Expert's 'game-changing' hack restores stained socks to bright white
By Rachael Gavin|
O?ne of the most common laundry frustrations has got to be restoring white socks back to their former glory.
A staple of school uniforms and sneakers, white socks quickly turn brown on the sole while the rest of the sock becomes dull and greyish.
If you've tried almost everything to get your white socks bright white and stain free without any luck, an expert may have the answer.
Sock retailer Hip Swan swears by soda crystals, which is also known as washing soda and found in the laundry section of the supermarket.
?"Soda crystals are a game-changing natural solution," the expert told the Express.
"Soaking your socks in soda crystals for half an hour before washing can help shift stubborn stains and restore whiteness.
"Although not a bleaching agent, soda crystals are excellent at lifting dirt and grime, making them a staple for keeping your socks looking their best."
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Soda crystals' effectiveness on stained white socks has also been confirmed by the members of the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips and Tricks Facebook page.
They shared the tip after another member revealed bleach hadn't worked to whiten their socks.?
"Soak in soda crystals for half an hour before popping on a hot white wash. Miracle worker!" one said.
"Leave to soak in soda crystals. Then add them to a white wash and add a big scoop of soda crystals. All natural and work wonders," a second commented.
"Soak with soda crystals for 30 minutes, then put in the washing machine. They'll come out dazzling," another said.
Made of the chemical compound sodium carbonate, soda crystals are a stronger alkaline than baking or bicarb soda, which it often gets mistaken for.
The reason soda crystals are considered a laundry staple is because it softens hard water so detergent can work more effectively to clean clothes and remove stains.
Other uses for washing soda in the laundry include removing stains by making a paste with warm water, degreasing clothes with a soak overnight and reviving stiff, crunchy towels.
If you're continuing to have issues with getting socks completely clean it could be because of a common laundry mistake.
Many of us wash socks the right way out thinking the water and detergent will get to the dirty patches easier.
But inside out is actually best and will keep them in better condition in the long term.
?"Unless the outsides of your socks are exceptionally dirty, turning socks inside out before washing is a small habit that makes a big difference when it comes to keeping them looking bright and feeling fresh," Patrick S. Harewood, senior director of research and development at Dropps, told The Spruce.
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?Another reason to wash socks inside out is that you'll be exposing the dirtiest side to the water and laundry detergent.
As you can imagine there is plenty of sweat, dead skin cells?, bacteria and odours on the side of socks that directly touches your skin and washing them wrong side out will remove those things more thoroughly.
For any stains on the right side of a sock, it's best to pre-treat them before putting them in the wash.
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