Discoloured Tea-Towels And Hand-Towels: Environment-Friendly Solution?

[gl556tr]

Inevitably, tea-towels and hand-towels become discoloured; typically with tea/coffee stains and 'turning greyish'.
Without resorting to aggressive washing powder, does anybody have an environment-friendly solution?
Thank you.

[waterboatman]

Try using Ecover products. They are all environmentally friendly, made from natural products and are very good. I use them all the time, they are excellent. Also, the there is a product called Vanish. If you use that, dampen the tea-towel or whatever, rub some Vanish into it, then wash as normal.

[1ozzy]

Send them to the shed, rags then get a second useful life.

[TonyV]

As WBM says vanish is a great product or could also add some soda crystals to the washing machine

[Tilly2]

I use soda crystals.

[DSJ]

I use Vanish in every wash. It works like a dream.