As with white clothes, white socks get dirty very easily. A completely normal phenomenon, since they are in constant contact with our shoes and are therefore exposed to all kinds of bacteria. Once they are dirty, it becomes quite difficult to clean them effectively and restore their shine. A trend that can be reversed, however, thanks to the use of natural and environmentally friendly ingredients.

Several methods have already proven themselves for the optimal cleaning of white clothes. Socks are   not outdone, thanks to recipes with ingredients such as: lemon juice, baking soda or even hydrogen peroxide.   The latter is also one of those products whose versatility is little suspected, since it serves several purposes.

In addition, white socks differ from white clothes in their ease of cleaning. Because if it is easier to preserve the whiteness of white clothes,  it   is not  so much with our socks   . This is simply due to their environment, which is conducive to all kinds of dirt as well as sweat. In addition, it is possible to eliminate the bad smells of the feet that this produces.

In this register we recommend that you arm yourself with life-saving ingredients that are more likely to get you out of trouble. These are: hydrogen peroxide, dishwashing liquid, bleach, lemon juice, white vinegar, but also a plastic bag. Let’s see how you can put their properties to good use without resorting to chemicals.

1.         Refresh your socks with baking soda

Know that with sodium bicarbonate it is not time to give up on your very dirty socks. Follow these steps to keep them looking great:

• Fill a basin with lukewarm water;
• Add a fairly generous amount of baking powder;
• Soak the dirty socks and then wait a few hours for the baking soda to penetrate;
• Wring them out and then put them in the washing machine;
• Add a glass of baking soda to your usual detergent;
• To soften dirty laundry, add a glass of white vinegar when rinsing.

2. Make white socks white again with boiling water

Boiling water is another simple but effective technique for bleaching heavily soiled laundry. Here’s what you need to do:

• Prepare a large pot with water, dish soap and half a glass of lemon juice;
• Dip your socks;
• Boil the solution;
• Wait 20 minutes to cook the socks;
• Perform a normal sock wash.

3. Whiten the socks with white vinegar

White vinegar, already a flagship among household cleaners thanks to its ability to clean everything, owes its reputation to its acetic acid composition, a compound that   has the power to break down dirt and lightly whiten laundry  . To take advantage of its stain-removing power, follow the steps below:

1. Prepare a container filled with hot water;
2. Soak dirty socks;
3. Add white vinegar;
4. Let the shoes soak overnight, then take them out the next morning and wash them as usual.
5. Whiten socks with hydrogen peroxide

For quickly whitening socks, 3% hydrogen peroxide is ideal:

• Dilute a glass of hydrogen peroxide in a basin of lukewarm water
• Place your socks in to soak and wait a maximum of 30 to 60 minutes;
•     Wring out the socks and put them in the washing machine
• Pour ½ glass of peroxide into the fabric softener compartment
• Proceed with normal machine washing

6. Whiten the socks with bleach

If you want to make socks shine again with bleach, follow these steps:

• Fill a bowl with lukewarm water
• Stir in 4 tablespoons of bleach
• Add detergent
• Soak your heavily soiled socks in water and then wait 15 minutes
• Continue with normal washing

It is also useful to pre-wash white socks before adding bleach.

Whiten socks with   detergent  

Another very effective recipe is to take advantage of the acid contained in lemon. To do this, follow these simple and effective steps:

• Prepare a container filled with lukewarm water and lemon juice;
• Bathe your white socks in it;
• Add detergent and then hand wash the whites, focusing on areas filled with stains;
• Take a plastic bag and put the socks in it;
• Let soak overnight;
• Perform a normal wash.

7. Whiten the socks with a dishwasher tablet

Dishwasher tabs definitely do more than just fulfill the function they were designed for. They can even be a great way to clean ovens, in which case   they can perfectly whiten the socks  . To do this:

• Fill a bucket with lukewarm water and place the socks in it;
• Insert dishwasher tablets;
• Wait a few hours for the dissolved product to take effect;
• Continue with the usual washing.