How to Set Color and Stop Dye Bleeding in Clothes

These causes of cloth dye crocking, bleeding, or fading include:

- Poor quality of the fabric's dye used

- Use of the incorrect dye or dying procedure (different fabrics have different fibres which also require different kinds of dye)

- Excess dye that develops during the dying process as a result of inadequate washing

- Lack of a fixer or mordant to bond the dye to the fabric, or the mordant being rinsed out by using too much hot water during washing

- Deterioration of fabrics

- Exposure to commercial agents that reduce the brilliance of cloth colours, including bleach

What is the best way to set the dye and stop it from bleeding? This is how:

1. Salt and vinegar are ineffective.

Although it's a common misconception, setting colours in your clothes using salt and white vinegar doesn't work. Although necessary for the dying process and ineffective for cotton dyes, the acid in vinegar helps set the colour. Similar to salt, which enables dye absorption by fibres during dying but does not stop dye from running or crocking once it has set. Although doing these two wouldn't hurt, you would merely be squandering your time and money because they are not truly up to the task.

2. Before placing your clothes in the washer, sort them.

As they say, old is gold. This is a typical home remedy to stop your clothes from bleeding. You can avoid the challenge of erasing the nightmares of dye leaking by pairing all white clothing with colourful clothing.

3. Wash away extra dye.

Excess dye may just indicate that fibre reactive dyes needed to be removed rather than that the fabric was poorly dyed. Repeated washing and a quick test to see if all extra dye has been removed can be done by dampening the coloured item and pushing it against a piece of white fabric while it dries. Your fabric has successfully been coloured if it remains white. The most common fibre reactive dye, Procion MX type dye, often needs at least one cold water wash (without detergent, unless it's Synthrapol), followed by at least two hot water washes (WITH detergent), to remove any remaining connected dye. The last traces of unconnected dye are significantly easier to remove with hot water than with warm water.

4. Use cold water to wash coloured clothing.

Making a few small adjustments to your washer's settings might just work for you. When using current laundry detergents, washing your garments in hot water might occasionally cause harm. Cold water helps your garments last longer by closing the fibres, whereas hot water opens up and may cause to bleed loose dyes.

5. Implement a colour catcher.

This wouldn't work if everything else did. For instance, Shout Color Catcher sheets assist in catching stray dyes in your clothing, preventing bleed-through and transfer. These fabric conditioner sheets-looking colour magnets are actually better.

6. Rely on the professionals.

Have no time to test all of these techniques? Don't worry; you can find a nearby dry cleaner that will handle the job for you. You may rest with the prospect of new, clean clothes without worrying about dye leaking because these are professionals who know exactly what to do with your clothing.