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Can You Bleach Linen?

On a recent thrift store visit, I purchased some vintage linen. The only trouble is the linen is very yellowed with age. Can it be returned to its original brilliant white? What’s the best way to do that? Can you bleach linen?

Linen fabric can be bleached using natural products. Vinegar, sunlight, and lemon juice are the safest products to use on linen. Oxygen bleach is also good at whitening linen garments. Chlorine bleach can strip the color from linen and damage the fibers. It should only be used as a last resort when all other methods have failed.

In this article, you’ll discover how to bleach your linen safely. You’ll discover why chlorine bleach isn’t the best remedy for stained linen. And you’ll learn how to whiten aged linen that has yellowed over time.

Can You Bleach Linen

Can You Bleach Linen?

Yes, you can bleach linen to whiten it again and remove stains. But you do have to be very careful about what you “bleach” it with.

The first product that springs to mind as soon as you mention bleach is chlorine bleach. The kind that kills germs when used to clean countertops or toilet bowls. However, using that kind of bleach on linen is not a good idea. Particularly colored linen.

Linen is a natural fiber derived from the flax plant. Although it is a strong material woven into a fabric, the fibers can be delicate. Because of this, they need a light hand in the laundry room. That means you need to avoid caustic chemicals and products containing chlorine.

Instead, use natural bleaching agents and stain removers to return your linen to its crisp, fresh whiteness. You’ll find that natural remedies are much safer for your colored linen garments.

Some darker colors are more susceptible to color runs and bleeds. So always check your garment’s care label before you try to remove stains from your linen.

You might find the article is dry clean only. Bleaching something that can’t be washed could cause irreparable damage to the fabric, regardless of the product you use.

Why Can’t I Use Chlorine Bleach on Linen?

If you want to use chlorine bleach on linen, you can. It just isn’t advisable, nor is it recommended. You have to be very careful with the amount you use and the type of linen you use it on.

Chlorine bleach on linen should always be considered as a last resort. When you’ve tried everything else and nothing has worked. Even so, it’s only something you should think about using on white linen. And only then, when you’re desperate.

There are no circumstances when you should ever use it on colored linen. Your delicate blue linen sheets will not survive a dip in chlorine bleach. This bleach doesn’t just dissolve stains; it eats color.

As chlorine bleach cannot tell the difference between a stain, a fabric that has yellowed with age, or the color of the garment, it will remove the lot, leaving you with a garment covered in white patches known as bleach stains.

That’s not all. Bleach containing chlorine is bad news for the fibers your linen is woven from. White or colored linen makes no difference. They all contain fibers derived from the flax plant. These fibers are easily damaged by chlorine. Instead of bleaching your linen back to a bright white, you’re liable to ruin the fabric it’s made from.

Chlorine can react with other products, particularly ammonia, to produce toxic fumes. That’s one of the reasons why you should avoid using chlorine bleach with other chemicals. If you’ve already treated your linen with ammonia to revitalize it, you’ll definitely want to avoid using anything containing chlorine.

Ammonia can be found in the human body. It’s a by-product of the digestive system and is excreted when you go to the toilet. Basically, it’s in your urine. Although most of the time you can’t smell it, it is a common element and can come into contact with the fabric of your clothing.

When it does, it’s one of the stains that can react with chlorine bleach. Making them worse rather than removing them. So it isn’t just linen you should keep away from chlorine bleach. It’s fabric, in general.

Although chlorine bleach has been a regular whitening solution for generations, it’s probably the worst product you can add to your laundry. Any laundry, not just your linen sheets and garments. These days we know better.

There are several safer alternatives to bleach linen back to white, both for you and your linen, making the use of chlorine bleach both unnecessary and outdated.

How to Bleach Linen Without Using Chlorine Bleach

How to Bleach Linen

It’s a sad fact of life that sometimes linen fabric can get stained and start looking a bit sorry for itself. Especially older linen garments and sheets. Age and bad storage practices can cause them to turn yellow.

As we’ve seen, a traditional method for removing stains from white linen was to use chlorine bleach. But it isn’t safe for your health or the integrity of your linen fabric. In this section, we’ll look closely at the natural remedies for refreshing your linen.

Before we start, there is an important thing to remember before you use any of these methods. Make sure you read the care label on your linen. You need to check the item is washable. A dry clean only item should be taken to a professional dry cleaner for treatment.

1. Aspirin

An unassuming pain killer, aspirin is derived from salicylic acid, a natural substance found in things like beans, peas, and willow trees. Although, these days, it tends to be synthesized from chemicals to reduce the negative effects on your stomach.

Either way, aspirin is incredibly effective at whitening your linen items. However, if you are allergic to aspirin, you might want to use one of the other methods in this article.

You will need the following:

  • Five tablets of aspirin
  • Large bucket
  • Rubber gloves
  • Washing machine
  • Mild laundry detergent without bleach
  • External clothesline and pegs or internal drying rack

Step 1

Fill your bucket with enough water to submerge your linen. Add the five aspirin tablets and make sure they dissolve. Turn your linen inside out if it is a garment. Then, put it into the bucket and push it under the surface of the water. Leave it to soak for two to three hours.

Step 2

Remove the linen from the bucket and rinse well. You can either wash the linen in your washing machine or hand wash it. Check the instructions on the linen’s care label to see which method the manufacturer recommends.

If you are using your machine, select a delicate, cool cycle with a gentle spin. For hand washing, wear rubber gloves and use lukewarm water to protect your hands.

Step 3

Once the linen has been washed, hang it on an external clothesline to dry. If the linen is colored, avoid direct sunlight, so it doesn’t fade. You can also hang the item indoors on an internal drying rack.

2. Ammonia

Although ammonia can sometimes contribute to stains on garments, you can also use it to get rid of them. However, you do need to make sure your washing detergent is bleach-free before using this option.

You also need a well-ventilated area. Ammonia stinks and can be overpowering. If you’ve ever dyed your hair at home, you’ll know what I mean.

You will need:

  • Ammonia
  • Large bucket
  • Rubber gloves
  • Washing machine
  • Mild laundry detergent without bleach
  • External clothesline and pegs

Step 1

Mix water and mild laundry detergent in your bucket. The mild detergent must be free from chlorine bleach. There needs to be enough water to cover your linen. You’ll also need to measure the water to know how much ammonia to add.

The formula is 1 tablespoon of ammonia for every 4 cups of soapy water. However, if in doubt, err on the side of caution and use less ammonia. Before adding the ammonia, make sure you open a window to give yourself plenty of ventilation.

Step 2

Wearing your rubber gloves, push your linen under the surface of the soapy water. Leave it to soak for three to four hours. Rinse the ammonia out thoroughly when the time has elapsed. Then wash the item as you would normally. However, remember to avoid using any laundry detergent containing chlorine bleach.

Step 3

Once the washing machine has finished, hang the linen to dry on an external clothesline. You can also dry the item indoors using a drying rack. If you can still smell traces of ammonia, leave a window open.

3. Baking Soda

Baking sodaMany homes across the globe have a box of baking soda sitting underneath the kitchen sink or in the laundry room. It is indispensable as a cleaning product and laundry aid. Capable of removing stains, it can also bleach linen back to a brilliant white.

You will need:

  • Baking soda
  • Large bucket or sink
  • Washing machine
  • Mild laundry detergent free from bleach
  • External clothesline and pegs

Step 1

Using the formula of 1 cup of baking soda to every 1 gallon of water, fill a bucket with enough water to cover your linen. If your bucket isn’t big enough, you can use a sink or your bathtub. Put your linen into the water and make sure it is completely submerged. Leave it to soak overnight.

Step 2

Set your washing machine to run on a delicate, cool cycle with a gentle spin. Add your linen and the recommended dosage of mild laundry detergent. Check the packaging of the detergent to find out how much you should add.

Step 3

Once the machine has finished, remove the linen and hang it outside to dry on an external clothesline. If your linen has a dark dye, keep it out of direct sunlight.

4. Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen PeroxideNot only is hydrogen peroxide one of the ingredients used to turn heads blonde, but it is also a staple for many medicine cabinets around the world. Although it’s a member of the bleach family, it lacks the caustic properties of chlorine.

However, this one isn’t necessarily safe to use on all colored linen items. It takes the color out of hair, remember. So imagine what it might do to your dark blue linen shirt. Always make sure your linen is colorfast before treating it with hydrogen peroxide.

You will need:

  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Washing machine
  • External clothesline and pegs

Step 1

Add one cup of hydrogen peroxide to your washing machine. If you have a bleach compartment, use that. If not, then use the laundry detergent section. Set your machine onto a delicate, cool cycle with a gentle spin.

Step 2

Once the cycle is over, remove the linen from the machine and hang the linen outside on an external clothesline to air dry.

5. Laundry Bluing

Laundry bluing has been used for decades as a solution to the age-old problem of linen that has yellowed. It’s not so much of a bleaching agent as an optical illusion. Adding blue to your wash counteracts the yellow and makes the linen look whiter.

You have to be careful when adding bluing to your wash. It’s technically a dye. Using too much will turn your whole wash blue.

You will need:

  • Mrs. Stewart’s Liquid Bluing
  • Glass jar
  • Washing machine
  • External clothesline and pegs

Step 1

The first thing to keep in mind when using bluing is you never add it directly to the machine. You must dilute it! Check the packaging on the bluing to find out how much you need to use. Then, dissolve that amount in cold water. Use a glass jar, as bluing can stain plastic.

For top-loading washing machines – put your linen into the drum and start the machine. Open the lid when the machine is full of water and add the bluing.

For front-loading washing machines – Put your linen into the machine and start the wash cycle. There are two ways to add the bluing with this type of machine. The first is to open the dispenser drawer when the machine has filled with water. Dilute the bluing in one quart of water and pour it into the dispenser. It should flow into the drum.

The second method is particularly useful if your dispenser drawer locks while the machine fills with water. Dilute the bluing as per the instructions on the bottle. Then add as much of the diluted solution to the detergent compartment as possible. Close the drawer and start the machine. If you have any diluted bluing left over, dispose of it.

Step 2

Set the machine to a delicate, cool cycle with a gentle spin and wash your linen. When the cycle has ended, remove the linen and allow it to air dry outside on an external clothesline.

6. Lemon Juice

A natural bleaching agent, stain buster, and cleaner for kitchen countertops, lemon juice smells fresh and kills germs. It does so because it contains citric acid. Lemon juice has been used as a natural alternative for bleaching linen and other fabrics for decades.

You will need:

  • Lemon juice
  • Bucket
  • Mild laundry detergent free from bleach
  • Washing machine
  • External clothesline and pegs

Step 1

Mix 1 cup of lemon juice in a bucket with 1 gallon of warm water. Add your linen to the bucket and make sure you push it down under the surface. Leave it to soak overnight.

Step 2

Remove the linen from the bucket and put it in your washing machine. Set the machine on a delicate and cool cycle with a gentle spin. Make sure you use a mild detergent that doesn’t contain bleach.

Step 3

Remove the linen as soon as the machine stops. Hang the item on an outside clothesline to air dry. If the linen has dark coloring, keep it out of direct sunlight as it might fade.

7. Oxygen Bleach

BleachA mixture of sodium percarbonate, natural crystals, and a touch of hydrogen peroxide, oxygen bleach is a safe alternative for the environment. Better still, oxygen bleach doesn’t strip color from colorfast garments and it won’t damage the delicate fibers in your linen.

You will need:

  • Oxygen bleach
  • Mild laundry detergent free from bleach
  • Washing machine
  • External clothesline and pegs

Step 1

Add your laundry detergent and linen to your washing machine. Use the dosage recommended on the packing to gauge how much detergent you need. Then add 1-2 tablespoons of oxygen bleach to the drum with the linen.

Step 2

Set your machine on a delicate cycle using a cool or warm temperature. Make sure you choose a gentle spin. Allow the machine to complete the washing cycle.

Step 3

Remove the linen from the washing machine and hang it outside to air dry. Leave the linen on your clothesline until it is dry. Sunlight will help the bleaching process, but you should keep dark-colored linens in a shady spot to prevent colors from fading.

8. Potassium Permanganate

Available in some drug stores and sometimes in garden centers, potassium permanganate can be used to bleach linen white again. It can also be used on light-colored linens like cream or magnolia.

You will need:

  • Potassium permanganate
  • Bucket
  • Mild laundry detergent without any bleach
  • Washing machine
  • External clothesline and pegs

Step 1

Fill your bucket with warm water as hot as your linen can stand. There needs to be enough to submerge your linen completely. You can use your bathtub if your bucket is too small.

Add a small amount of potassium permanganate to the water. A few crystals are all you need. You want the water to turn a delicate shade of pink.

Step 2

Add a teaspoon of laundry detergent and mix well. Then add your linen and leave to soak for at least five hours.

Step 3

Once the time has elapsed, add your linen to your washing machine and wash on a delicate cycle with a gentle spin. Your water temperature should be cool.

Step 4

When the machine has completed its cycle, remove the linen and hang it on an external clothesline. Leaving the linen to dry outside will help the bleaching process.

9. Sunshine

Bleaching linen

One of the oldest and most well-known natural bleaching agents, the power of the sun can kill germs and add a fresh brightness to linen. There’s a reason why all the methods in this article say to dry linen outside on a clothesline.

Sunshine can enhance the other natural bleaching methods, giving you better results. The only downside with sunshine is it can make colors fade, particularly in darker-colored items.

You will need:

  • Freshly washed linen
  • A bright sunny day
  • External clothesline and pegs

Step 1

Wash your linen as you would normally using your regular mild detergent. Or you can use one of the other remedies mentioned in this article to bleach your linen.

Step 2

Hang your linen out to dry. Peg it to an external clothesline and leave it for a few hours. Remember to rotate the linen after a half hour or so. This will ensure all sides of your linen are exposed to the sunlight and will bleach uniformly. Try not to over-dry your linen, as this could cause it to shrink.

10. Distilled White Vinegar

VinegarVinegar comes in many forms. There’s apple cider vinegar, malt vinegar, and even balsamic vinegar. While they can all be used to flavor your food, you can’t use all of them to freshen or whiten your linen.

The one you want to bleach your linen is distilled white vinegar. Because white vinegar won’t cause stains, some other kinds might.

A word of caution if you want to use vinegar to bleach or clean your linen. Make sure your laundry detergent is free from chlorine bleach. You do not want to mix chlorine with vinegar! Mixing any acid with bleach, even one as human-friendly as vinegar, can result in the production of lethal chlorine gas.

You will need:

  • Distilled white vinegar
  • Mild laundry detergent free from bleach
  • Washing machine
  • External clothesline and pegs

Step 1

Put some mild laundry detergent into your washing machine as you would normally. Add 1 cup of distilled white vinegar. Then, add your linen to the drum and select a gentle cycle and a delicate spin.

Keep the water temperature cool or warm depending on the linen you wash. Your care label should let you know the ideal temperature for that particular item.

Step 2

When the washing machine has finished, remove the linen from the drum and hang on an external clothesline to air dry.

How to Make Yellowed Linen White Again

Returning your yellowed linen to its original fresh, crisp white isn’t as hard as you think. All you have to do is choose one of the methods described in this article. Read through all of them and choose the one best for your situation and the size of your linen.

The first thing to do is check the care label. Although linen sheets tend to be washable, you might find that your linen garment is dry clean only. None of the remedies listed above are suitable for dry clean items. You’ll need to take them to a professional dry cleaner.

Once you have decided which method to use, follow the instructions carefully. You should find your linen comes out of the wash looking as good as new. If it doesn’t, repeat the process. That’s the great thing about using natural products; you can do them over and over until you get the result you want.

For stubborn stains or yellowing, you might feel tempted to opt for chlorine bleach. That’s understandable. Particularly if you’ve tried all the natural remedies and none have worked or haven’t worked that quickly.

The thing is, you need to be extremely careful with bleach. Not only with the amount you use but also with the length of time you use it. Chlorine bleach can damage your linen. It can also be detrimental to your health. Bleach can be dangerous if used incorrectly.

Many manufacturers of linen strongly advise against using chlorine bleach for a good reason. There are safer ways to revitalize your linen, making the use of chlorine unnecessary. Chlorine bleach is the absolute last resort when all other methods have failed.

But if you must use it, use it as little as possible. Always wear rubber gloves and read the instructions on the bleach bottle. I can’t stress enough the importance of doing a spot test on your linen before committing to a full chlorine bleach treatment.

Put some bleach on a q-tip or cotton bud and dab it on an inconspicuous area. If there are any signs of color transferring or a change to the integrity of the fibers, don’t use chlorine bleach!

You should also avoid using chlorine bleach on any linen previously treated with oxygen bleach, vinegar, lemon juice, or ammonia. Mixing any of those could lead to some highly toxic fumes.

Conclusion

The best way to bleach linen is to use a natural product. You can use vinegar, lemon juice, or oxygen bleach. Leaving your linen outside in the sunshine will also help bleach it back to a crisp white. Try to avoid using chlorine bleach. It’s too acidic for linen and can damage the fibers of the fabric.

Have you had to bleach your linen items? What method did you use? How did you get on? Let me know in the comments.