Laundry detergents have come a long way from bar soaps made from animal fat and lye, until now mostly using synthetic detergents. Laundry detergent manufacturers brought the most critical development in the laundry, the addition of additive or ingredients help detergent clean better, brighten and whiten clothes or even smell better.
Clothes normally start to yellow over time. Laundry detergent manufacturers have handled this issue by adding additive to laundry detergent or developed a specialised laundry product to make fabric and linen remain white or whiten.
Are you still wearing or using yellowing t-shirts, pants or sheets? Don't give up hope quite yet! There are 5 laundry products you can try to turn them bright white again.
1. K100
Concentrated detergent powders which contains a blend of enzyme, oxygen bleach and optical brightener. Enzymes can be natural or processed chemically. It’s typically categories into the Proteases (degrades protein-based stains), Lipases (degrades fat-based stains), Amylases (degrades starch-based or carbohydrate stains), cellulase (degrades cotton fibers to release soils), mannanase (degrades food-based stains) and pectinase (degrade fruit-based stains). These enzyme uses in laundry detergent are similar to the enzymes used by your body to digest food. These enzymes incorporated in laundry detergent help degrades food particles that are present on clothing by catalyzing, or speeding up, the decomposition process.
Oxygen bleach is a gentle bleaching agent and eco-friendly alternatives to chlorine bleach. It removes stain and brightens all types of washable white or colour fabrics effectively. Because of its chemical ingredients, it works more slowly than chlorine bleach but is less corrosive and harming to fabric.
Optical brightener is additive to improve the appearance of whiteness by absorbing UV light and re-emit a blue light. Optical brightener adsorbs into the fabric and linens and retained. The blue light helps cancel out the yellow tinge and tricks the eyes into thinking the clothes are whiter than they really are. It too makes it possible for the clothing to emit more visible light than is being shined on it, making it show up brighter and whiter.
2. Wookare
Garments made from delicate fabrics, such as silk and wool; avoid using detergent that contains enzyme or bleach. Detergent formulated with pH-neutral, and does not contain bleach or brightening agents and enzyme is best for delicate fabrics.
Wookare is a specialised laundry product for delicate fabric, such as wool and silk.
Low foam detergent, highly recommended for extremely gentle care of premium grade textiles along with high soil removal capacity and whiteness preservation of the fabrics. Suitable for both machine and hand wash.
3. Ultra White
Ultra White is concentrated, and in liquid form. It is type of liquid detergent with improved whiteness effect, which contain whitening agent to give best wash results and brilliantly white laundry. It’s suitable for general wash and gentle on garments.
4. Clorox Bleach
Bleach creates a chemical reaction with stains; convert it into colourless, soluble particles which are easily removed from clothing. Bleach can also brighten and whiten fabrics and help remove stubborn stains. Bleach can classify to oxygen bleach and chlorine bleach. Clorine bleach is very powerful. It disinfects laundry, as well as cleans and whitens. But clorine bleach is not safe for delicate fabric, particularly colour clothing. It can weaken fabrics.
Clorox bleach contains 6% solution of sodium hypochloride which acts as a disinfectant on bacteria and viruses and generally whitens fabrics. It is suitable for white and bleachable items only. Always add the bleach and detergent to the wash water before adding the clothes or to the proper automatic dispenser in your washer. Never pour chlorine bleach directly onto fabrics. If using bleach for stain removal, bleach the entire garment to prevent spotting.
5. Oxy Bleach
Oxygen bleach will boost the cleaning power of your regular detergent. As with any product, take a minute to study the package directions because each brand is slightly different. Oxygen bleach is available in both powder and liquid form in the market. Powdered form (sodium perborate, NaH2BO4, or sodium percarbonate, Na2CO3•1.5H2O2, are the active ingredients) are more stable and will retain their cleaning power much longer compared to liquid form. If you have sensitive skin, oxygen bleach is safer than chlorine bleach.
Our Oxy Bleach is in powder form which stable and easier to use compared to others liquid form oxygen bleach product. When Oxy Bleach is introduced to water, the main chemical component oxidizes to help remove soil, stains and cut through residual detergent and fabric softener build-up that stiffens fabrics and dulls colour. It is a colour-safe bleaching agent. This Oxy bleach maintains colours and help keep whites, but they will not make them whiter. It is gentler, less toxic alternative to chlorine bleach that relies on hydrogen peroxide for its cleaning effect. The recommended temperature for processing is 40°C - 65°C and is suitable for soaking. Completely submerge the stained garments after mixing oxy bleach powder with water and allow to soak for as long as possible - up to eight hours or overnight.
Different kinds of laundry product have their own specific uses. Some products are damaging to delicate fabrics and some are not suitable for colour fabric, so be sure to utilize right product which works best for the things you’re whitening. Always seek professional advice on this if you are not sure.