Keeping white laundry clean and pristine is a common struggle, especially with socks which easily become dirty, dingy, and stained after just a few uses.

But fear not, for those in the know have a top tip for restoring your socks to their former glory without reaching for harsh bleach. Instead, they recommend a more natural approach, but it’s not vinegar.

Katherine Cerpa shared her laundry woes on the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips and Tricks Facebook page, posting a photo of her brown-stained white socks fresh out of the washer.

Seeking advice she explained: “These socks just came out of the washer. They were washed with warm water and soaked with OxiClean.”

The plea for help sparked a flurry of responses with over 160 comments, with many users advocating the wonders of soda crystals for both whitening and stain removal.

Supermarket shopper Jane Ireland advised: “Soda crystals are really good and you can get them from most supermarkets and on Amazon.”

She also provided a handy guide: “Depending on how stained they are, add half a cup to one cup of soda crystals to the washing machine and put it on a 60-degree wash.”

Busy mum Natasha Smith chimed in with her tactic: “I’m a mum of five boys and one girl and I always use soda crystals on their white socks. It’s game-changing.”

Michelle Walker added her thoughts: “Soda crystals. It’s amazing stuff. It gets my blokes’ socks looking new again. I just add the soda crystals straight in the washing machine drum.”

Susan Wilson instructed: “Get yourself some soda crystals. It’s the best thing I’ve ever used to get my boy’s grubby white socks up. I did try bleach and vinegar but this worked better.”

Alisha Dobbs shared her tip too: “Soak in soda crystals and then wash as normal. The brown stains will be gone and the socks will come out like new.”

Meanwhile, Debbie Powell disclosed her solution, remarking: “I have two boys and used to have the same problem. Now I just add a scoop of soda crystals to every white wash and they are now lovely and white.”

Speaking about the versatility of soda crystals, this cleaning agent can unblock drains, keep washing machines sparkling, and soften those hard towels of yours.

For a simple stain-fighting addition to laundry duties, toss in a tablespoon of soda crystals along with the regular detergent.

Alternatively, prepare a potent potion of crystals and warm water for an effective pre-soak that works magic on even messier whites.

And a top tip: When using a liquid detergent, pop the soda crystals where it won’t meet the liquid straight away to avoid unwanted clumping.