How to Get Excess Dye Out of Bed Sheets
New bed sheets are often vat-dyed for color during the manufacturing process. While this creates a smoothly consistent coloring across the fabric, it can also leave behind excess dye on the sheet that can cause skin irritation or bleed onto other garments during washing. To avoid this, you'll have to wash the sheets before use. The act of washing the sheets removes the excess dye, leaving behind soft, comfortable sheets that won't color your bed, skin, or other clothing when wash day arrives. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Examine the labels on the sheets for any limiting cleaning instructions. Follow these instructions precisely when washing your sheets to avoid damaging them. If there are no special cleaning instructions, follow general washing procedures.
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Set your washing machine water temperature to a warm water setting. Start the washing machine using the gentle cycle, and allow water to begin filling the tub.
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Add laundry detergent to the water once the tub is filled about a third of the way. Follow the detergent maker's instructions as to the amount of laundry detergent to add. Allow the flow of water to disperse the detergent, then add the sheets to the water.
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Close the lid of the washing machine, and wait for the machine to progress to the rinse cycle. Allow the rinse water to fill the tub, then check for any coloration in the water. Color in the water indicates that excess dye is still present in the sheets. Wait for the machine to complete the wash cycle, then repeat the washing process until the rinse water runs clear of any dye.
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Air-dry the sheets out of doors, or tumble dry them on a low heat setting.
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Tips & Warnings
Wash your sheets in a separate cycle without any other garments to prevent transference of the dye.
