The Unexpected Product People Are Using To Brighten Whites (& Should You Try It?)

If you really enjoyed chemistry class in high school and are looking to relive your lab days, this trending laundry whitening trick may have you rubbing your hands in anticipation. TikTokers, bloggers and forum contributors are sharing a chem lab-worthy trick for brightening whites, from shirts to shoes: start with a soak in a potassium permanganate diluted in water, then follow it up by a dip in a solution of water and hydrogen peroxide. White clothing, towels, shoes and more should emerge gleaming as if they were fresh off the store rack. The utterly satisfying before-and-after shots are sure to inspire lots of purchases of these chemicals.

Yes, the visuals are immediately convincing, but once you get to know potassium permanganate, you'll want to put your chem lab ambitions on a shelf. It's used by professional laundry services, as a way to distress denim, as well as other cleaning applications, but there's a hefty number of bright red flags popping up about potassium permanganate. 

The fact that it's on the EPA's Hazardous Substance list should be reason enough to steer clear of potassium permanganate. However, it's always helpful to delve into the kind of harm it can cause. Its chemical safety warnings are pretty damning. If you don't handle it properly, you can end up with severe eye damage, skin burns, and lung problems. There's also some evidence that it can negatively affect fertility and fetal health and hurt the liver and kidneys. If that all weren't reason enough to say "no" to potassium permanganate, it's also a powerful toxin in waterways and is a fire hazard.

Dry cleaning professional Martin L. Young, Jr, likens using potassium permanganate "to going squirrel hunting with a howitzer." Why risk so much potential danger when there are other low-risk ways to come away with gleaming white sheets? A combination of smart washing and drying techniques can get the job done with minimal risk and cost.

There's a reason bleach has been a laundry room staple for so long; although it can pose some problems, you can follow some pointers for safely using bleach to whiten your whites. Old-fashioned bluing may not be on your radar this century, but online forums are full of testimonials for this cheap and effective whitening agent. Follow up your wash by line-drying laundry outdoors. This is a free and easy trick to brighten whites, since the sun can bleach and sanitize fabrics.

The image of dirty sneakers emerging from chemical baths with renewed whiteness may still tempt you into buying potassium permanganate. However, there is a much simpler and safer product that's racking up tons of rave reviews. The Toffos shoe washing bags for washing machines, available for $35 at Amazon, is a five-star-rated shoe washing laundry hack that can't be beat. With so many safe and inexpensive options for whitening laundry and shoes exist, save yourself the health and environmental risks by giving potassium permanganate a miss.