If white is the colour of bed and bath linen in hotels the world over, it’s not because it’s ‘hotely’, nor is it by chance! It’s because it’s the only colour that can always be reclaimed. And that also explains why white is such a popular choice for homeowners (are you concerned?). However, its brilliance isn’t the only reason: there are many advantages to this colour… and this article details them.

White: a favourite colour for household linen

White suits a variety of decorating styles, and can be accessorised in many ways and ‘dressed up’ in many colours; white brings light into a bedroom, enlarging the space; white is a timeless colour; white offers a feeling of freshness and cleanliness…

White sheets are the first choice of the hospitality industry, whether for hotels, B&Bs, social institutions, etc., because they offer customers the assurance of clean bed linen. Their ability to withstand washing at high temperatures and to react effectively to detergents and bleaching agents ensures optimum hygiene. What’s more, from a psychological point of view, white bed linen reassures customers: since stains are more visible on white linen than on dark colours, it reinforces customers’ confidence in the cleanliness of the establishment.

As you can see, white linen is easy to maintain. All you need to do is know and adopt the right steps to preserve their shine, and you can do it without chemicals! We’ve listed the best practices below…

How can you make your white sheets shine again?

White is therefore the only colour that can always be recovered, as long as you know how! On the other hand, if a persistent stain is removed from coloured linen using an unsuitable stain remover, there is a risk of halo or irreversible discolouration, which will not occur on white linen.

Overall, we always recommend washing your sheets at 30° on a long programme. This is more than enough to keep your sheets fresh and clean using a conventional washing machine. It’s also good practice from an ecological and economic point of view. However, if you need to wash your clothes at a higher temperature to remove stubborn stains, or if you use a ‘homemade’ detergent with agents that activate at high temperatures, you can of course wash them at 60°.

Always separate white from any other colour when washing to avoid the migration of colour dyes, which can cause white to grey or lose its shine. We also recommend that you don’t overload your washing machine to ensure effective washing.

The magic trick for restoring the shine to white sheets that may have turned yellow or grey is to use sodium percarbonate! Inexpensive and harmless to the environment (it contains no toxic products), it’s THE miracle solution for sparkling white linen that’s as fresh as new!

Let’s get down to business: the recipe for sparkling white bed linen.

Firstly, if you don’t want your white washing to go grey with use and washing, we recommend adding a tablespoon of sodium percarbonate to your washing powder or directly into the drum with the washing if you’re using a liquid detergent (recommended for ecological reasons).

However, if you need to restore your sheets to their original shine, here’s a tried and tested recipe:

• soak them in a basin of hot water for 12 to 24 hours, adding around 200 to 300 grams of percarbonate of soda (a slightly smaller amount may be enough)
• add a stone or something heavy to the ball of washing to make it sink, as the oxidising effect of the percarbonate can cause the washing to rise to the surface
• if possible, stir the sheets from time to time during the soaking process
• after 12 to 24 hours, take the washing out of the tub and wash it directly in the washing machine at 60°C (because sodium percarbonate is an agent that becomes more active at 60°C). You should dry naturally, preferably in full sunlight.

This method will restore your sheets to their original lustre. Be careful not to leave anything that isn’t white lying around! This trick will whiten all textiles, and may discolour non-white fabrics or seams!

Let us know if you’ve tried it and what the result was!

To find out more about our washing tips and advice, see our blog article, our care guide and our product pages. And, of course, always check the washing labels on your products!