This natural bleach alternative is simple, sustainable, and completely free.
If your shiny new shoes are looking lackluster or your pristine white sheets are turning ivory, this TikTok trick will leave them looking brand new. ClaireTheNutritionist (@clairethenutritionist) demonstrated a cheap and easy way to dry and whiten your textiles, like clothes, bedding, and even shoes.
@clairethenutritionist nature's bleach ☀️ #cleaninghacks #nontoxicliving #nontoxichome #bleachalternative #bleach @vuoriclothing ♬ original sound - ClaireTheNutritionist
The scoop
"You wash whatever you want to get white again in the wash as normal, and then instead of putting it in the dryer to dry, put it outside in the sun," Claire says.
Sunlight — more specifically, UV rays — breaks down chemical bonds in the stain, causing fabrics, like your shirts and sheets, to whiten. This bleaching method works best for white fabrics, as colored fabrics will lose their desired vibrancy.
Simply wash your fabrics as normal and leave them in the sun until dry. For stubborn stains, try pre-treating them before the wash with a DIY mixture of hydrogen peroxide, dish soap, and baking soda.
"The sun is like nature's bleach," she says.
How it's working
Not only will air-drying your clothes brighten your whites, but it'll save you money, too. You'll skip buying bleach and reduce your electricity bill. Homeowners "can potentially save anywhere from $256 to $590 per year by simply making the switch from clothes dryers to a clothesline," according to Lifestyle Clotheslines.
Switching to natural cleaning methods will save you time and money, not to mention the eco-benefits of air drying, like reducing "the average household's carbon footprint by a whopping 2,400 pounds a year," per Green America.
Air and line drying also extends the lifespan of your clothing, conserving resources and keeping clothes out of landfills.
If line drying just isn't right for you, consider switching to an eco-friendly dryer.
What people are saying
One user commented, "literally the sun is AMAZING!!! the best stuff is free!!"
"Omg!!!! This is so obvious yet so unknown to me," another user said.
"Yes it works!!" a third chimed in. "I also had a chili oil stain on my white skirt even after washing, but I dried it in the sun and it disappeared !!"
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