Nobody wants dirty-looking socks lurking in their drawers (Stock Image) (Image: Victoria Kotlyarchuk via Getty Images)
Have you ever looked at your socks and wondered why they’re so grimy? You may have only strolled around your house in your socks, but judging by their dirty appearance, you might as well have trudged through mud.
Whether it’s dye from your shoes or a sign that the kitchen floor needs another mop, you might need to give them some extra cleaning attention to restore them to their former glory instead of binning them.
However, don’t fret, as a mum on a Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips Facebook group has highlighted that white socks can be revitalised with a simple soak.
Mrs Hinch has inspired aspiring cleaning enthusiasts across the nation to try her proven hacks, and fans also share their knowledge on social media to assist those who would otherwise be clueless.
Much like internet parents, they impart their wisdom to millennials like me, who, frankly, sometimes just don’t know what we’re doing.
I made my socks nice and dirty before trying the technique (Image: Mirrorpix)
But that’s fine, because what else is the internet for if not a cleaning hack or two?
And the one I noticed suggested soaking grimy white socks in Napisan after they had undergone a standard wash. Admittedly (and I’m not sure 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 test.
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.
The socks came out a lot brighter than I expected (Image: Mirrorpix)
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 to see whether it was actually going to work for me.
Truthfully, I wasn’t expecting much, but after checking on them after a couple of hours, I could already see that 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 that there are no nasties on your clothes.
Plus, it can also be put in the wash for larger items you can’t soak properly, such as big, fluffy white towels that you want to come out of the washer gleaming.
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 is priced at £5 in major supermarkets. When I first tried this trick, it was available for £3.20 in Wilko, but they don’t seem to stock it anymore.
When I enquired with shop staff about Napisan, they were unaware of the product, so it might be best to order online or use click and collect.
However, it’s worth the effort, as the product description is spot on. It reads: “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 surprise that cleaning experts are raving about this product; my socks were noticeably whiter than before, and considering the price, I have no complaints whatsoever.
They weren’t as white as brand-new shop-bought socks, but I can see why the product has generated such a buzz, and fully understand why mums turn to Napisan when faced with baby-related stain emergencies.
