How to Boil Linen Correctly for Bleaching, Tips for Housewives

Recently, more and more housewives have begun to think again about how to return their linen to its former whiteness. This is due to the fact that chemical compounds are not always effective or cause an allergic reaction, more often in children. An accessible method is heat treatment, but before boiling linen for bleaching, you should study the features of the procedure. The method has many advantages, but despite the simplicity of the process, all actions must be performed in stages.

Advantages and disadvantages of boiling laundry

Few modern housewives know about the benefits of boiling laundry. Many believe that this procedure is carried out exclusively to combat stains, for example, on old towels or sheets. Answering the question of why and for what purpose to boil laundry, the following reasons can be highlighted:

1. Caring for the health of loved ones. The problem is that modern washing powders and bleaches make things clean by containing a fairly large number of chemicals that often cause allergic reactions. Boiling is a safe procedure.
2. Disinfection. Linen needs regular sanitization, as it contains a large number of microbes. If disinfection is not carried out in time, this can lead to the development of various diseases.
3. Bringing things back to whiteness. With frequent machine washing, light textiles eventually acquire a yellow tint despite the use of expensive powders. The bleaching procedure allows you to get rid of this problem, even if the laundry is in an extremely neglected state. As a result, the most difficult stains disappear in most cases.

However, do not think that boiling is the ideal option. It also has several disadvantages, some of which can be quite significant to avoid this procedure. The main disadvantages of boiling:

1. It takes a lot of time - boiling requires several hours at the stove.
2. There is a risk of burns - the procedure should be carried out with extreme caution.
3. Boiling is only suitable for natural fabrics.
4. A container is required - you will need a fairly large saucepan to boil bed linen.

These problems seem insignificant if you remember the fact that many modern washing machines are equipped with a boiling system. It is a regular wash using powder, but the water temperature is about 95 degrees. Such disinfection is carried out quite quickly and without unnecessary effort.

What equipment will be needed?

Before you start to figure out how to boil various laundry at home, you need to understand that in addition to the stove, you will need several additional devices for work. Some of them may seem extremely inconvenient, but it is not possible to carry out the procedure correctly without these items. You need to prepare:

1. A large heat-resistant container. Housewives prefer to use an enameled saucepan with a capacity of 50 to 100 liters. There should be no cracks or rust inside, as this can lead to stains and spots on clothes.
2. A long wooden stick. This will be needed to stir the laundry while it is boiling. It is better to use special wooden tongs. It is more convenient to turn the laundry over with them, but it will not be easy to get them.
3. Potholders. You will need them to remove the container from the stove after the procedure is completed. Do not use various rags or thick towels. Experience shows that many housewives get burns in such cases.

It is worth remembering that boiling laundry alone can be quite difficult. Take, for example, the fact that you will have to remove a pan that weighs 100 kg from the stove. Therefore, it is worth thinking in advance about who will help you do the hard work.

Description of the process

To ensure that boiling laundry gives maximum effect, it must be done correctly. There is a specific algorithm of actions for this. Here is an instruction that will help you understand how to properly boil laundry for bleaching:

1. Pour the solution that will be used for boiling into the container.
2. Immerse the laundry in the liquid and tamp it down firmly, then add water.
3. Place the pan on the stove, setting the heat to low.
4. Boil the laundry for bleaching for 30-120 minutes, stirring it occasionally with a stick.
5. Turn off the heat and remove the pan from the stove, place the dishes outside to cool.
6. Rinse the laundry thoroughly to completely remove the detergent.
7. Hang the clothes on a clothesline to dry.

After this, the laundry should not only regain its impeccable snow-white appearance, but also acquire a fresh scent. In addition, the items will be additionally disinfected. If the ingrained stains have not been removed, then it is worth boiling again, having previously soaked the laundry in a detergent solution overnight.

Detergents for white textiles

For boiling, it is important to use safe bleaching agents. Most of them can be found in any housewife's home. They need to be diluted according to a certain algorithm, in addition, the procedure time for each method is different.

Soda

It is worth noting that boiling linen for high-quality bleaching requires the use of a special solution that will effectively deal with stains. The most common ingredient is regular baking soda. Here are four options that can be used:

• baking soda with bleach (in a 1:1 ratio);
• soda with table salt (in a ratio of 1:10);
• soda with soap (5 g per 100 g of shavings);
• caustic soda (use as directed).

Also, to increase the effectiveness of bleaching, many housewives recommend adding a few drops of ammonia to the solution. The procedure should last no more than 30-40 minutes.

Washing powder

When wondering how to boil white laundry in a saucepan, many people use regular household washing powder. However, it is important to remember that such a product contains a large number of chemicals that can cause allergies. Here are the main options that can be used:

1. Washing powder in its pure form. Add 100 g for every 10 l. That is, you will have to use about 0.5–1 kg of powder for one pan.
2. Laundry detergent with bleach. You can also make a solution by adding a couple of tablespoons of oxygen bleach to the pan.
3. With hydrogen peroxide. Some housewives mix the powder with the antiseptic in a ratio of 1:10. That is, for 1 kg of cleaning agent you will need two bottles of peroxide.

An important condition that must be met is the availability of high-quality powder, otherwise bleaching will be ineffective. It is better to use a more expensive option than to regret later that the stains were not removed.

Potassium permanganate

When talking about how to boil white linen, we cannot help but mention another rather old but effective method - using potassium permanganate. It is usually diluted with grated laundry soap. The liquid for boiling should acquire a light red color.

The second option for using potassium permanganate is to mix it with powder. The solution should also be light red. If you overdo it, things can get a pink tint.

Bleach

Many people will say that there is nothing better than bleach among the means for cleaning white things. However, in order to get rid of stains and not ruin the laundry, it is necessary to follow certain conditions:

1. In its pure form, use no more than 2 tablespoons of the product per pan.
2. Mix only with table salt in a ratio of 1:10.
3. Combine with vegetable oil (1 spoon per half bottle).

If there is too much bleach, the item may corrode. Therefore, it is important to maintain the concentration and not to boil the laundry for more than 40 minutes.

Boric acid

When dealing with how to boil laundry, it is important to mention another effective method - using boric acid. To achieve a good result, it is enough to use just a couple of tablespoons per pan. How long the procedure will take depends on the type of laundry. As a rule, it is recommended to boil in this way for 1.5 hours.

The nuances of boiling baby clothes

Before bleaching laundry by boiling, it is important to separate children's and adults' items. The former should be processed under certain conditions:

1. The powder must be hypoallergenic.
2. Soda and laundry soap should be used with extreme caution, and it is better to exclude them altogether.

If you decide to boil your laundry with soda, you need to remember that stubborn stains may not disappear. Therefore, it is best to add it as an auxiliary agent, for example, to anti-allergy powder or bleach. All baby items should be rinsed 2 or 3 times.

Tips on how to boil laundry are passed down from generation to generation, although new cleaning products and improved washing machines are constantly appearing. The method should definitely be used at least once to ensure its effectiveness. Boiling will always come to the rescue if you don’t have equipment or expensive compositions at hand.

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