Whitening White Cotton Mattress and Pillow Covers - or other white cottons 

Why can white cotton dis-colour? 
White cotton can yellow overtime,  due to stains from natural sweat and body oils,  the transfer of colours from other fabrics when washing them together, and from the chemicals in your wash water.  For those with eczema or allergies that compromise body temperature regulation, sweating can be a very real issue at night, and can cause unsightly staining.      

Whilst you can use traditional chlorine bleach to whiten cotton, it is not the best option health-wise, and can reduce the longevity of your covers.   Here are some alternative ways to whiten or brighten your MiteGuard® covers- these methods can also be used for white sheets and white cotton clothes.   

Why avoid chlorine bleach?

Harvard University published a study which linked regular use of disinfectants by US nurses, including chlorine bleach, to increased risk of COPD ( chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and asthma.  Exposure just once a week was sufficient to  increase the risk of developing COPD by over 20% (1). 

For those with respiratory conditions that can affect breathing, and who use cotton allergen bedding for dust-mite avoidance, using other whitening agents rather than chlorine bleach is another step in better health management.    

Safe alternatives to chlorine bleach are available, and this blog discusses some below.

Safe Options for Whitening Your MiteGuard / White cotton  

Here are some simple things you can use to help whiten your white cotton covers:

•    Oxygen Based Bleaches 

Several brands of Oxygen Bleach / Whiteners are available, both online and in stores. Oxygen bleaches can help prevent your white linen from becoming dis-coloured and are great to use for cotton.  They can easily be used in a washing machine. 

Oxygen bleaches use different compounds to chlorine bleach.  Many contain Sodium Percarbonate as an organic stain remover and whitening agent.  Organic stains are those from organic sources, such as sweat, body oil or blood. Oxygen bleaches can also kill a wide range of bacteria, mildew, algae, fungi, so are great for maintaining your allergen bedding hygiene. 

Sodium Percarbonate is biodegradable, and leaves no harmful residues. It breaks down to oxygen, water and sodium carbonate in your wash water, so can be used with  grey water /septic tank systems,  and can also be  safely used for general household cleaning. It won’t remove mineral deposits from hard water.

How to use Oxygen Bleaches

Oxygen bleaches need to be dissolved in warm water. Sodium percarbonate solutions are most effective when used in water with a temperature range of 37 – 65℃ - great for when you hot wash your MiteGuard covers. 

To use oxygen bleach:
•    Add it to your laundry powder slot & select a warm/hot machine wash or
•    Pre-dissolve the powder and use it in your machines pre-soak cycle ( follow your machines instructions) or
•    Dissolve the powder in warm water in the tub, soak your covers for a minimum of 1 hour, then wash as normal.  (An overnight soak is OK too).  

Each brand will have its own specific instructions to follow.

Notes to watch for: 

• (If your machine has a dividing "feeder flap" that gets put down or up for liquid/powder, don't mix the oxygen bleach with a cold washing liquid as it may not dissolve properly in the cold liquid, and get suck behind the flap).
• Oxygen bleach is not suitable for silk or wool. 

•    Baking Soda 

Image: by aqua.mech -"baking soda shoot in studio" 

Baking soda is a known bleach alternative, which brightens whites, removes stains, and neutralises odours. Baking soda is a mild alkaline when dissolved and can be used with alkaline laundry detergent. 

Add  baking soda directly to your washing machine tub, rather than putting it in the dispensers.  Using the dispensers may clog your machine.

How much baking soda should I use? 

•   Use the washing machine wash cycle of your choice, and add 1/2 cup of baking soda to your washing machine tub. 
•    Pre-soaking:  Pre-soak using 1 cup baking soda in your laundry tub with 1-2 buckets of  water, or use the pre-soak function on your washing machine- (putting the baking soda directly in the washing machine tub). 
•    Persistent stains:  You can make a paste with equal parts baking soda and water, apply it to the stain and soak your cover in water for around 30 minutes. 

Baking soda is gentle on fabrics and works well for people with sensitive skin.

•    White Distilled Vinegar 

White vinegar is acidic and can soften and whiten fabric, remove odours  and reduce static in your white cotton covers (so pet fluff or lint doesn’t stick).  Vinegar is well known as a cleaning agent, but when using it for whitening cotton bed linen,  it works best as a pre-soaker, outside of your washing machine.

How to use white vinegar as a whitener:

Add ½ cup vinegar to a bucket of hot water or your laundry tub and soak from 1 hour to overnight. Add 1 cup if you are filling your tub with a larger item like a large mattress cover.  You can create a paste for stubborn stains.   Wash in a normal warm/hot wash after soaking. 

Words of caution for acids such as vinegar:
o    Washing machine manufacturers generally say to avoid using vinegar or other natural acids directly in the washing machine,  as acids may damage rubber and metal parts over time (2).
o    Coloured vinegar can stain – use white distilled vinegar.  
o    Don’t mix vinegar with hydrogen peroxide or bleach. 
o    Vinegar  is less effective if added to an alkaline washing powder. ( They neutralize one another). 

•    Lemon Juice  

Lemon juice is a natural mild acid that can freshen your laundry and whiten your white cottons.   Like vinegar it is best used outside of the washing machine to avoid risking damage to machine parts over time.   

 1/2 cup is the usual amount used with a wash - again a pre-soak outside of the washing machine is the best option, but there are some who do regularly use it in their machines. 

Machine users advise to add half a cup of lemon juice to the wash cycle, placing it directly in the tub, or in the separate pre-wash/ pre-soak compartment to your laundry detergent. 

So there you have it – no need to risk your health to achieve whiter allergen bed covers – use these more natural alternatives for an environmentally friendly, healthy, safe whitening solution. 

References:

(1)     Dumas O, Varraso R, Boggs KM, Quinot C, Zock JP, Henneberger PK, Speizer FE, Le Moual N, Camargo CA Jr. Association of Occupational Exposure to Disinfectants With Incidence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Among US Female Nurses. JAMA Netw Open. 2019 Oct 2;2(10):e1913563. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.13563. PMID: 31626315; PMCID: PMC6813668

(2)     https://www.whirlpool.com/blog/washers-and-dryers/how-to-use-vinegar-in-laundry.html