Bleaching grey linen typically involves using a color-safe bleach, like oxygen bleach, following specific steps. It's important to understand that bleaching grey linen will likely lighten or remove the grey color, rather than making it "whiter" in the sense of brightening white fabric. The outcome can vary depending on the specific dye used on the linen.
Using Oxygen Bleach on Linen
To bleach linen using oxygen bleach, you can follow these steps, which involve soaking the fabric:
- Preparation: Ensure your washing machine is ready and you have access to oxygen bleach.
- Adding Bleach: Add 1-2 teaspoons of oxygen bleach to your washing machine with enough water for the linen. Use the appropriate water level for the amount of fabric you are treating.
- Soaking: Place the grey linen item into the washing machine with the bleach and water mixture. Let the linen soak for a few hours or overnight before washing as usual. Soaking allows the oxygen bleach to work effectively on the fabric fibers.
- Washing: After the soaking period, proceed to wash the linen as you normally would, following care label instructions for temperature and detergent.
Important Considerations When Bleaching Grey Linen
- Color Change: Remember that bleaching is a process that removes color. Applying bleach to grey linen is intended to strip away the grey dye, not necessarily turn it a bright white. The final result may be a lighter shade of grey, a patchy appearance, or even the original color of the undyed linen if the dye is completely removed.
- Spot Testing: Before bleaching the entire item, it is highly recommended to test the oxygen bleach solution on an inconspicuous area of the grey linen (like an inside seam) to see how it affects the color.
- Oxygen Bleach vs. Chlorine Bleach: While the provided method specifies oxygen bleach, it's worth noting that chlorine bleach is much harsher and more likely to cause irreversible color removal and potential fiber damage on linen, especially colored linen. Oxygen bleach is generally a safer option for linen and colored fabrics, but still has the potential to affect color.
By following the soaking method with oxygen bleach as outlined, you can attempt to bleach grey linen, understanding that the primary effect will be the lightening or removal of the grey hue.
