LifestyleCleaningWhite clothes and fabrics can fade over time, leaving them looking grey or yellow10:15, 02 Jun 2026White clothing and fabrics lose their brightness over time for various reasons, often appearing to turn grey or yellow. This is typically down to a build-up of detergent residue, trapped body oils, and dye transfer during washing. The dullness tends to be most noticeable on everyday laundry items such as socks, school polo shirts, and linen trousers.‌However, a laundry expert has revealed how to restore them to their former glory. Deyan Dimitrov, laundry expert at Laundryheap, says that white clothes can be kept "looking vibrant" with a few common kitchen cupboard staples.‌Table saltAccording to the expert, table salt is an excellent way to revive whites. Begin by soaking the garment — simply place dull white clothes into a tub of cold water with five tablespoons of salt.‌Deyan recommended leaving them to soak for at least one hour. He said: "The salt works to break down the buildup of dirt in the fabric that has caused it to appear faded.""Salt has natural abrasive properties, which make it good for scouring out stubborn stains."Mix salt water into a paste and work it into stained or discoloured areas." This gentle scrubbing motion helps to lift dirt and stains from fabric fibres.‌If using the scrub, allow it to sit for 30 minutes before washing on a normal cycle.Deyan added: "Salt will be your wonder weapon in your battle against discoloured whites."Not only is fine table salt incredibly cheap, but it can also be used safely in combination with other natural remedies like lemon juice and white vinegar." According to the laundry expert, this hack costs just 10p, making it an affordable way to brighten whites.‌A bottle of lemon juiceLemon juice is a natural source of citric acid, which, according to Deyan, whitens fabrics and eliminates bacteria.He said: "This weak acid has mild bleaching qualities that can strip away unwanted yellows and greys that are common on white clothes without damaging the fabric that you're trying to brighten.‌"You can add half a cup of lemon juice into your regular wash cycle to give it a boost. For stubborn stains, create a solution of lemon juice and water in a 1:2 ratio."Soak for 10 minutes before wringing your garment out and washing with a good bio detergent.SunshineOnce your clothes are washed, hang your whites outside in direct sunlight to dry naturally. The sun's UV rays act as a natural bleaching agent, delivering an additional "whitening boost" that is "completely free".Article continues belowThis approach works best on bright, sunny days and is most effective when combined with other methods.Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌Cleaning