Some white garments have short shelf life

Dear Readers: Have you ever bought a piece of bright-white clothing and after a while it's no longer bright white, or you wash it and it comes out yellow?
Well, here's what our friends at the International Fabricare Institute have to say about this aggravating problem in an issue of Clothes Care Gazette:
"The most likely cause of the yellowing is a breakdown of fabric finish used to make the garment appear brighter and whiter.
"Bright white is not really a natural shade of fibers, yarns and fabrics. Many times, manufacturers brighten and whiten fabrics by using special fluorescent whitening agents or optical brighteners. Some of these brightening finishes have a somewhat limited durability to use and storage conditions. These finishes can yellow when exposed to light and atmospheric gases for long periods of time.
"The areas of a garment which receive more light exposure may show a more pronounced discoloration. In some cases, an entire garment may turn yellow or off-white.
"Dry cleaning can sometimes accelerate this process, though the change is not due to any improper action taken by a dry cleaner. Almost all white fabrics will eventually yellow to some degree from oxidation of the original finish, storage and care."
This is a question that comes in all of the time, folks! Heloise
P.S. Read care labels carefully when buying clothes, and don't assume that all whites can be kept white by using chlorine bleach!
Dear Heloise: After the weekend is over, have you remembered an activity or event you'd wanted to attend? Don't let this happen again! When you see a newspaper article or flier about events or activities you would be interested in, cut out the info and put it in a folder. Each Friday night, review this folder so that you can plan accordingly. A Fan in Texas
Our refrigerator door is the place I post possible things to do! Heloise
Dear Heloise: We live in southwestern Florida, and the high humidity cakes the baking soda after I open the cardboard container it comes in. We have solved the problem by repackaging it in a cleaned, empty container that Parmesan cheese comes in. These containers even provide a shaker top for when you need to use the product, and no more caking! Jim and Barb, via e-mail
Dear Heloise: When serving hors d'oeuvres, aside from the dip container in the middle of the chip tray, we never seem to have holders for other sauces, like mustard for cocktail franks or pasta sauce for mozzarella sticks. I have found that little plastic pudding- and fruit-cup containers work great when washed out. They are small enough to fit on a serving tray and can just be tossed out after a couple of uses! Ann T., Rockaway, N.J.
Dear Heloise: I use a cookie sheet to cover lasagna or any other casserole to be baked in the oven. It's better than fooling with aluminum foil. Roberta Frigo, Jensen Beach, Fla.
Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.
King Features Syndicate