- To keep colors from fading onto each other in the washer, group loads of laundry by color. Putting like colors together helps to ensure the darker colors do not fade onto the lighter colors in the load. Separate bright colored, dark and white clothing into different laundry loads. New red and navy colored clothing have a high risk of fading color the first few times washed, so pay particular attention to those items. Also by grouping clothing by color, individualizing detergent and additives for each load is easier.
- Read the care labels on each item of clothing. Many items that lose color in the wash require washing in cold water. Hot and warm water causes clothing to fade faster than cold water. Turn t-shirts with screen-printing inside out to help decrease the chance of the print fading.
- The use of special detergents helps to decrease fading. Some manufacturers produce special soap to stop black and dark navy clothing from fading in the washer. Avoid detergents with bleach additives for dark colored clothing. Carefully read the labels on stain removers. Test the product on a small area on the inside seam of the item to check for fading or bleaching potential.
- Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun. The sun quickly fades fabric. If line drying clothing, sheets and towels, monitor how long the items hang on the line. Windows in closets that store clothing and linens also allow the sun to fade colors. Hang blinds or curtains to help shut the sun out of the closet.
- Add a teaspoon of black pepper to the load of laundry while in the washer. The black pepper helps colors stay bright and decreases the likelihood of items fading during the wash cycle. In addition to regular detergent, add a cup of white vinegar to the wash cycle. The vinegar helps clothing retain its color. The vinegar smell washes out during laundering.
- Wash clothing with fade potential on a gentle cycle. A hand wash or delicate cycle is best because of the gentle agitation. Line dry items or toss them in the electric dryer on an air-dry cycle. Less heat exposure to the fabric is best to prevent fading.
