Sue asked: How do I get a white, nylon jacket white again? I have a white nylon jacket that looks yellowed. I would like to try to get it white again.
Nylon 
will turn yellow over time even when given the best of care. There are several methods to remove the yellowing. In some cases, nature can work better than almost any cleaning product. Here’s a time-honored solution that has worked for generations along with a proven cleaning mixture. Both will remove the yellowing without damaging the nylon fabric.
Using Lemon and Sunshine
You Will Need:
- Lemon juice
- Spray bottle
- Bright sunshine
Steps to Remove the Yellowing:
- Pour the lemon juice in the spray bottle. Do not dilute.
- Spray the yellow spots thoroughly with lemon juice. Soak them if you can. If there are colored areas on the item, put tape over them to ensure no spray gets on them and be careful not to let any lemon juice soak through behind the tape.
- Hang the jacket outside in bright sunshine. The acid from the lemon juice will work with the sun to create a safe, natural bleaching agent.
- Direct sunlight works best. During winter time when the sun doesn’t get as high in the sky, you may need to experiment during peak afternoon hours for the most sun possible.
- Depending on the thickness of your fabric, the jacket will whiten from within 30 minutes to a couple of hours.
- As soon as the stain is gone, get the jacket out of the sun. You don’t want to weaken the fabric by leaving it out there too long.
- If you see progress but the stains do not disappear, repeat the process. If there’s no progress, see the “additional tips and advice” section for another idea.
Using Enzymes
You Will Need:
- Enzyme digestant
- A bucket or tray
- Oxygen bleach
Steps to Remove the Yellowing:
- To use an enzyme laundry detergent, such as Biz, mix the amount instructed on the label into a bucket with water and soak the yellowed item overnight in the solution. To use an enzyme stain remover, such as Nature’s Miracle, put the item on a tray and soak the fabric with enough of the solution that it will not dry out overnight.
- Wash the item as usual the next day with the hottest water that the fabric can tolerate. If you have oxygen bleach, wash the item with that. If not, use double your usual amount of laundry detergent.
Using Oxygen Bleach
You Will Need:
- Oxygen bleach
- A bucket
Steps to Remove the Yellowing:
- Fill a bucket with enough water to cover the garment.
- Mix in some oxygen bleach according to the recommended amount on the package label for the amount of water being used.
- Soak the item overnight in the solution.
- Wash the item as usual the next day using the hottest water that the fabric can tolerate.
Additional Tips and Advice
- The lemon juice method works great with jackets or other items that aren’t machine washable.
- Rit makes a whitening product that can be used to remove discolorations from clothing. Follow the directions on the package. Rit products can be found in the laundry aisle with the clothing dyes.
- Do not attempt to whiten the garment using chlorine bleach; it will turn the fabric even more yellow.
- One site user has written in to say that they successfully removed the yellowing by spraying the garment with hydrogen peroxide, then washing it as usual. Thanks Linda!
Sources
- Home Comforts: The Art & Science of Keeping House by Cheryl Mendelson
- The Cleaning Bible by Kim Woodburn and Aggie MacKenzie
- Fix It, Clean It, Make It Last by Gayle K. Wood
Having an extensive wardrobe, I found numerous items “yellow” or stained from nonwearing of all fabrics. I live in Florida and have found that by simply storing “whites” in ziplock bags with the air squeezed out as much as possible has stopped the discoloration.
If I did not take the time to do this, I have found that taking a spray bottle and filling it with hydrogen peroxide (from the drug store) and spraying the discoloration makes it disappear almost immediately. I then launder as usual and it is good as new (I have had excellent results, especially on my undergarments – really old stains/discoloration), that nothing else even attempted to remove the discoloration.
I have not found the peroxide to discolor any neutral colors. I used it on a Coldwater Creek jacket, winter white and very expensive. Took the stain right out and it’s good as new. My theory, can’t wear it like it is, “what do you have to lose?”
I have a 38-year-old baby dress, made of 100 % nylon. It was made in Europe. It has yellowed all over. How can I whiten this without damaging it? It was my daughter’s, and now she would like it for her daughter too. Thank you in advance for any advice you can give me. Maggie 🙂
Maggie, I would soak it in lemon juice and hang it in the sun for a few hours. That should remove the yellow.
I tried the bleach, dishwashing soap and vinegar trick. It made my overall yellowed garment more yellow! I have two of these Eileen Fisher tops and it’s easy to see the difference. Don’t do it!
However, check this out! Since the garment was more yellow than before and for me, rendered useless, I decided to experiment with lemon. I had a cut lemon handy and squeezed it directly onto the wet garment. I could see the yellow disappear before my eyes! I quickly squeezed the juice from 3 additional lemons and massaged the lemon throughout the garment evenly. Amazing! I am sitting at my desk and looking at the garment on the patio in the sun and it looks amazing! I am going to wait, wash, dry and then compare to the identical garment that was not treated. results posted shortly.
Hydrogen peroxide (to whiten), and liquid dish soap (I prefer Palmolive – to break down grease for strains) has always worked for me, and I put small things in a Tupperware container and let soak up to three days – shaking every so often to agitate soap. I have used up to 16oz (half a 32oz bottle) in one container.
Appreciate advice. However the nylon I wish to clean is actually an underlay to a polyester top. Has gone a greyish color, but poly multicolored overlay is still bright colours as purchased. Wouldn’t bother, but do love top and underlay shows around neck armholes and bottom. Might be a charity shop donation sadly. Looking tired. Thanks for your time and advice.
Karen,
Greying is different than yellowing. Greying implies that you have hard water. This guide might help: How to Brighten Whites. If those methods don’t work (or if they do), there are some stronger methods in this article, How to Wash Whites in High Iron Water. Good luck!
Didn’t have any lemons, but had hydrogen peroxide; figured I’d give it a try. WOW!! What a revelation, the yellow came out in seconds.