Cotton is white- it doesn't need a "white dye".

White cotton is processed to a white, it would appear..

 

 

Naturally colored cotton is cotton that has been bred to have colors other than the yellowish off-white typical of modern commercial cotton fibres.....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naturally_colored_cotton

I'm wondering, seeing as the natural fibres tend towards yellowish, like the stains, it is somehow reverting from pure white in storage. Some kind of oxidation maybe?

White cotton is processed to a white, it would appear..

 

I'm wondering, seeing as the natural fibres tend towards yellowish, like the stains, it is somehow reverting from pure white in storage. Some kind of oxidation maybe?

Yes, it's processed- but not by dyeing- they bleach it. The way they make cotton white is to remove yellow impurities from the white cellulose. They do that by oxidation.

Yes, it's processed- but not by dyeing- they bleach it. The way they make cotton white is to remove yellow impurities from the white cellulose. They do that by oxidation.

Right.

 

I'm wondering: if they were stored by hanging them on coat hangers, with air more freely circulating all over the clothes, as a opposed to the compressed confines of being folded and stacked, would that prevent it?

 

Another thing I've thought of is sweat from hands handling them; reacting with the fibres slowly over time in storage.

Edited September 20, 20169 yr by StringJunky

May want to look at bluing.

 

Mrs. Stewart's is supposed to be good.

Right.

 

I'm wondering: if they were stored by hanging them on coat hangers, with air more freely circulating all over the clothes, as a opposed to the compressed confines of being folded and stacked, would that prevent it?

 

Another thing I've thought of is sweat from hands handling them; reacting with the fibres slowly over time in storage.

it is impossible from the sweat of my hands. all the stains are on back of the clothes.

The clothes folded and stacked are never stained before.

 

By the way, it is better to get all the clothes out regularly and hang outside under the sun or it may have an unpleasant smell i can't find words to describe.

By the way, it is better to get all the clothes out regularly and hang outside under the sun or it may have an unpleasant smell i can't find words to describe.

Fusty

 

A thought: When you fold the clothes you will touch and stroke the backs to flatten them and take creases out, then you put them away. It is usual to fold the fronts inwards, is it not?

Edited September 21, 20169 yr by StringJunky

White fabrics acquire a slight color cast after use (usually grey or yellow). Since blue and yellow are complementary colors in the subtractive color model of color perception, adding a trace of blue color to the slightly off-white color of these fabrics makes them appear whiter. Laundry detergents may also use fluorescing agents to similar effect. Many white fabrics are blued during manufacturing. Bluing is not permanent and rinses out over time leaving dingy or yellowed whites. A commercial bluing product allows the consumer to add the bluing back into the fabric to restore whiteness.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluing_(fabric)

 

Mostly posting this so people don't think I'm nuts suggesting dying something blue to make it look white :}

 

Does run along the same lines of John's earlier mention of optical brighteners though.

Edited September 21, 20169 yr by Endy0816