Getting Whites White with Front Loaders

Over the past few years, people have become more and more concerned about being environmentally friendly. This growing trend has even extended into the laundry room. One of the most notable ways that this trend has shown itself in the laundry room is with the advent of front loading washing machines. While these machines are definitely more energy efficient than the traditional ones, they do have a slight problem of getting things as white as you may be used to. Well, there are a few methods that you can use for getting whites white with front loaders. Try some of these the next time you find yourself needing to brighten up your laundry.

• Experiment a little. Try experimenting with your detergent mix and cycle times a bit. By adjusting both the amount of detergent that you use (either a little more, or slightly less) and changing the amount of time spent washing the clothes, you can see some dramatic results. One option that works is to decrease the amount of detergent that you use to about half, add some liquid cleaner like Biz into the bleach dispenser, and select the longest of the cleaning cycles available.
• Use some stronger cleaners. One of the most surefire ways to get your whites whiter is to actually use a little more bleach. You want to be careful when doing this though since bleach can often be damaging to fabric. Usually, all you need to do is add about 1/4 cup to the wash using the bleach dispenser. If you are hesitant about using bleach, then add a mixture of 3 cups cool water, and 1 cup cool water directly to the wash. Another method is to use some hydrogen peroxide. Actually dilute the peroxide by making a one to one mixture (50/50 water and hydrogen peroxide) and add it directly to the wash. Your final option is to use some bluing, though you want to be particularly careful when using this method. Follow the directions that are on the back of the packaging, but decrease the amount of bluing to about 1/2 of what the directions say, and dilute it first to a mixture of 1 part bluing and 4 parts water. If it doesn't work right away, you can always try a little more the next time. Add the bluing mixture directly to the wash, instead of using the bleach dispenser.
• Soak overnight before washing. Another great way for getting your whites whiter with front loaders actually requires a little bit of prewash work on your part. Don't worry though, the work is actually fairly simple. Soak your whites in a gentle sudsing solution overnight. This solution can be made from mixing together things like Oxyclean and your favorite laundry detergent. The next morning simply wash as normal.