Create a Pre-Wash Soak

• Soaking your clothes before the wash is vital to getting your whites back to being bright. However, instead of just letting them sit in the washing machine with some extra soap, get a large bucket and fill it with water. Add 1/2 cup of lemon juice to the water. Mix thoroughly and add your clothes. Soak for 1/2 hour before draining the soak liquid.
  
  

Spot-Treat Stubborn Stains

• If you see a persistent stain, particularly one due to perspiration, come through the soaking process unscathed, then you will need to perform an additional spot tratment before throwing the load into the washing machine. Although there are plenty of commercial spot treatments available for purchase, you can make your own potent whitening spot treatment at home by mixing 1 cup of water with 2 tbs. of Borax, and 2 tbs. of dish detergent. Pour this mixture over trouble spots and use a sponge to spread the cleaner gently around the stain. Let the spot treatment stand for 10 to 15 minutes.
  
  

Soften Your Water

• If you live in an area with hard water, you may notice that your whites start taking on a gray shade after a few washes. Combat this by adding 1/2 cup of vinegar to your washing machine during the rinse cycle.