There’s nothing quite like sliding into a bed made up with crisp, white sheets at the end of a long day. Bright, clean linens can make even the most ordinary evening feel a little more luxurious, like slipping into a hotel bed in your own home.
But over time, those once-gleaming sheets can lose their lustre, dulled by body oils, sweat, and mystery smudges that never seem to wash out completely. Now, there’s a simple solution that doesn’t involve harsh chemicals or bleach, and it’s probably already in your cupboards.
Shifrah Combiths, a contributor at Apartment Therapy, shared a laundry formula that’s gone viral for its simplicity and effectiveness.
« For brilliantly white sheets, here’s the formula, » Combiths explained. « Add about a half cup of baking soda to the drum of the washing machine and then add distilled white vinegar to the fabric softener dispenser. »
The key lies in keeping the ingredients separate throughout the wash cycle.
« Allowing vinegar and baking soda to mix in the process will render each of them no more useful than salt, » she said.
« Splitting them up allows them each to work their magic without interference. »
And work their magic, they do. Combiths reported seeing a dramatic improvement after just one wash: “I could hardly believe how much whiter and, incidentally, softer our sheets were. My husband even noticed – and y’all know that means there was a noticeable difference!”
The unsightly yellowing from body oils, sweat, and other grime that haunts even freshly laundered sheets can finally meet its match.
Many have bemoaned the disappointment of pulling « clean » sheets from the dryer, only to find lingering stains in the form of vague body shapes or head outlines. This new method offers a gentle yet effective alternative to bleach, which can degrade fabric over time and irritate skin.
Combiths adds that she’s now « hooked » on the technique, calling it « simple, effective, safe, and exertion-free. »
So if « clean sheet night » has ever been dampened by stubborn stains, consider this your new go-to remedy.
With just two pantry staples and zero bleach, your white sheets can be restored to their hotel-level brightness.
