Why Do Stored Clothes Get Yellow Stains?

Have you ever gone to retrieve clothes that you have stored for quite some time and observed that they no longer look exactly the same as when you stored them? They look a little yellow and some others have patches of yellow stains—this is particularly true for your white clothes.

Why do stored clothes get yellow? As professional dry cleaners in Singapore, allow us to elaborate further.

hanging clothes for dry cleaning

What Causes Yellow Stains on Stored White Clothes

White clothes can become yellowed due to the overuse of bleach, which causes the fabric to deteriorate and become yellowed, instead of getting them whiter as what your goal may be. This usually happens in factory-made fabrics, but this reaction can also affect natural fabrics like cotton and linen, which will start to oxidise over time.

Another possibility is the chemical reaction caused by perspiration, wherein the acidity in the sweat could gradually change the colour of the fabric. In baby clothes, the primary reason is the protein from milk which may cause discolouration even if you have washed them well. Other factors include the age and storage of your clothing: clothes stored in a cardboard box or wooden shelves can react to the acids in these materials.

These scenarios make it all the more necessary to properly wash your clothes before storing them for the long haul—often that takes taking them to the laundry and dry cleaning services in Singapore.

Also Read: With Less Travel This Year, How Should You Store Your Seasonal Clothes?

How to Get Yellow Stains Out of Your Clothes

Oxygen Bleach

Mix a solution of warm water and oxygen-based bleach and submerge the white clothes. Let it soak for 8 hours or maximum overnight then wash as usual. Use the hottest water temperature recommended for the fabric and add ½ cup vinegar when rinsing.

Dry Clothes in the Sun

The sun is a natural bleaching agent. So, if possible, dry your white clothes under the sun—the ultraviolet rays of the sun would help whiten your clothes and restore them to their former glow.

Homemade Products

There are probably several ingredients laying around your home that can be used to remove yellow stains from your clothes: baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and lemon.

  • Baking Soda & Hydrogen Peroxide – Mix equal parts of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and water, and apply this solution to the stain. Let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour and wash as usual.
  • Toothpaste – Apply toothpaste directly to the stain to brighten it and brush it until the stain is removed. Then, wash as usual.
  • Lemon Juice – Soak the stained area into some pure lemon juice and let the clothing sit in the sun for the day. The acid in the juice should whiten the clothes again.

While these ingredients could save you some money from buying store-bought products or from replacing your damaged clothes, their efficiency might not be guaranteed. Because of the lack of control, they may cause permanent damage! Therefore, make sure to test any of these products first on an area before applying directly to the stain.

folded clothes

Laundry & Dry Cleaning by Presto Drycleaners

Prevent yellow stains before they happen. As said earlier, staining on your clothes may be caused by improper washing.

At Presto Drycleaners, we offer laundry and dry cleaning services to make sure that your garments and linens are clean and free of anything that may cause yellowing of your clothes during storage—sweat, excess bleach, milk, etc.

Find a Presto Drycleaners outlet near you today!

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