When I was at school (in the 60s) my mother regularly used to add a small fabric covered blue coloured "pill" (about the diameter of a two pence piece and 1cm thick) which was partially dissolved in the wash to make whites look whiter. This was superceded by the likes of Daz (and other brands) containing "blue whiteners" at about the same time.
Mind you she was never one for using starch.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
