How to Wash Black Clothes So They Won't Get Faded
Black clothes look sharp when they are still new. Unfortunately, black clothes often fade when washed, and they eventually look worn and dingy. If you give your black clothes a little extra attention when you wash them, however, you can prevent much of the fading and keep the clothes looking new much longer. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Turn the clothes inside out. This prevents some fading by reducing friction (slightly) on the external areas of cloth. Turning the item inside out helps if the article is black jeans.
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Place black clothes in the washing machine, and only wash a few items at a time to prevent the clothes from rubbing together too much. Alternatively, you can hand wash each item separately, but this is time-consuming.
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Fill the machine with cold water. Warm or hot water can cause dyes to run, fading black clothes faster. Add vinegar to the water to aid in keeping the dyes from running. According to Washing-machine-wizard.com, use ¼ cup of white vinegar per load.
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Add a mild, liquid laundry detergent intended for color fabrics. Choose a detergent made specifically for dark clothing. Wash the clothes on a gentle cycle.
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Dry black clothing in a dryer, keeping the clothes inside out, on low heat. You can also hang them to dry, as long as you do so indoors away from sunlight (as sunlight fades clothing).
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Tips & Warnings
To return color to dark clothing, Dillaservices.com suggests adding bluing (found in the laundry aisle of some stores), or 2 cups of coffee or tea to the rinse water.
Wash clothes only when they are truly dirty. For example, if you wear a pair of blue jeans and sit at a desk all day, chances are the jeans can be worn again at least once without washing. The more often you wash black clothing, the higher the chance they will fade.
Be extra careful when cleaning delicate fabrics, such as wool, linen and silk. You may be better off having these materials dry-cleaned. As always, check the care instructions on the clothing label before laundering any item.
