WASHINGTON—Imagine jeans, sweats or socks—all made with cotton—that clean and deodorize themselves when hung on a clothesline in the sun or draped on a balcony railing.

Scientists in China are reporting the development of a new cotton fabric that cleans itself of stains and bacteria when exposed to ordinary sunlight. The self-cleaning cotton idea isn’t new, but previous technology relied on ultraviolet light. Researchers say the treatment is cheap, nontoxic and ecologically friendly.

The fabric uses a coating made from a compound of titanium dioxide, which breaks down dirt and kills microbes when exposed to some types of light. It already is used in self-cleaning windows and tiles, odor-free socks and other products.

One stumbling block to the technology could be the rise in local regulations that limit or prohibit clotheslines and other means of hanging clothes outside to dry.