Use laundry bluing to counteract yellowing

Dilute a few drops of laundry bluing (such as Mrs. Stewart's Bluing) in cold water until the water is a pale blue. Add the diluted solution to the rinse cycle of your wash. Never apply bluing directly to fabric, as it will leave blue spots.

Why It Works

Bluing deposits a trace amount of blue pigment (Prussian blue / iron ferrocyanide) onto the fabric. This counteracts the yellowish tones that white fabrics develop, making them appear whiter to the eye. The human eye perceives blue-white as the "whitest" white. Mrs. Stewart's Bluing has been manufactured since 1883.

Tips

• This is an optical effect, not chemical bleaching — it masks yellowing rather than removing it
• Safe for both cotton and linen and will not harm fibers
• Always dilute thoroughly before adding to wash water
• Remove stains before bluing, as it will not hide them