There is nothing more beautiful than a cool white ensemble in summer. However, let's be honest that freshness often fades too fast.  The fact that we don't live on the glittered pages of magazines and spotless Tide commercials can be disappointing after a few wash cycles.  Here are a few tips to help keep those summer whites fresh all season long.

1.) Keep your whites wash rotation tight.  The longer you let a stain set untreated the higher the probability it will set in F-O-R-E-V-E-R. Deodorant, sunscreen and perspiration will start to chemically react with fibers while you wear it and continue after you take it off. Don't let your whites sit in a hamper, send them straight to the laundry and treat them with a cleaning/stain solution every time you wash.

2.) Hand wash delicates and give them a good soak.  Read your care labels and for delicate tops and dresses that are washable at home give them good soak (10 minutes to 2 hours depending on what the fabric can withstand). in a mild detergent such as Woolite.  Spot treat any troubled areas and continue to agitate the soaking garments every so often before rinsing and air drying. 

3.) Watch over starching and keep heat pressing low. Heat locks in stains so any high temperature pressing will work against you.  Keep the temperature low to avoid scorching (aka burning the fabric resulting in a yellow tinge) and make sure are working with a clean garment to start.  For white cotton blouses, try sprinkling a little baby powder inside the underarms after ironing to create a barrier between the fabric and sweat. 

4.) Find a delicate detergent and spot remover you love. Everyone will find their own favorite combination outside of regular bleach and detergent and Pinterest has a number of alternative solutions. All are worth a try, but I've found consistency with these below.  The biggest impact on your whites will be continuing to treat them before the stains are visible.