To make your white socks soft again you can soak the socks in a warm sink or tub of water and a liberal sprinkling of baking soda for several hours.
After you soak the white socks in the baking soda and warm water for several hours you should wring them to dry and wash them in the washing machine and then add 150 to 200 ml of baking soda to the detergent drawer or washing machine itself along with your normal detergent.
Socks do not need softener and in fact it's best to not use softener when washing socks as the softener can leave a waxy coating on the socks.
And then eventually the waxy coating on the socks will wear down the socks and lock in any bad odors as the fabric will not be able to absorb any water or detergent.
To whiten your socks with baking soda, soak your dirty socks in a tub of warm water mixed with baking soda.
Leave them for a few hours before washing them in the laundry with your regular detergent mixed with a little more baking soda.
You should wash socks twice if they are really dirty, although washing socks once is most often good enough to get them clean and get rid of bacteria and fungus.
Socks should be washed after each use.
When you wear socks you can get sweat and bacteria in the socks and wearing the same socks longer than a day or not washing the socks between each use can cause your feet to get bacteria and fungus and even rashes on your feet.
Wearing dirty socks even though they may seem clean can also make your feet smell and your feet hurt.
Even if your feet aren't sweaty, you shouldn't really wear the same pair of socks two days in a row.
The reason being, is your feet contain around 250,000 sweat glands and can excrete as much as half a pint of moisture a day.
Bacteria can thrive on dirty feet and grows rapidly in warm, damp socks.
A bacterial infection can lead to painful wounds, possibly even be life-threatening.
Typically, socks can last between six months to a year if worn once a week.
Socks should be changed regularly to avoid unpleasant smells and athlete's foot (a fungal infection).
Fungus loves warm, damp and dark environments which makes your socks the ideal breeding place.
So you should change your socks at least once per day or more often if your feet are sweating a lot or they get wet.
Wearing socks to sleep comes with very few risks, other than discomfort for those that prefer the feeling of being barefoot.
Be sure to wear socks that are loose, and do not wear compression socks to bed unless directed by a doctor or other medical professional.