Your white socks will look brand new with this simple laundry hack.
White socks go with so much, from going to the gym to heading out for dinner – they are many people’s go-to choice for pretty much every occasion. However, despite the versatility of the humble white sock, they often need a bit more TLC than other shades, to ensure that they stay fresh and bright.
Socks are some of the hardest-wearing clothing items out there, and white ones can quickly turn grey or yellow from use, and sweat, dust, and dirt alter their appearance. This expert-approved hack uses just one common household item that costs as little as 16p to “naturally” life stains out of your socks with minimal effort.
As reported in The Express this method comes highly recommended by an expert, and the common item in question may already be lingering in your fridge – or fruit bowl: a lemon. All you need to do for this one is grab a lemon and squeeze the juice from it. Then pop your stained or yellowed socks into a bowl filled with warm water, before adding the lemon juice. Then simply leave the socks to soak in the solution for around two to three hours before washing them as normal – and they should come out of your washing machine looking as good as new.
Expert Nigel – a director of Daily Poppins – explained to the outlet that there are multiple benefits of using lemons in place of harsh chemicals like bleach. Firstly, the lemons “act as a natural fabric softener. This is because the citric acid that’s present in lemon juice breaks down the residues left by detergents or soaps.”
Another reason this is a great choice for anyone looking for an eco-friendly approach to stain removal is the antibacterial properties of lemons. “This is because the acid found in lemon is antibacterial, antiseptic, and acts as a natural bleach.”
The expert claims that altogether this gives this method “powerful stain removal properties” that mean your socks will be given a new lease of life, no matter how often you have worn them, or how stained they have become.
If you don’t have a lemon to hand, then you can always use white vinegar as a stain remover too – or baking soda – but both of these will require a bit more time and patience on your part. If you have white vinegar in your home make a solution with 250ml of vinegar to 1 litre of water that has been boiled and let your socks soak overnight. Baking soda should be sprinkled into a sink of warm water and your socks will also need an overnight soak for this one. You can get four lemons for just 65p at Asda and Tesco – which works out at about 16p per lemon, making this an incredibly cheap way to remove stains.
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