Sometimes, it can feel like your whole collection of white socks look grimy. They're not exactly dirty, but they just need a little bit of extra work to get them looking as good as new.
Rather than chucking them out and replacing them (which I am more than guilty of doing in the past) there are ways to get them sparkling and looking good as new again - even if it's your children who are getting them messy.
In fact, it was a mum on a Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips Facebook group that brought my attention to the fact that white socks just need a little soak, rather than a total sacking off.
Mrs Hinch has got aspiring cleaning gurus up and down the country desperate to try out her tried and tested hacks, and other people impart their knowledge on social media to try and help those who wouldn't otherwise have a clue.
A bit like internet parents, they share their wisdom with millennials like me, who frankly, sometimes, just don't know what they're doing.
But that's okay, because what's the internet for if not a cleaning hack or two? And the one I spotted suggested putting gross white socks in Napisan after going through a normal wash. Admittedly (and I don't know how) none of my socks look that bad, so I put a pair through their paces to ensure I was giving the Napisan a fair grilling.
After spending some time in the garden in just my socks, getting them nice and muddy, and making myself feel rather nauseous, they were ready for the wash. And truthfully, it didn't even touch the sides. I needed something else, and thankfully I had the Napisan on hand, ready for my socks to be soaked in.
I left them in 65g of Napisan, as recommended on the packet, for 24 hours, which is actually longer than recommended, but I wanted to give the hack from the Facebook page a whirl!
Truthfully, I wasn't expecting much, but after checking on them after a couple of hours, I could already see the colour of the water had changed. The great thing about Napisan is that it also kills germs you can't see, so you can be safe in the knowledge there are no nasties on your clothes. And it can be also put in the wash for larger items you can't soak properly, such as big fluffy white towels.
After 24 hours, I bunged them in the dryer, and when they came out I was seriously shocked at the results. They looked so much better than they had previously, and the socks certainly wouldn't embarrass you when you take your shoes off at your pal's house.
Napisan can be purchased in Wilko for just £3.20, but be warned, when I went into my local supermarkets in Manchester, I couldn't see it on the shelves, and when I asked for it, the staff members had no idea what it was. So it's maybe best to purchase online, or to click and collect.
It's worth it though, as the description really is accurate. It says: "Add this to your wash and remove stains for brighter and whiter clothes. It kills 99.9% of bacteria in your laundry and is microbiologically tested. Easy to use, the remover helps get rid of stains at 30°C."
It's no wonder that cleaning gurus have gone wild for this product, my socks were left so much more white than when I started, and for £3.20, I really cannot complain at all. They were not perfectly white, but I understand the hype around the product, and totally get why mums turn to Napisan in their hour of baby-related stain needs.
Would you try Napisan? Have you used it before with any success? Let us know in the comments.
