A common issue when doing laundry is that white socks lose their brightness after a while of use and become discolored or drab. However, do not be too concerned because many people have provided useful laundry methods on social media, allowing you to simply overcome this dilemma. In a laundry tips Facebook group, Leanne Willis asked, “What’s the best stain remover for heavily soiled white socks?” and quickly had a rush of useful suggestions from the community.

Many people mentioned over-the-counter stain removers like Vanish and Napisan, while others suggested baking soda crystals. “Soak your socks overnight in baking soda crystals, then wash as usual,” says Claire Lowe. “I wash all my whites this way and people always comment on how white they are.” Lucy Harris recommends rinsing your socks with baking soda crystals in the sink before washing them. “It helps remove dirt better than just washing.”

“Soak the socks in a bowl of cold water to loosen dirt, then wash with soda crystals,” Hazel Kirk tells me. Donna Thornley provides two options: “Use Pink Oxi in the washing machine or soak the socks in soda crystals and wash.””Soda crystals are the only thing I’ve tried that works to get my socks sparkling white again,” Heidi Smith tells me. “Soda crystals at the proper temperature. Debbie Simmonds says, “I wash at 90 degrees and it works great.”

Why Soda Crystals Are Effective. Baking soda crystals are not as powerful a bleaching agent as bleach, but they are excellent at eliminating stains and whitening laundry. Baking soda crystals remove stains and soften water while also delivering a subtle but effective whitening impact.