Welcome back to the Gentleman's Gazette. In today's video, we'll share all of our
advice on how to restore and maintain the brilliant whiteness of your dress shirts.
♪ Gentleman's Gazette Theme Song ♪
White dress shirts are, of course, a foundational item in a classic men's wardrobe. But if you own
one or more white shirts, you've probably experienced the difficulty of keeping them,
well, white. Today's video is another installment in our ongoing stain series,
and in it we'll describe why shirts discolor, how you can get this discoloration out,
and how to prevent discoloration in the first place. We'll also note that this video is
not about cleaning more general stains out of white shirts, like wine spilled during dinner,
ink from a leaky fountain pen, or blood following an altercation with Raphael.
To remove these kinds of stains from your white shirts or from any other clothes,
consult our video on removing all different types of stains here. So, first up, then,
in order to better understand how to prevent the discoloration of white shirts, we should
talk about why they discolor in the first place. Discoloration on white shirts can assume a few
different forms, from a general gray or yellowish cast across the whole shirt to yellowing in more
specific or localized areas. In both cases, the main culprits are body oils and sweat that settle
into a shirt's fabric and become stains over time. Unsurprisingly, then, this discoloration
is most commonly found on problem areas on shirts where oil and sweat tend to collect.
These include, but aren't limited to the underarms;
the collar, especially at the back of the neck;
the cuffs; and, occasionally, the hem. Discoloration can also come from the
chemicals and minerals that are ingredients in many personal care products. One commonly
cited culprit here would be aluminum found in many antiperspirants. Very minor or invisible
stains or small particles can also lead to bigger stains on white shirts over time.
This mainly occurs if said stains or particles are left to oxidize on the
fabric. You might have noticed this before if you've put what you thought was a clean
white shirt into storage only to bring it out months later to find it yellow or dingy. And
of course, all stains, no matter their source, tend to be more visible on white shirts than any
other because the shirt's lack of color means that other colors are going to show up more readily.
We should also note here that no natural fabric is naturally white; rather,
whiteness can only be achieved through dying or bleaching. Even
untreated cotton is naturally off-white in color. Therefore,
white shirts are, in some ways, defying the laws of nature,
so it's no surprise that they're a struggle to keep completely clean. But,
we've never met a clothing problem we couldn't handle, so here are our tips on
how you can keep defying nature and keeping your white shirts white. And as always,
before attempting any of the treatments we're going to suggest today, you should spot check
them on a hidden area of the garment to ensure that no adverse reactions occur. After all,
we don't want the shirts to look worse than when we started. First, we're going to cover
how to remove localized discoloration in the areas we mentioned earlier like the cuffs or
underarms. For more general discoloration, you can skip to the next section by using
the chapter functions below. We'll begin here by applying a cleaning or whitening product
to the stain. You can use specialized products like The Laundress Wash & Stain Bar or OxiClean
Stain Remover or diluted liquid or powder detergent mixed with water. In particular,
look for products with an enzyme-rich formula as they're going to be good at breaking down
the fats, oils, and proteins that make up many stains. If you prefer a more homemade approach,
you can make a cleaning paste using ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide,
and water. For particularly tough stains or stains that are old and thoroughly set, you can also use
bleach alternative, which has many of the cleaning and whitening properties of chlorine bleach,
but won't seriously damage most fabrics. That being said, you should still always be careful,
even with bleach alternatives, and follow the instructions on the package. Start by working
your chosen product gently into the stained fabric with a sponge or a small brush, then allow it
to sit for at least 30 minutes or for several hours for tough or set stains. Alternatively,
you can also soak the discolored shirt with the product in water, provided that doing so is in
keeping with the shirts garment care instructions and the washing instructions of the cleaning
product. Then, gently rinse the treatment out of the shirt with water. If the stain is gone, great.
We recommend giving the shirt one more standard wash to remove any lingering odors or product, and
then treating yourself to some brandy or ice cream for a job well done. If the discoloration persists
but it's less intense, then try the entire process another time, and then give yourself some brandy
or ice cream for a job well done. After all, all this cleaning is hard work. If the discoloration
still persists, then we recommend taking your white shirt to a trusted local dry cleaner. After
all, they are professionals and they have more than a few tricks and special products up their
sleeves. And your last recourse here should be chlorine bleach. It's almost always going
to bleach the stain white, but it's also often going to damage the fabric in the process. So,
use chlorine bleach only with extreme caution and always follow the instruction on the package. Next
up today, let's cover situations in which the entire shirt seems to be generally discolored.
This sometimes happens with older and well-worn shirts, but you can remove the yucky yellow or
grimy gray with a revitalizing wash, essentially, you're going to soak the shirt in cleaning agents
that will lift away the stains and restore the shirt's whiteness. The simplest way to do this
is to soak your shirt in a sink filled with hot or warm water, depending on the shirt's garment care
instructions, and then add your cleaning agent according to its own instructions.
One of the easiest cleaning products to use will be a detergent specifically formulated
for white fabrics as it will contain unique agents like low concentrations
of bleach alternative to help brighten and clean white fabrics. These would
include OxiClean White Revive Whitener, Out White Bright, Tide Plus Bleach Alternative,
and Laundress All-purpose Bleach Alternative. All of these are common options and, by the way,
this video is not sponsored. And if you prefer a homemade alternative,
you can also use about two cups of baking soda. Whatever you're using, let your shirt
soak in this solution for a few hours, and then wash as normal. If the discoloration persists,
then you can move on to more specialized products. The first of these is bluing,
which is a blue dye that is added in small amounts to many white fabrics.
This is because a subtle blue tinge in white fabrics is actually perceived in
most lights as being whiter than white. Just like Dr. Niles Crane's parrot, Baby.
[scene from "Fraiser"] Dr. Crane: "It was love
at first sight. She's very exotic."
Dr. Crane: "Only eats every other day. And she's so white, she's almost blue."
Many white shirts are actually sold blued, but the bluing eventually washes out.
So, adding back in some additional bluing can trick the eye into seeing even discolored
shirts as being whiter than they really are. A common brand to use here would be Mrs. Stewart's
Concentrated Liquid Bluing. Here, we'll just tell you to follow the instructions on the package to
use it because do I really look like I know more about bluing than this lady does? And if general
discoloration still persists, it might again be time to seek out help from your local dry cleaner
or use chlorine bleach. But, again, only do this ladder option while exercising extreme caution,
so now that we've covered how to restore the whiteness to your white shirt. Let's
quickly cover twenty tips for how to keep them white. Number one is fairly simple:
wear an undershirt. After all, the more sweat and body oils absorbed by your undershirts,
the less there will be to stain your dress shirts.
Number two: don't neglect your neck. When bathing, it's easy to forget to scrub the back of your
neck, but as discussed earlier, that is an area where body oils and sweat can accumulate. So,
do remember to clean your neck when you're in the shower. Number three: spray sensitively.
Allow liquid products to dry completely before putting on your white shirts. This means things
like sunscreen, lotion, fragrances, hair products, and other toiletries need to dry completely before
you put your shirt on. And while we're on the subject of personal products, we've already
alluded to the fact that aluminum can react with your body chemistry to produce more pronounced
stains on your underarms. To reduce this issue, you can switch to non-aluminum antiperspirants
or non-antiperspirant deodorants altogether. But, sweat and oils from your body can still stain your
shirts, so doing this might not completely resolve the issue in all cases. Speaking just for myself,
since switching a few years ago to aluminum-free, non-antiperspirant deodorant. The yellowing on my
shirts' underarms has thankfully stopped. Number four: a lemon drop makes sweat
stains stop. Lemon juice naturally counteracts these staining effects of body oils and sweat,
so spritzing your shirts with lemon juice before putting them on can counteract staining. By the
way, this trick was one of many life hacks we identified for the modern gentleman and, if
you want to see the rest of the list, you can find that video here. Number five: wash after wearing.
Before completely washing your non-dry, clean-only white shirts, wash out the problem areas like the
underarms and cuffs, with a little bit of water. This will help to prevent body oils and sweat from
setting in until laundry day. Number six: wash white shirts more regularly. Again,
to prevent sweat and oils from setting in, consider washing your shirts more
frequently - after every two wears or even after every wear. Again, speaking for myself,
as someone with hyperhidrosis, I routinely wash all of my garments,
basically after every wear, and I find that this does help to prevent some staining. Number seven:
stop stains speedily. Fast action is key to removing any stain, but it's especially important
with white shirts. So, when stains do occur, make sure to treat them as soon as you notice
them. Number eight: pre-treating is a treat. Apply a dusting of cleaning powder or liquid
detergent directly to the problem areas of your shirts and let it sit for a while before putting
them in the wash. This ensures that the cleaning agents will react directly and immediately to
these problem areas. By the way, you should also check the website of your shirts' manufacturer as
they will sometimes have tips for how to clean the shirt, including for spot treatment. Number nine:
we're all about inside out. The agitation of washing machines can damage some shirt fabrics
and, as a consequence, this might make them look more gray. Therefore, turning your shirts inside
out before you wash them can help prevent this. Number ten: separate and succeed. You are probably
already aware of this; but, when doing laundry, it helps to separate your white fabrics from
other fabrics that contain color. Not only will this help to prevent any dye transfer,
but it will also allow you to dial in your settings for those that are especially good
for white fabrics in particular. Number eleven: find a fantastic formulation. The detergents we
mentioned earlier on that are good for soaking whites can also be good for washing whites.
So, you can use some of them as detergent boosters and add them into your regular
wash cycle as well. Number twelve: determine detergent diligently. Insufficient detergent
in laundry won't remove stains properly and will allow them to settle in. But, conversely,
using too much detergent can also have the side effect of making your shirts appear dingy and gray
over time. This is because the excess detergent, which often contains petroleum, can settle into
the fabrics over time. So, be sure to measure out your detergent with every wash because,
as the old saying goes, the right measurement ensures merriment. Okay, I admit that's not an
old saying, and only I say it and even I don't say it very often. Moving on. Number thirteen:
avoid fabric softener. Many fabric softeners leave behind a residue that is especially
noticeable on white shirts and can make them look dull. This is just one of multiple reasons
why it's probably best to skip fabric softener entirely for your laundry routine. By the way,
we've also mentioned why this is a good idea in other installments of our laundry and garment
care series, and if you want to take a look at the full playlist, you can find
it here. Number fourteen: rinsing twice can be nice. If you do find that you're properly measured
out cleaning products aren't being removed during your normal wash cycle, consider adding another
rinse to the cycle just to make sure that all of the product is removed. Number fifteen:
wash in sufficiently hot water. Remember to always follow garment care instructions so as not to wash
shirts in excessively hot water, which can shrink or otherwise damage them. But, barring this,
the hotter the water, the better, as it will more easily release stains from fabric. Number sixteen:
don't go overboard and overload. A properly balanced washing machine is going to more
easily soak, agitate, and rinse your garments, so just don't stuff it too full. Number seventeen:
wash your washer. If the inside of your washing machine has become dirty from regular use, it's
probably going to leave your white shirts dirty, too. Like any appliance, a washer also requires
regular cleaning, so follow your manufacturer's instructions or you can follow the advice that
we provide in our cheap and easy laundry hacks video here. Number eighteen: dry delicately.
Dryers can bruise white shirts, so put your dryer on the gentle setting while you're drying them or,
better yet, only leave your shirts in the dryer for a few minutes to knock out the large wrinkle,
and then hang dry them to finish. And if you hang dry in the sun, you could also take advantage of
the bleaching effects of UV light. This is a phenomenon that's probably, unfortunately,
already known to those of you who have outdoor patio furniture. But, here, it will help you,
not hurt you. Number nineteen: take a hard look at hard water. The minerals found in hard water
can make white shirts appear dull, so if you know that this is happening to you and the water in
your area is hard - usually indicated by crystals forming on taps or shower heads - consider using
detergents that counteract the effects of hard water or even having a water softening device
attached to your water line. Finally here, number twenty: store your white shirts properly. If
you're putting clothes into seasonal storage or putting away garments that you might not
wear often, like a Black Tie or White Tie evening shirt, avoid clingy plastics that restrict airflow
as these conditions exacerbate the chemical forces that create stains in stored clothes. Instead,
opt for natural linen or cotton garment bags or plastic bags with panels for airflow. And for a
specially valuable items, consider using archival storage boxes and acid-free white tissue paper for
the best results. We hope you enjoyed learning about how to restore the whiteness to your
white shirts and how to keep them white into the future. Do you have any other whitening tips and
tricks that we might have missed? If so, share them in the comments below. In today's video,
I'm wearing a casual outfit, good for doing some garment care around the house. The central element
is my wine-colored cardigan sweater from Charles Tyrwhitt, and I'm wearing it over a shirt in a
terracotta color from Proper Cloth. The shirt features a glen check pattern and, while it
does have French cuffs, I've got them configured in a barrel style with simple black links to fit
better under the sweater sleeves. My corduroy trousers from Cordings are in a traditional
khaki color that harmonizes well with my shirt, and my shoes, which are from Crown Northampton,
are cordovan leather sneakers. The dark reddish brown of the cordovan harmonizes well with my
sweater, and the brownish tone in the gum soles goes well with my shirt and trousers. To keep up
this casual feel, I've also left product out of my hair and let my beard grow a bit. And rounding out
today's outfit are my two-tone solid socks from Fort Belvedere in burgundy and white that, again,
go well with my sweater. You can find the socks that I'm wearing in today's video, along with a
wide array of other classic men's accessories by visiting the Fort Belvedere shop here.
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