner,
line-dry the garment, then check to make sure the stain has disappeared. If the
stain remains, pretreat and wash again. In the unlikely event that the stain
remains and you really want to salvage the garment, try this: Dab a 3% hydrogen
peroxide solution – the kind used for first aid – directly onto the
stain. (Test first on an inconspicuous place on the garment to be sure the peroxide
doesn't harm the fabric.) Then rub glycerin into the stain. Launder in
the hottest water that's safe for the fabric.
– Nancy Bock is Vice President of Education at The Soap and Detergent Association
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