The Best Bleach Alternatives for Linen

If you've recently invested in new linen bedding or sleepwear, you might be wondering how to deal with tough stains on this delicate fabric.

While caring for linen is (thankfully) quite straightforward, stain removal can seem slightly daunting. Because linen is a natural fibre, it's generally best to avoid harsh chemicals, but if you are without your usual cleaning products, what should you use instead?

Thankfully, there are plenty of household items that can help get stubborn stains out of linen, without having any harmful effects on the fabric.

1. Hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is a great alternative to chlorine bleach, which can weaken the natural fibres of linen. Far from being just an antiseptic, hydrogen peroxide is also an oxygen-based bleach that can brighten linen garments without ruining them.

Before you use it though, consider that hydrogen peroxide is an oxygen bleach, and is best used on white linen. In the same way that chlorine bleach can lighten bright colours in unwanted ways, so can this solution.

Nevertheless, it's a great easy option for brightening white laundry. To use it, add one cup of hydrogen peroxide into the drum of your washing machine, chuck in the dirty laundry (again, white fabrics only), and then run the cycle as normal. For best results when washing linen fabric, avoid hot water and fabric softeners, and swap your regular laundry detergent for a gentle alternative.

2. Baking soda

Not only is baking soda a great way to keep your sheets fresh, but it also makes a great stain remover. To make things better, this natural bleach alternative is easy to find, affordable, better for sensitive skin, and has less of an environmental impact than traditional bleach products.

To use it as a stain remover, create a paste by mixing 1 tablespoon of water with 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Spread the paste on any obvious stains and allow it to dry before washing according to care instructions.

3. Lemon juice, salt, and sun

Good news for anyone trying to reduce their carbon footprint – here's another eco-friendly bleach alternative that uses all natural ingredients.

Because this method requires direct sunlight, you'll need to have the weather on your side, ideally a bright day. Before trying this on coloured sheets, you should also test a small area to ensure that the citrus and UV rays don't wash out any dye.

Once you've determined that the citrus doesn't negatively impact the colour of your sheets or clothing, it's time to begin.

First, find a place outside. Lay your stained garments out, then squeeze lemon juice directly onto the stain. Next, pour salt onto the lemon juice and gently rub it into the fabric. Once all stains have been treated with lemon juice and salt, rinse out the salt with cold water, then squeeze another few drops of lemon juice onto the stain. Hang the garment in direct sunlight, at least until it's dry all over.

Once the garment is dry, run the linen on your regular wash cycle – using gentle detergent and cold water.

What not to do

Now that you have a few tips up your sleeve to get rid of dark stains on linen, it's important that you also know what not to do. It can be tempting to rely on your usual methods, but it's important to understand what kinds of things damage linen so that you can avoid mistakes and help your linen last longer.

• Using warm water: You might believe that warm water helps get rid of stains, but when it comes to linen, this is a big no-no. Not only can warm water damage linen fibers, but it can also lead to shrinkage and warping. Even when your linen is stained, it's best to use cool or lukewarm water to wash it, whether in the machine or by hand.
• Using dishwashing detergent: You may have heard that using dishwashing detergent can help remove stubborn stains. While this might be true, it is not advised for linen. Dishwashing detergents often contain harsh chemicals that can damage natural fibres – so it's best to give this hack a miss. On top of the potential for damage, detergent can also leave behind a residue, which is less than ideal for your breathable linen sheets and clothes.
• Using regular detergent: While it may be tempting to reach for your go-to stain-removing laundry detergent, consider the damage it may do to your linen. While these stain-specific detergents might be useful for eliminating common stains, they are often too harsh for linen, which should be washed with a gentle detergent to avoid damaging the natural fibres.

Overdoing it: You know which detergent to wash your linen with – but what if it's not enough? It can seem like adding more detergent to your washing load will help get a better wash, but it often does more harm than good. Overdoing it with detergent (even if it's gentle or natural) can prevent your linen from getting 100% clean. For best results, linen requires a lot of fresh water to rinse through, and using too much detergent can make this impossible, leaving behind rough sheets and an unpleasant residue.