When white is bright, it’s stylish and sophisticated; when white turns dingy, it’s just plain dingy.

Cotton Incorporated, an industry research and marketing company, offers the following tips in its seasonal newsletter, “Lifestyle Monitor,” on proper white washing techniques:

• Generally, white garments, such as white jeans, should be washed separately or with other whites, not “lights.”
• If using a detergent containing bleach in a washing machine, add the detergent manufacturer’s suggested amount to water, agitate the water, then add the garments and leave for several hours or overnight. Turn the wash setting control for a normal wash time to continue through the complete washing cycle.
• Whites will fare better if they go through two rinse cycles to make sure all the alkaline detergent is rinsed out. If using a non-chlorine bleach, follow the manufacturer’s soaking recommendations followed by a full wash cycle with regular detergent.
• Do not use extreme drying times or temperatures. Alkalinity in whites, which can be aggravated by high heat, can yellow when dried. Also, fabric softeners tend to cause yellowing in white fabrics when stored for several weeks.