How Does Vinegar Keep Colors From Fading?

How Vinegar Is Made

Vinegar is an acetic acid solution created from two fermentation processes. The first process is alcoholic fermentation where yeasts turn sugars to alcohol. In the second process, bacteria turns the alcohol into acetic acid which is used to create the vinegar. White vinegar, used for cooking and cleaning, contains 3 to 7 percent of acidity. The rest is water, vitamins and mineral salt. The acidity helps stop colors from fading.

What Causes Colors to Fade

Colors fade for a number of reasons. The first reason has to do with the unstable dyes used to color the clothes. Colors affected by these dyes are bright reds, greens, blues, purples, black and fluorescent colors. Add water to the colors and the dyes will lift from the material, causing the water to turn the dyed color. Hot or warm water will lift the dyes from clothing more than cold water. Hard water can affect the color of clothes because of its high mineral content. When hard water is combined with powdered laundry detergent, a residue stays on the clothes, dulling the color. Even hanging clothes out to dry in the sun will fade the colors.

How Vinegar Stops Colors From Fading

Vinegar can't stop the sun from fading colors, but it can stop the water and detergent from dulling bright colors. Vinegar dissolves minerals. If you have hard water that is combining with detergent and leaving a residue on the clothes, the vinegar will dissolve the minerals in the water, stopping the deposit of residue. On clothes that have unstable dyes, the vinegar will stop the aggressive action of the water on the dyes and help set the color. The dyes will not lift off the clothes and the clothes do not fade.

How to Wash With Vinegar

Using vinegar in the wash will stop the fading, but since some clothes have heavy dyes, use other precautions as well. And one cup of vinegar to the water. Use cold water to slow down the aggressive behavior of the water. Use liquid laundry detergent which is less likely to act with the minerals in the water. Turn the clothes inside out before putting them in the washing machine. It is best to wash like colors together. Even though the vinegar is working, you want to avoid any chance of colors muddying the clothes. Wash as usual. Do not hang the clothes outside. The sun will still fade the clothes.

Laundry Tips

Vinegar is not only great for keeping colors bright, it is also a natural fabric softener and freshener. Adding one cup to the rinse cycle, will break down the alkalies left behind from the detergent and leave the clothes soft and fresh smelling. For blankets, use 2 cups of vinegar in the rinse cycle.