How to Use Salt & Vinegar to Prevent Fading

Blue jeans will fade if not treated with salt and vinegar before washing.

Help maintain the new, fresh appearance of clothes by setting the dye of the fabric, prior to machine washing. Machine washing will wear down the fibers of clothing over time, giving a dull appearance to the clothing. Avoid the gray-black clothing and red-orange fabric by using plain salt and white, distilled vinegar to act as a preventative to fading. After the initial soak, items can maintain their appearance with minimal, heavy washing and the occasional wash with vinegar and detergent.

Things You'll Need

• 1/2 cup white, distilled vinegar
• 1/2 cup salt
• 1 gallon water
• Washing Machine

Instructions

1. Soak the item you want to prevent fading in a mixture of 1/2 cup white, distilled vinegar, 1/2 cup salt and 1 gallon of water. The salt and vinegar soak will only work on items that have not been washed at all, because the mixture helps to adhere the dye to the fibers.

2. Rinse the item with cool water and allow to dry flat or in the dry on a low-heat setting.

3. Maintain color by adding a 1/2-cup of white, distilled vinegar to the rinse cycle.

Tips & Warnings

• Always check the clothing's manufacturers tag for special instructions.

References

• Vinegar Tips: Laundry
• Versatile Vinegar: Uses & Tips
• Google Books; "Home Comforts The Art and Science of Keeping House"; Cheryl Mendelson; 2005