Whitening old linen

[abstibus]

I have been given some linen pillowcases that have been in a cupboard for a long time and have gone rather yellow.
Can anyone suggest how I can whiten them safely?
Thanks a lot.

[Old_Geezer]

I've seen net curtain whitener in the stores. You might try that. If they are that old they have gone yellow though, will they stand up to a wash without falling apart ?

[abstibus]

OG
They look pretty strong - they have drawn thread work but are otherwise plain.

[gingejbee]

Do not use a chlorine-based bleach! The best results will be from soaking overnight in an oxygen-based product eg Vanish Crystal White, which has been specially made to revive off-white cotton/linen materials.

[abstibus]

Thanks a lot, gingejbee.
I'll get some tomorrow. My grandmother used to put her linens on the grass or over the gooseberry bushes to whiten after she washed them, but that was in the 'olden' days when we still had grass!

[giveup]

They will be fine in vanish crystal white as gingejbee suggests (but after a while they rot your knickers)

[abstibus]

giveup-
Knickers? Pillowcases? The mind boggles. I ain't that big.

[Old_Geezer]

Out of curiosity, just checked the ingredients on the box of "Glo White".

Apparently "Brighening agents" ??? "Perfume" ??? "1" ????? and "2-Benzisothiazolin-3-one" ? So I am so much better informed. Still, it doesn't mention bleach.

[gingejbee]

"brightening agents" = oxygen-based bleach. "Bleach" does not mean chlorine-bleach necessarily; any oxidising-agent does the job, oxygen being the safest.

[abstibus]

gingejbee and giveup,
Thank you very much for your recommendation. I used the Vanish Crystal White and it worked a treat.
I'm very grateful.