How to bleach a wool sweater at home. Rules for bleaching woolen products

31.03.2017 1 1 713 views

In the cold season, a warm sweater is simply indispensable. Light-colored clothes get dirty faster and the question arises: how to bleach a woolen thing at home? The fact is that due to the structure of the fabric, this process can become problematic, but with the right approach, it will not be difficult to return the color to the product.

What home remedies can whiten household items?

To whiten white cotton items, there is a huge selection of different products that allow you to bring even very yellowed items back to life. With wool, things are a little different. Ordinary bleaches can only ruin such clothes, or make the color even more yellow, gray or faded. It is still possible to return the original whiteness to woolen products; “grandmother's remedies” are perfect for this.

hydrogen peroxide

Ordinary hydrogen peroxide will help to return the previous color to a yellowed wool product quickly and without problems.

  1. In a small container, mix 8 parts water and 1 part hydrogen peroxide.
  2. Immerse the product in liquid and leave for several hours.
  3. After the time has elapsed, rinse in warm water, then wash in the usual way with a detergent for woolen products.

If the first time it was not possible to achieve the desired result, then the procedure can be repeated.

baking soda

You can achieve the desired result quickly if you use baking soda.

  • pour cold water into a small basin, add a little soda to it and stir;
  • we put a woolen product in the liquid and keep it there for at least 2 hours;
  • when the time is up, take it out, rinse it in cold water and place it to dry in a horizontal position.

To enhance the effect, a few pinches of citric acid are added to the water.

Salt solution

Salt is sometimes used instead of soda, the effect will be less pronounced, but in order for the effect of this solution to be stronger, several tablets of hydroperite are additionally added.

  1. A weak saline solution is prepared in a container.
  2. The wool product is soaked in the liquid for several hours.
  3. After the time has passed, it is taken out, washed under running water, and then washed with a detergent for woolen products.

For heavily yellowed products, several such procedures may be required.

chalk

You can achieve quite good results if you bleach things with chalk.

  • warm water is poured into the basin;
  • chalk, in an amount of 10-20 gr., crushed and added to water;
  • the product is placed in the liquid and left for several hours;
  • Take out and rinse in cool water.

Chalk does not dissolve in water, therefore, in order for the result to be uniform, the liquid must be periodically stirred. In addition, sometimes a few drops of boric acid are added to the water, it is believed that this way you can achieve the best result.

Special detergents for washing

You can return the color to the product if you use a special bleach, which was created directly for woolen items. It must be used according to the instructions on it.

Whitening wool at home is a housewife's dilemma, which makes you look for new solutions in everyday life. There are classic and experimental ways to lighten wool clothing. Verified information about bleaching things is always useful in everyday life.

  1. Read the information on the tag inside the product, the appropriate temperature, spin, bleach, hand wash or machine wash.
  2. A temperature of 30 less often than 40 degrees or cold water is suitable. A sharp temperature drop is not recommended - this leads to rolling of the product.
  3. Long soaking at home contributes to the stretching of the threads.
  4. You can not rub hard, twist.
  5. Use a liquid product, soap solution, foam. Bulk materials will make the fabric stiff.
  6. In the automatic machine, use the hand wash or delicate cycle without spinning.
  7. Dry clothes properly: lay them on a net or table. Don't use hangers. Do not leave the product near the battery or in direct sunlight. The item will lose color and shape.

Can you bleach a wool sweater in the washing machine?

White woolen things have an amazing look, but if they are not properly stored and cared for at home, they turn yellow. Whitening will help save your favorite sweater. For wool, there are many products with different compositions and characteristics. Some bleaches are suitable for use in a washing machine. Manufacturers promise excellent results if you follow the instructions for use. For best results, clothes can be pre-soaked with bleach for a short time and then washed in the machine on a delicate cycle. Add a detergent to the washing powder to obtain the desired result. It is important not to overexpose the sweater in bleach and not overdo it with the amount.

Carefully follow the instructions on the product packaging so as not to damage the fabric!

Wool bleaching methods

Whitening wool at home is carried out correctly so that the thing retains an attractive appearance. There are many ways to remove yellowness and stains from natural clothes. In everyday life, they use improvised, folk methods or trust classic bleaching agents. There are sparing options, for long-term reusable use, there are effective ones - quick action. If you're unsure about the washing method you've chosen, try it out on old clothes.

Hydrogen peroxide

The method with peroxide in a ratio of one to eight per amount of water remains popular for home use. The clothes are soaked in the solution for 6-8 hours, then rinsed thoroughly in water at room temperature. Woolen fabrics must be washed before bleaching. Boiling with peroxide is suitable for yarn. Do not use high temperatures for finished products.

soda, salt

Baking soda is an inexpensive but worthwhile option for bleaching woolen clothes at home. Pour water into the basin, add soda and mix well, leave the thing for 6 hours. For 6 liters of water, take 100 grams of sodium hydroxide. The whitening method is effective and gently removes the yellow and gray tint. For prevention, you can soak a wool sweater before each wash.

Kitchen salt will help lighten the jacket at home. For one thing, take 200 grams of salt and 5 liters of water to get an average degree of saturation. Dip the product for several hours in a bleach solution and rinse. Salt does not work immediately. Repeat the procedure a couple of times to achieve success.

White

The method with whiteness is fast, effective, but with frequent use at home, it spoils woolen clothes. The composition contains chlorine, you should use a recipe for preparing a weak solution in the ratio of 25 ml of the product per 5 liters of water. Leave the thing to bleach for half an hour, turning it from one side to the other. Rinse thoroughly. Not suitable for fabrics with colored inserts or embroidery. The tool will ruin them.

Chlorine is far from being a delicate substance with an unpleasant odor, save it as a last resort for stubborn stains!

Laundry soap

Laundry soap is suitable for bleaching yarn at home. Rub the soap shavings, leave the wool for several hours in the solution. If the result is unsatisfactory, you can lighten by resorting to boiling with soap. Laundry soap during bleaching spoils the structure of the fabric: do not use for finished products.

Other Methods

  1. Weak acids are a wool bleaching option with proven efficacy. Use citric or boric acid at home. The recipe is simple: one spoon per liter of water for 2.5 hours.
  2. Means with a pungent odor - ammonia copes well with stains. Can be used at home. To obtain the desired concentration, a spoonful of the substance is added to a liter of water and the jacket is left for 2-3 hours. Ammonium chloride can be added to peroxide or soda - this will enhance the result.
  3. Impregnation of fibers with chalk will give woolen clothes a white color. To obtain the desired saturation, you need a lot of chalk, 400 grams per 5 liters of water. The solution must be constantly stirred so that the active substances do not settle at the bottom of the pelvis. Soak wool at home for no more than an hour.

Overview of specialized bleaches

Name Compound Mode of application Exposure time Peculiarities
Vanish Liquid oxygen-based bleach, non-ionic surfactants, anionic surfactants. 50 ml Vanish for 2 liters of water at a temperature of 30 g for soaking. Then add a tablespoon of detergent to the washing powder. up to 4 hours It will help wash stains, remove the yellowness of white and colored woolen fabrics.
Swan oxygen-containing stain removers, complexing agents Prepare a solution of 25 g of powder per kg of clothes and leave the sweater in it. Do not spray directly on clothing. 30 minutes Fast, gentle action.
biofeedback sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate - decomposes in water into several active components, TAED activators, polymers. 1 liter of water + 40 g of powder or 60 ml of gel. 15-20 minutes Affordable price, whitens well and removes fresh stains, works at a temperature of 30-50 degrees.
ACE-bio + oxygen 15-30% oxygen-containing white, 5-15% phosphates, polycarboxylates. Dissolve in 5 liters of water 5 tbsp. substances (60 g). 20 minutes The leader according to test results and reviews of hostesses, unsafe for wool. Suitable for yarn.
ACE sodium hypochlorite. 50 ml per 6 liters of cold water with the addition of washing powder. 15 minutes Effective in cold water, not intended for colored threads, delicate things can be ruined.
SARMA oxygen-containing compounds more than 30%, phosphates, silicates, sulfates, carbonates, surfactants. To the usual powder, 60-80 ml is added to 10 liters for manual cleaning, 130-140 ml for 4.5 kg of laundry with a machine. does not require pre-soaking. Whitening with antibacterial effect.
belle chemical compounds with lightening activators. To 10 liters 50 ml of substance. half an hour Silk and wool fibers will lose their former appearance, it is better not to take risks when bleaching at home. Temperature range from 40 to 95 degrees.
Persol-2 active oxygen, optical white, sodium salts. 30 g Persol per 5 liters of water. up to an hour Does not spoil the color of the fibers, cheap, do not use for silk products.

Using the table, select the right product that will help you whiten wool whites with minimal risks at home.

How not to ruin a white woolen thing

Wool is a beautiful but delicate material that requires careful care. With improper cleaning, things easily lose their shape, color and softness. It is better to give such clothes to a professional dry cleaner, but if you follow simple rules, you can cope with bleaching and washing at home.

  1. Not all wool is the same. Products contain different percentages of natural fiber with synthetic, so the care rules are different. Follow the instructions on the label.
  2. Woolen products do not like frequent washing. You can freshen up the jacket after long-term storage in the closet by simply airing it by hanging it on the balcony.
  3. Do not use hot water for home bleaching, washing, soaking or rinsing.
  4. Do not use ironing. The sweater will iron itself to dry.
  5. Do not wring or twist the fabric.
  6. Dry clothes in a horizontal position.

Let things always be in excellent condition, and their bleaching is not required.

Many people avoid buying white pullovers and sweaters for fear that the fabric will turn yellow. But if you know how to bleach wool at home, you can safely wear your favorite things. There are many folk ways that will help restore the whiteness of yarn and knitted pullovers, while keeping them soft and voluminous. The funds necessary for the procedure are available in every home, which will save the family budget. It remains only to learn about all the secrets of whitening.

Baking soda

This method is more likely to be called preventive. It is effective if applied before yellowing appears on white woolen clothes.

Before each wash, it is necessary to soak a white sweater in warm water with the addition of soda. The best ratio is 2 tbsp. soda per liter. The exposure time is 20-30 minutes.

An important rule: do not add a soapy cleaning agent, such as washing powder, to the solution.

Such household chemicals reduce the effectiveness of soda. Therefore, if you want to wash the yarn in a balm, you can do it after the preventive procedure.

Before bleaching wool socks and sweaters, read the information on the label. Some substances may not be allowed to be used on clothing. In addition, care instructions are indicated on the tag.

Hydrogen peroxide

The medical disinfectant composition has excellent whitening properties. In addition, hydrogen peroxide is safe for many fabrics, including wool and yarn. Knowing this, our grandmothers discovered this method several decades ago:

  1. Pour cool water into the basin at about 20 degrees.
  2. Add 2-3 vials of hydrogen peroxide and mix thoroughly.
  3. Dip wool items into the solution and immerse them in the bottom of the container. Soaking should last at least two hours.
  4. After that, the sweater should be slightly wrung out, removing the main moisture, and then blotted with a terry towel.

Advice. Dry woolen clothes in a horizontal position on a flat surface. This way you avoid uneven stretching.

Do not place wet whites on newspapers or colored bags. In this case, the paint may be absorbed into the fibers of the material.

Laundry soap

Boiling has always been considered very effective in combating the yellowness and grayness of light fabrics. This bleaching method can also be applied to woolen products:

  1. Grind laundry soap on a grater to get small chips.
  2. Pour it into a metal container with cold water and stir.
  3. Put the solution on the fire, and when it becomes warm, put a sweater or hat in the basin. Bring the composition with clothes to a boil and remove from heat after 10 minutes.
  4. Drain the boiling water and fill with warm water. Rinse things well and drain the composition.
  5. Pour warm water again with a temperature of 30-40 degrees and add 5-6 tablespoons to it. vinegar for 3-4 liters. Stir.
  6. Immerse white yarn in the composition, rinse and leave for 5 minutes.
  7. Drain the water and wring out the product.

After such bleaching, woolen items can not be washed with special detergents.

Advice. Do not store white wool pullovers and hats with colored items.

Lemon acid

Citric acid will help whiten a woolen white sweater at home. If it is not available, then boric acid can be used. These substances have similar properties:

  1. Pour 5 liters of warm water into the basin and pour 5 tablespoons there. citric acid.
  2. Stir and dip the knitted garment.

In this case, there are no strict instructions on the time of exposure. Products need to be pulled out when you are satisfied with the result. Usually this time is about 6-8 hours. Then the hat or mittens must be pulled out and rinsed thoroughly.

Advice. To evenly bleach white knitted items during the soaking period, periodically turn them over from one side to the other.

Ammonia

Ammonia will help to effectively whiten a knitted white sweater, especially when combined with other effective means. In addition, it removes certain types of stains from the material well. Do the following:

  1. Pour 6 liters of warm water into the basin and add 10 ml of ammonia. Stir.
  2. Put a wool product into the solution, rinse it and leave it for 5-10 minutes.
  3. At this time, prepare another composition. In one liter of water, add 1 ml of ammonia and 5 ml of hydrogen peroxide. Shake it up.
  4. Remove the product from the first solution and squeeze lightly. Then transfer it to the second and leave for half an hour.
  5. After 30 minutes, add 1 tbsp. vinegar and stir the liquid.
  6. Rinse the jacket a little and wring it out.

This method in three stages will restore whiteness even to clothes with an old dark coating.

Salt

Ordinary table salt, although not a powerful bleaching agent, nevertheless, with several repeated procedures, it can return the original whiteness to things with a fresh yellow coating:

  1. Pour 200 grams of salt into a 5-liter container with warm water and stir until it is completely dissolved.
  2. Then dip the sweater and wool socks into the solution several times.
  3. Put the thing on for 3-5 minutes, then pull it out and let the water drain.
  4. Then again immerse the product in a salty liquid. Repeat the procedure about five times.
  5. At the end of bleaching, wring out the jacket and let it dry.

Chalk

With the help of chalk it will be good to bleach a white sweater at home. For one voluminous jacket of an adult, about half a kilogram of crushed chalk will be required:

  1. Grind the chalk to a state of flour and pour it into the basin.
  2. Pour the powder with warm water and stir.
  3. Put a woolen hat or scarf in the white composition and leave for one hour.

Chalk does not dissolve in water and settles at the bottom of the container, so it is necessary to stir the solution every 10 minutes. After the bleaching procedure is completed, drain the chalk liquid and rinse the yarn.

Special funds

For those who do not want to bother with the preparation of home mixtures, ready-made industrial bleaches are sold: chlorine-containing, oxygen-containing and optical. The principle of their operation has its own characteristic differences:

  1. Chlorine-containing compounds are considered very effective, but aggressive. Not every material can survive such a strong impact.
  2. Oxygen-containing products are softer. They are indispensable if you need to return the whiteness to things with colored inserts.
  3. Optical brighteners do not remove dark plaque, but mask it with the help of special granules that envelop the fibers of the fabric.

The most famous trademarks are Vanish, Persol, Belizna, Amway, Help and Faberlic. Whatever tool you choose, before using it, be sure to read the instructions on the label.

Another important rule for all types of bleach: in no case do not keep the composition on the woolen material longer than expected. This may damage the fabric.

On cozy winter evenings, it is so nice to bask in a warm woolen sweater or go on a romantic date in a cute woolen dress. And if these things are also dazzling white, they will bring a lot of pleasant moments to their owner and the people around him. However, everyone knows that white things undergo some changes over time. Their color becomes duller, and sometimes even yellow stains appear from improper care of woolen things.

How to bleach a woolen thing? Wool is also known to be more vulnerable to common stain removers and bleaches than other fabrics. Therefore, they require gentle and gentle care for them. This article will offer several options - how to bleach a woolen thing at home. There are several very simple and affordable remedies for returning woolen clothes to their original whiteness.


In order for woolen products not to stretch during drying, it is necessary to wring out the item with a little pressure, then lay it out on a flat surface, on a clean white cloth, trying not to stretch the neckline, bottom and sleeves. Wait until the product is completely dry. Iron on the lowest setting, without the steam element.

Woolen yarn is generally durable. Knitwear from it is worn for more than one year. And even after the obsolescence of a thing, it can be bandaged and worn for several more years.

Here is just one nuance for white yarn: it will retain its shape, the strength of the fibers too, and the color will lose from washing and the bright sun. Of course, if you dreamed of changing the color specifically to ivory or with a slight hint of yellowness, do not worry. But if you think these shades are unsympathetic, you will have to return the wool to whiteness.

Wool bleaching home remedies

There are some pretty easy ways to bleach wool at home.

Hydrogen peroxide

The recognized #1 bleach in everyday life is hydrogen peroxide. Stock up on several bottles, pour into cool water at the rate of 1 share of peroxide to 8 parts of water.

You don't need a lot of liquid. Direct the solution just enough to soak the thing in it.

Soaking will last 5-7 hours. You can leave bleaching overnight, and in the morning rinse the wool product in clean water and hang it to dry, but not under the bright rays of the sun.

Bleachers

For bright whites, bleaches are used. If the thing is plain white, bleach is also suitable. It is not necessary to overexpose the wool in it: the fibers will suffer.

If there are color patterns on the jacket / sweater, then you will have to refrain from chlorine-containing bleaches. Oxygen will do.

After using bleach, things should be rinsed.

Soda

You can use baking soda instead of peroxide and bleach. Food or calcined - there is no difference.

The method is the same: dilute sodium bicarbonate in water, you can warm it. Carefully dissolve, lower woolen yellowed things there. Wait a couple of hours for the yarn to soak and lighten. Take out, rinse out. Otherwise, the remaining soda crystals will create a white coating in the form of a fine powder.

By the way, soda should be added with each wash of things. Wool changes in color from hard water. Soda softens water, neutralizes salts in it, things keep their white color longer.

Chalk

You can also lightly whiten the wool with chalk. Here it will be needed neither more nor less - half a kilo on average for one large woolen product.

Chalk powder does not dissolve in water. The suspension will have to be stirred over and over again so that the chalk evenly and completely penetrates the fibers, bleaching them. After 40 minutes of soaking, things can be removed.

Salt

What else to try to bleach wool? Salt.

Prepare a medium strength saline solution. Don't rap. Dilute sodium chloride in hot water, dip a woolen thing there several times. Then rinse the remaining salt crystals in cold water.

After several salt baths, the coat becomes noticeably whiter.


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