5 Ways To Make Your Summer Items Last

White Jeans

Midseason slump: They’re turning dingy and yellow.

How to beat it: One to two wears is the max you can get out of white jeans before cleaning them. “Unless a garment is 100 percent cotton, avoid chlorine bleach, which can cause yellowing,” says Linda Cobb, the author of Talking Dirty Laundry (Pocket Books, $10, amazon.com). Instead, use an additive-free version, like Vaska Oxygen-bleach ($7 for 48 ounces, amazon.com). Once jeans start to look dingy at the seams, add a half cup of White Brite ($10 for 30 ounces, walmart.com) to the washer and presoak for five minutes.