How to Clean Yellowed Pillowcases

There's nothing like laying your tired head on a crisp, clean, fresh-smelling pillowcase at night. Over time, sweat and natural body oils rub off your skin, onto the pillowcase, causing an unpleasant yellow discoloration. Although the common tendency is to use chlorine bleach to remove yellowed stains from white or light-colored pillowcases, the use of bleach can make the discoloration worse. Proper cleaning methods and supplies help remove the chemicals and proteins that cause the yellow stains, leaving your pillowcases clean and bright.

Things You'll Need

• Bucket
• White vinegar
• Enzyme pre-wash stain remover
• Laundry detergent
• Oxygen bleach
• Drying rack

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Place the yellowed pillowcases in a bucket. Cover them with undiluted white vinegar and allow them to soak for 15 to 30 minutes to help release perspiration and oils in the fibers that cause the yellowing of the fabric.

   • 2

     Remove the fabric from the vinegar soak and rinse the pillowcases with water. Apply enzyme pre-wash stain remover to the yellow discoloration and let it sit on the fabric for 15 minutes. The enzymes break down the protein in the stains and help remove the discoloration.

   • 3

     Launder the pillowcases with laundry detergent and oxygen bleach to remove any remaining yellowed stains.

   • 4

     Hang dry the pillowcases on a drying rack, in the sun. Direct sunlight naturally bleaches out any remaining yellow stains from the fabric.