How to Keep Colors From Bleeding & Fading in the Wash

Separate your clothes by color before washing them.

Fading and bleeding of dyes in the wash can ruin your clothes and your day. Take steps to prevent fading by sorting laundry by color, keeping your blue jeans far away from your white T-shirts and socks. Once the laundry is sorted, wash your clothes at the right temperatures and use ordinary household vinegar to preserve the color in your clothes.

Things You'll Need

• White vinegar

Instructions

1. Sort your clothes by color: whites, brights and darks.

2. Soak new clothes -- especially denim -- in a basin of white vinegar to set the dye.

3. Set your washer to use cold water, which is gentler on dyes than warmer temperatures. As it is filling, add detergent and a cup of white vinegar. Put in the clothes and wash as normal.

4. Before drying your clothes, make sure there are no stains or accidental dye bleeding. If there is, rewash the clothes. If not, dry the clothes according to their care labels.

References

• Stain Removal 101: Prevent Fading Colors in Your Clothes
• Today: Solutions to a Laundry List of Washing Dilemmas