A similar problem with clothes can happen to anyone. Accidentally, a colored item gets into the washing machine along with light-colored items, and after the wash is finished, you will remove clothes of different color shades. Why is this happening? What to do if colored and light-colored items are dyed during washing?
What clothes does this happen most often with?
To prevent this from happening, before you start washing dirty laundry, you must consider the following:
- water temperature - this can cause even things that have not been painted before to fade;
- designations on the manufacturer's label. As a rule, the maximum washing temperature and other conditions are indicated on the clothes so that the fabric does not become dyed;
- Linen must be divided into shades to prevent it from becoming dyed. Even collars and pocket frills can fade and stain other things;
- white items are always washed separately;
- Most often, recently purchased items that are distinguished by rich colors fade - jeans, shirts, jackets, etc.;
- dyeable items are washed separately. To test their reaction to water, this must be done manually.
We are taking emergency measures
You shouldn't wait for your clothes to dry.It is recommended to re-wash when it is damp, adding plenty of active detergent. If the items are light or white, you can add bleach, but for colored items you will have to use a stain remover. The temperature of the water for washing clothes should be no more than sixty degrees.
If the repeated procedure is unsuccessful, the next quick way to correct the error is to boil the laundry. Clothes that have been dyed are placed in a container, the necessary detergents are added in the form of powder, soap shavings, etc. You will have to boil for two to three hours, stirring the contents of the tank from time to time. Next, things are rinsed.
Experts do not recommend mixing chemical compounds from different manufacturers, as such actions can lead to the most unexpected results. In addition, you should not combine ammonia compounds with products containing chlorine. Such actions can cause nausea and even vomiting, and the fabric of the underwear can dissolve.
In the event that emergency actions are unsuccessful, you can use other methods, including traditional methods and advice within the framework of basic chemistry.
What can I do to return things to their original color?
Let's look at several ways that are possible with the funds available in every home:
- laundry soap - this universal option gives an excellent effect if you apply it without immediately. The damaged fabric is soaked in heated water, the contaminated areas are thoroughly washed with soap. After this, the item is left alone for a couple of hours and washed again;
- You can restore the color of stained clothing using baking soda. Take half a bucket of warm water and add six tablespoons of soda. The product must be soaked in the prepared solution for five to six hours, then rinsed with the addition of dye;
- in some cases, simple colorless vinegar helps save laundry. The composition is prepared as follows: one hundred grams of vinegar is added to every liter of soapy water solution, and everything is mixed. Clothes are soaked for seven hours. If you are not satisfied with the results, the laundry must be boiled for thirty minutes and then washed again by hand or in a machine;
- Turpentine helps restore colored cotton items that have been washed unsuccessfully. First, a second wash attempt is made using the gentle cycle. After this, five tablespoons of turpentine are added to five liters of water, and the clothes are soaked for three hours. All that remains is to wash and rinse;
- The error can be corrected with hydrogen peroxide. This antiseptic, diluted to a six percent level, helps to revive light and white items that have become dyed during washing. First, prepare a solution by diluting twenty grams of hydrogen peroxide in five liters of water. Then a metal container is taken, into which the affected laundry is placed, and the prepared mixture is poured. Everything is brought to a boil and boiled for thirty minutes. In this case, the laundry must be mixed. The method works great for things that are fully dyed or have received partial pigmentation;
- Ammonia will help deal with problems with staining things. This medication is diluted in warm water in the ratio of one spoon to half a bucket of liquid.The clothes are placed in a basin, filled with solution, boiled for no more than five minutes, after which they are rinsed;
- when a problem with linen has just happened, and the dyes have not completely penetrated into the fabric, ordinary starch with the addition of certain substances can help. To solve the problem you will need a spoon of starch, shavings of laundry soap, citric acid and salt. All components are taken in the same ratio, the prepared mixture is used to treat the affected areas (the composition is applied to the wrong side!). The item is kept in this state all night, then washed on a gentle cycle and rinsed;
- how to bleach something with potassium permanganate? The drug will save white tissue that has lost its attractiveness. A solution of medium saturation is prepared, washing powder intended for hand washing is added, the item is soaked for a couple of hours, then quickly washed and rinsed;
- Instead of potassium permanganate, it is allowed to add bleach to the washing powder. Pour five hundred grams of powder into the water and add a spoonful of bleach. The prepared solution is poured into damaged clothing and brought to a boil. It is necessary to simmer for at least thirty minutes over low heat. After this, the stove is turned off, the container is covered with a lid and left until the morning. All that remains is to wash the item as usual;
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice will help remove the paint. It is applied to problem spots, left for several hours, then washed and rinsed. There is a second option. A solution of citric acid is prepared, in which the affected product is pre-soaked.“Limonka” is considered a gentle cleaning agent that can be used to remove paint even from delicate fabrics.
We use chemicals
If your favorite light-colored item is dyed, you can fix the problem with the help of “White” solvent or use oxygen-containing bleaches. In addition, try boiling the products in water with the addition of regular “Whiteness”.
Colored items are best restored with Color stain remover. Asian products - “Paracle” or “Oxi Clean” - help a lot.
You can use a color restorer. They are used for colored (non-white) materials in strict compliance with the instructions, since during operation toxic fumes are released that negatively affect the respiratory system, skin and eyes.
What to do if an item is irretrievably damaged?
A stain that appears after washing can be successfully decorated, for which there are a sufficient number of options:
- A few small spots can be enlarged with special fabric paints or simple watercolors. The stains are applied randomly with a regular sponge, only polyethylene is placed under the surface of the fabric so that the paint does not pass through. After a few hours of drying, the fabric is ironed with a hot iron to help the paint adhere better. Such a thing can even be washed in the future, only the water temperature should not exceed forty degrees;
- the second option for “camouflage” is the same paints and stencils. In this case, the painting will be artistic, with certain ornaments and designs;
- You can apply drawings with a simple felt-tip pen, securing them with a hot iron;
- those who do not trust paints can use ordinary embroidery threads;
- The uniqueness of fabric products is given by appliqués, rhinestones and flowers, and bead embroidery;
- if you boil a cotton item with the addition of aniline dye. This option is not suitable for wool and acrylic, since the products may shrink or stretch;
- It must be remembered that not all methods of artistic painting are suitable for a knitted item that has been dyed. In this case, it is better to use embroidery or appliqué.
Useful tips
If you don’t want your items to get unwanted shades during washing, you need to follow certain instructions:
- dirty laundry is carefully sorted. It is prohibited to add old items made of colored fabrics to light-colored clothing;
- First of all, when caring for things, you should follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on the labels. From here you can find out whether the product can be washed in a machine, what water temperature is suitable for this;
- Do not put synthetic and natural items into the drum at the same time. In most cases, it is synthetics that shed;
- If there is a suspicion that the item may fade during washing, arrange a kind of “examination”. We moisten a small part of the fabric with hot water, rinse it and carefully examine it for changes in color shade.
Conclusion
If your favorite item is stained during washing, we recommend taking emergency measures to correct the error. You should not postpone the procedure until later, so as not to lose the product irretrievably.
