Even with the most intensive laundering routines, keeping a white silk blouse white forever can be nearly impossible. Thankfully, though, there are a few tricks you can try to help brighten your white silk blouse back to their original shade again after they have gotten soiled and tainted.

When it comes to understanding how to make white silk blouses white again, the best way is to pre-soak them. There are three key soaks you could try.

1. Laundry detergent

Adding ¼ cup of detergent powder, like Persil, to a sink full of warm water and soaking your white silk blouse for two hours before a normal wash works to whiten them.

2. Baking soda

Dissolving one cup of baking soda in four liters of warm water makes not only a great whitening solution but also an effective deodorizer. Soak your white silk blouse in the solution for around eight hours before popping them in your usual wash.

3. Lemon juice

Boil two sliced (not halved) lemons in a large stockpot of water and then remove it from the heat. Then add your white silk blouse to soak for an hour. The lemon juice works as a great whitener.

Removing stains from white silk blouse using white vinegar

If your white silk blouse just needs a little bit of brightening and you haven’t stocked up on detergent, you can try washing them with white vinegar.

1. Add vinegar to the fabric softener compartment

Add half a cup of distilled white vinegar to the fabric softener compartment of your washing machine.

Use your regular detergent

2. Use your usual detergent and of course following any appropriate instructions on the care label. Have a look at our article if you’re not sure what the washing symbols

Wash in the washing machine

3. Wash your whites in your washing machine.

The great thing about this method is that vinegar doesn’t bleach anything with colors in them. It also won’t leave a smell behind and will get rid of any remaining alkalinity from your detergent in the last rinse.