White bamboo clothing that has gone grey and the way back

Short answer: Greyness comes from soil particles and limescale settling in the fibre. A soak with oxygen bleach plus correct dosing brings most of the whiteness back.

Why white turns grey

Greyness is not colour, it is a layer of microscopic soil, detergent residue and limescale sitting in the fabric. It builds up slowly over many washes, which is why you only notice when a new white item lies next to it. Washing whites with dark items adds a little dye on top of that.

The first step is dosing

Too little detergent leaves soil in the fabric, too much leaves soap. Both read as grey. Check the pack for your water hardness and follow it. With hard water you need either more detergent or a separate water softener.

The treatment that works

Soak the items for a couple of hours in lukewarm water with oxygen bleach, then wash at the highest temperature the fabric allows. The same goes for bamboo bedding that has gone grey. Avoid chlorine bleach, which weakens bamboo viscose and yellows it over time. Repeat the soak once more rather than turning the temperature up.

How to keep white white

Always wash whites separately, keep loads small so they rinse properly and skip the softener. Dry outdoors when you can, because daylight bleaches naturally. See bamboo underwear for men and bamboo t-shirts for men.

Frequently asked questions

Can grey whites become truly white again

Rarely completely, but most of it comes back. The longer it has built up, the less you recover.

Is chlorine bleach a bad idea

For bamboo viscose yes. Chlorine weakens the fibre and can leave a yellow tone over time.

Does washing hotter help

A little, but dosing and oxygen bleach do more than temperature on its own.