1. To become or appear whiter. His blond hair began whitening up from being in the sunshine all summer long. Try adding a scoop of baking soda to your clothes or linens if you want them to whiten up.

2. To cause something to become or appear whiter. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "whiten" and "up." The detergent promises to whiten up your clothes. I want to get a toothpaste that whitens up my teeth.