bleach booster....

[sabrelvssammy]

i read that you can cut down your usage of bleach on whites by combing 1/2 cup bleach to 1/2 cup baking soda...add as you normally would to laundry...

the baking soda acts as a booster for the bleach and you use less bleach with the same results (better for your clothes, the environment and your pocketbook)....

[Grainlady]

I have to avoid bleach in laundry because we have minerals in our hard water (manganese?) that cause the whites to yellow when bleach is used regularly (some chemical reaction).

I occasionally add 1/2-cup hydrogen peroxide to the rinse to whiten clothes - especially when we've been drying them on lines in the basement all winter. Adding Borax to the wash also aids in keeping whites white. Hanging in the sun works well to whiten laundry. Those are three less toxic ways than bleach.

A laundry stain remover for whites:
1 c. hot water
1/2 c. baking soda
1/2 c. hydrogen peroxide

Mix and store in a spray bottle.