A palace sheet has something unreal about it. Its whiteness does not come from being new, it persists wash after wash, for years. It is not a question of luxury fabric. It is a question of method.
Here is what hotel laundries do to maintain this white, and how to adapt it at home.
Principle 1, Wash only white with white
This is the non-negotiable rule. New jeans, a coloured towel, even light patterned linen: it takes only once, and the white takes on a grey veil that will not come out again.
Principle 2, Pre-soaking changes everything
Before washing at all, soak the white linen in lukewarm water with a little detergent and, for very soiled pieces, a tablespoon of sodium percarbonate. 30 min to 1 h.
Principle 3, A liquid detergent specific to white
Not all liquid detergents are equal when it comes to white. Formulations for white linen include optical brighteners. This is what we have formulated in PURE.
Principle 4, Percarbonate, the friend of white
Sodium percarbonate releases active oxygen on contact with hot water. A gentle yet very effective whitener, chlorine-free and non-aggressive. 1 to 2 tablespoons in the pre-wash drawer, one wash in three or four.
Principle 5, Banish bleach on everyday cotton
Bleach burns the fibre. Used regularly, it makes a sheet lose up to 40 % of its strength in three years. In hotel laundries, it is reserved for exceptional cases.
Principle 6, Rinse thoroughly
Detergent residue gives a dull look. Always run an extra rinse cycle for white linen.
Principle 7, Air drying, in the shade
The sun, direct and prolonged, yellows cotton. In great laundries, drying takes place in a ventilated room, in the shade.
Principle 8, Treat stains as soon as they appear
Hotel laundries treat every stain within 24 hours. Red wine → salt or bicarbonate immediately. Blood → cold water + Marseille soap. Perspiration → a percarbonate paste 30 min before washing.
Principle 9, Do not overload the machine
Always leave a third of the drum free so the water can circulate.
The complete method in summary
Strict sorting, pre-soaking 30 min to 1 h, a 40 °C cycle with PURE, percarbonate one wash in three, an extra rinse, MÉMOIRE softener, air drying in the shade, ironing on damp linen.