10 Ways to Whiten Laundry Without Bleach (2024)

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Ran out of bleach? Brighten your laundry using these alternatives, including some all-natural ingredients.

Mary Marlowe Leverette

Mary Marlowe Leverette has over four decades of experience and has been writing and consulting for more than 20 years sharing her knowledge on efficient housekeeping, stain removal methods, and textile conservation.

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Updated on May 29, 2024

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Emily Peterson

Fact checked byEmily Peterson

Emily Peterson is an experienced fact-checker and editor with Bachelor's degrees in English Literature and French.

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A crisp white shirt or a perfectly cut white T-shirt are wardrobe classics—and there are ways to whiten these laundry items without bleach. If they look a little grey or off-white, it may be time to brighten them. If you don't happen to have any chlorine bleach on hand, or if you prefer to skip the chemicals, these alternatives to bleach will whiten your laundry.

Most of these bleach alternatives work best on natural fibers, like cotton or linen, and should only be used on white clothing without prints or contrasting trim to avoid fading. As with regular bleach, follow the instructions carefully! If you prefer to skip store-bought products completely, there are also some proven methods for brightening laundry using supplies you may already have on hand, such as lemons and white vinegar.

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Distilled White Vinegar

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Add one cup of distilled white vinegar to one gallon of hot water. Submerge the white fabric into the mixture and allow it to soak overnight, then launder as usual. Adding one cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle when washing white or colorful clothing will help cut through the detergent residue that leaves clothes looking dull.

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Lemons

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The citric acid in lemons can bleach fabrics and works well to whiten cotton, linen, and polyester fibers. Mix a half cup of lemon juice (from about four lemons) into one gallon of hot water. Add white laundry to the lemon water and allow it to soak for at least one hour. You can leave it soaking longer, even overnight, to whiten. Then wash as usual.

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Baking Soda

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Stir one cup of baking soda into one gallon of boiling water, then remove from heat and add the dingy white clothes. Let them soak for at least an hour or overnight. The sodium bicarbonate will help cut through the soil on cotton clothing that leaves them dull. Wash as usual.

If you have yellow sweat stains on the armpits of your shirt, you can use a paste of equal parts baking soda, lemon juice, and water to remove them naturally. Apply the paste and agitate it with a toothbrush or other small brush, then leave it on for 30 minutes and wash as usual.

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Hydrogen Peroxide

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Safe to use on all washable fabrics, hydrogen peroxide is a mild form of oxygen bleach. Use the same 3 percent solution sold in drugstores for first aid and add one cup to the washing machine's bleach dispenser. Because hydrogen peroxide breaks down quickly, make sure it is fresh (it should fizz when poured into a cup). Otherwise, you're just adding plain water to the washer.

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Bluing

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An old-fashioned product that comes in either a powdered or liquid formula, bluing adds a trace of blue iron pigment that makes the fabric appear whiter to the human eye. Bluing can be added to the wash or rinse cycle, but you should always dilute it and follow the directions carefully. It does fade after several washes but can be reused often.

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Color Remover

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Used by textile artists, color removers are chlorine-free but contain sodium hydrosulfite to remove dye from fabrics. It is safe to use on cotton, linen, silk, wool, rayon, ramie, and synthetic fabrics. You'll get the best results on natural fibers, but it will also brighten dingy white polyester.

Dishwasher Detergent

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When you don't have any chlorine beach on hand or don't have room to store a big container of bleach, try this trick. Most powdered dishwasher detergents contain sodium hypochlorite (chlorine bleach) that will whiten natural fiber fabrics.

Add one-fourth or one-half cup of the powder to a gallon of hot water and be sure the powder completely dissolves. Add the dingy white clothes to the mixture and allow them to soak for at least 30 minutes before washing as usual.

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Borax

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A naturally occurring mineral, borax is a chlorine bleach alternative that helps remove stains and cuts through dulling residue. Add a half cup of powdered borax per one gallon of warm water. Add the white clothes and allow them to soak for at least 30 minutes or longer. Wash as usual.

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Sunshine

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The sun's ultraviolet rays can cause colorful clothes to fade, but they also brighten white laundry. The UV rays not only bleach cloth but also kill many types of germs and help to disinfect fabrics. Hang white bed sheets or towels in direct sunlight and allow them to dry.

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Citric Acid Powder

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Citric acid powder works like lemon juice to naturally whiten fabrics. It uses the same mechanism of action (in a much higher concentration) and is also easier to keep on hand since it doesn't go bad as quickly as lemon juice.

To whiten clothes, add three tablespoons of citric acid and a gallon of hot water to a container large enough to hold your clothes. Soak clothes for a minimum of four hours (preferably overnight), and wash as usual.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can these bleach alternatives be used on colored clothes?

These bleach alternatives shouldn't be used on colored clothing. These alternative methods can lighten and remove color from colored laundry. If you need to remove stains from laundry, look for products that are colorfast.
What's the most eco-friendly bleach alternative?

The most eco-friendly bleach alternative isn't a product. It's sunshine. Free and easily accessible, the sun's ultraviolet rays can help to brighten your white T-shirts and other laundry. Products that you already have on hand—like baking soda, lemons, and distilled white vinegar—are also eco-friendly alternatives to bleach.
What bleach alternatives are non-toxic?

Distilled white vinegar, lemons, baking soda, bluing, and sunshine are all non-toxic alternatives to bleach. To determine which works best for your clothing, experiment on a small area before using the substance on your entire garment. And remember, don't use these methods on colored clothes.
Why are my white clothes so dingy?
It's pretty normal for clothing to show some signs of wear and tear over time, but there are some lesser-known culprits that could be causing your white laundry to go dull. Here are some possible reasons your white laundry looks dingy:
- Color transfer from other fabrics, especially if you wash everything together
- Detergent and fabric softener residue left in the fabric
- Environmental causes, like nicotine or air pollution
- Body oils and stains from food and drink

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