Taking your husband's faded shirt or favorite dress out of the washing machine is extremely unpleasant. This happens unexpectedly, often even when washing rules are followed. No one is immune from low-quality dyes that can ruin clothes. Some housewives believe that in this case the product cannot be restored, but it is still possible to wash a faded item. What methods and means exist that allow you to return a piece of clothing to its original appearance, we will consider in our article.
Every housewife can face the problem of faded things.
How do you know if something can fade?
Unfortunately, the high cost of a product or belonging to a well-known brand does not always protect against color changes during washing.
Dye may not be permanent on clothing in any price range. Therefore, any new item must be checked for color fastness.
An item faded during washing - has this ever happened to you?
Not really
Dye fastness test
You can evaluate the quality of dyeing the fabric of a blouse, jeans, dress or skirt using one of the following methods:
- find a piece of fabric sewn into the seam of the product by the manufacturer. This segment is designed specifically to conduct a test and choose the right washing method. The fabric for experiments must be slightly moistened with ammonia and left to act for 10-15 minutes. Then, rinse and dry. If the color of the fabric has not changed, then the item can be washed without fear;
- In the absence of this piece of fabric, the color assessment should be carried out directly on the item. To do this, an inconspicuous area of clothing must be wetted and ironed through a white cotton cloth or paper napkin. If no changes occur after ironing, then you can wash such fabric without fear;
- soak the clothes separately in a bowl of warm water and adding a small amount of powder without bleach. After 10-15 minutes, remove from the water, squeeze well and wrap in a white cloth or napkin. A high-quality item will not leave traces of paint and the white color of the napkin will remain unchanged.
Important! Almost all jeans fade not only during the first wash, but also during subsequent washes. Therefore, they must be washed separately from other items of clothing.
What to do if the paint is unstable?
One of the effective and simple tips for fading fabrics is to soak in salted water before the first wash at home. To do this, you will need to dissolve 1 tablespoon of regular table salt in 1 liter of cold water.
Advice! The product must be soaked for at least an hour. As a result, the paint will better adhere to the fibers of the fabric and will be washed out less. Should be washed at a temperature no higher than 40 degrees.
Other ways to fix paint:
- soaking in cold water with vinegar - you will need to add 2-3 tbsp per liter of liquid. 9% vinegar. After this method, a specific smell remains on the fabric, but this method is the only one possible for use on fading linen and synthetic fabrics;
- Immerse a cotton cloth for 10 minutes in a turpentine solution: 1 tbsp per 2 liters of cold water. When washing, you also need to add 10-15 drops of 9% vinegar to the water;
- faded dark-colored hosiery must be soaked for one hour in a solution of boric acid: 2 tbsp. of this substance per 1 tbsp. warm water. Then wash as usual;
- Terry products with unstable color should be rinsed after washing in water with the addition of glycerin: 2-3 tbsp per liter. This method will add softness and restore the brightness of faded fabric.
Pharmacy assistants
Peroxide, ammonia and potassium permanganate are described as household bleaches.
Important! Do not use peroxide to bleach colored materials! It acts like chlorine.
In order to whiten bed linen, boil them in a solution of peroxide and ammonia. Add a tablespoon of each solution to 10 liters of water.
Potassium permanganate is recommended by many authors for color restoration and whitening. We do not recommend this method. It is very difficult to achieve complete dissolution of the crystals in water; they can settle pointwise at the bottom of the container. If the material comes into contact with such a “point”, a new spot will appear.
How to return white underwear to its original appearance?
If white fabric has been damaged by poor-quality dye while washing in a machine, then the easiest way is to return it to its original appearance. To do this, you can use one of the following methods:
- immediately after detecting a problem, without waiting for the fabric to dry, wash the clothes again in cold water with a large amount of powder. It is advisable not to increase the washing temperature, since hot water can not only fix the paint on the fabric, but also destroy synthetic fibers;
- use ready-made industrial bleach. When using chlorine-containing compounds, you must strictly adhere to the instructions; for oxygen bleach, the dose can be doubled, and the soaking time can be up to 5-6 hours;
- Wash dried white linen again at maximum temperature (boil) with the addition of chlorine bleach (for cotton fabrics) or powder with a similar effect. Boiling should not be overused, as this method leads to accelerated wear of the fabric fibers;
- soak clothes in a solution of ammonia or ammonia. For 7-8 liters of hot water (one bucket) you will need 1 tbsp. of this substance. Soaking time is from 40 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the desired effect.
Important! After getting rid of faded stains, clothes should be washed in cool water and dried in the open air to get rid of the unpleasant smell of chemical compounds.
Five tricky tips before washing
It is easier to wash a faded item in a situation where the paint has not yet had time to be absorbed into the fibers of the material. For white items, it may be enough to re-wash them 2-3 times with a large amount of powder and the addition of bleach. When purchasing new clothes made from dyed fabric, especially in a situation with synthetic materials, it is necessary to soak the items on the same day in a saline solution or in a mixture of 2 tablespoons of table vinegar and 5 liters of cool water
This will help “fix” the color, preventing severe shedding during subsequent washes. Before using any bleaching or restorative products, it is important to study the labels on clothing (read more about them here). Some products do not tolerate the influence of not only hot water, but also chemicals. To restore the color of faded thick fabric, as well as jeans, you can add a certain amount of “Blue” during washing.
If your jeans are stained, these tips will help. It is better not to immediately dip delicate items into bleach or stain remover dissolved in water. It is necessary to check in advance the effect of the substance on the material on a small piece of similar fabric.
First emergency aid immediately after water procedures
The easiest way to get rid of paint stains is to follow fresh traces, since it has not yet fixed itself in the fibers. Emergency methods must be used immediately after washing, while the fabric is still damp:
- Rinse the item or try to wash away local contamination in cool water. Hot water can set the paint, so it is not advisable to use it.
- Grate the laundry soap and dissolve it completely in warm water.
- Add equal parts of potato starch and salt to the soap solution. For use on light-colored items, you can add a few tablespoons of citric acid.
- Apply a generous layer of the prepared gruel onto a damp cloth and leave to act for 10-12 hours.
- Shake off the remaining dried mixture, wash the clothes and rinse them well.
Dishwashing liquid will also help get rid of paint stains. A few drops should be dissolved in warm water and the damaged clothing should be soaked for several hours. Wash stains and rinse.
How to wash faded light-colored clothes?
If white items with a colored print or pattern are accidentally stained, then to correct the situation, you must act carefully.
With dark print
In this case, it will be much more effective to use ready-made stain removers - “Antipyatina” or “Vanisha”. However, the desired result can only be achieved when the fabric has been dyed from another item, and has not faded onto itself.
Algorithm of actions:
- Prepare a working solution from stain remover powder. This step is not always required and it is worth reading the manufacturer's instructions first. Perhaps the product is already ready for use and does not require additional preparation.
- Place the required amount of stain remover into the detergent compartment of the washing machine. Place the item in the drum and wash it separately from other clothes. Select the standard mode with a temperature of up to 40 degrees, without pre-soaking.
- At the end of the cycle, restart the wash with regular washing powder and double rinse.
Plain
For uniformly colored fabrics without print, you can use ammonia solution. To do this you will need:
- Dissolve 100 ml of ammonia in 7-9 liters of hot water.
- Soak affected clothing for 1-2 hours.
- Rinse well in cold water.
- Wash by hand with a few drops of dishwashing detergent added. Air dry to remove stains.
Reference! If a thick plain fabric has been dyed, then it is impossible to get rid of the stains by repeated washing; it will be possible to return the item to its original appearance only by re-dying.
Snow-white
When working with white items, bleach is most effective. Chlorine does not affect different types of fabrics equally; some fabrics may turn yellow after using this product. To get rid of stains, you should give preference to oxygen bleach.
You must act strictly in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions: prepare the working composition, soak for the specified period of time and rinse well.
What to do with clothes of two colors?
If the clothes are made from fabric of two colors that have faded into each other, then to restore things you can use a non-standard remedy - an infusion of green tea:
- Prepare several liters of strong green tea brew without additives or flavorings.
- Carefully remove all tea leaves and soak the faded item in the tea leaves. Let stand for 30 minutes, squeeze out and sprinkle the stains with a layer of table salt.
- Leave for another half hour and wash with regular powder.
Emergency method for synthetic fabrics
To save synthetic clothes that have lost their freshness, buy oxygen bleach. It should be used according to the instructions. If you don't get creative with the process, you'll fail. Dilute and use oxygen bleach as directed on the package.
The product is more expensive than chlorine-containing bleaches for good reason - it does not spoil the fabric, refreshes the color, and even restores faded items. And it is universal in application - it can be used for any fabric, even woolen fabrics and at low temperatures.
Important! Do not use optical brighteners on faded laundry. There will be no result.
By the way, you can use oxygen bleach if you need to restore a black and white item. Other chemicals cannot be used in this situation.
Folk remedies
Folk remedies are available, and almost every housewife can find the ingredients for their preparation.
Hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide should be used to wash white fabrics that have turned gray as a result of shedding other clothing. Such an item must be washed again with the addition of 250 ml of hydrogen peroxide per load of the washing machine. The powder, in this case, is added in standard proportions.
Hydrogen peroxide baking soda
Another effective way to remove paint from light-colored items is a mixture of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. To prepare it you will need to mix 2 tsp. soda, 2 liters of water and 1 tbsp. 3% hydrogen peroxide.
It is necessary to completely fill the damaged fabric and heat it without bringing it to a boil. Soak in hot water for 10 minutes, rinse thoroughly in cold water.
Boric acid
For 10 liters of water you will need 10 warm liters of water and 2 tbsp. boric acid. Soak clothes in this solution for 1-1.5 hours and wash at 40 degrees.
Important! Boric acid cannot be used on delicate fabrics: wool, silk, suede and others.
Citric acid, soap, starch and salt
The composition for removing paint consists of equal parts of starch, citric acid, table salt and grated laundry soap. To obtain a mushy mixture, you need to add a few drops of water.
Apply the mixture to the stain and leave to act for 10-12 hours. Wash the damaged area.
Citric acid is also useful when cleaning an electric kettle and coffee machine, iron and dishwasher from scale.
Ammonia
The method is suitable for both white and light-colored fabrics. In 10 liters of water you need to dilute 2-3 tbsp. ammonia. Immerse clothes in the solution and place the container on the fire. Bring to a boil three times, turning off the heat for 10-15 minutes each time.
Squeeze and rinse in cool water. A significant disadvantage of this method is the strong chemical smell during operation.
Baking soda
Baking soda works well on fresh paint stains, but this method will be useless when dealing with long-faded fabric. On local contamination, apply a paste of soda powder and a few drops of water.
Wait for the mixture to dry completely, this will take 1-2 hours, and brush off the remaining mixture with a dry toothbrush. If necessary, repeat the procedure until the desired result is achieved.
Read about how to clean a carpet using baking soda here, and how to clean a microwave here.
Vinegar
Vinegar can be used both to fix color and to get rid of faded paint, including on colored items. To do this, you need to soak the clothes in cold water with table vinegar - 1-2 tbsp. per liter
Wait half an hour and try to remove the stain. Rinse well and air dry to eliminate unpleasant odors.
Vinegar is an indispensable assistant when cleaning the microwave and washing machine, as well as when washing the refrigerator.
Whitening with aspirin
Aspirin can only be used on white fabrics, as it has a pronounced bleaching effect. Step-by-step instructions for working with aspirin:
- Crush 8-10 aspirin tablets into powder.
- Dissolve the medicine in 6-8 liters of warm water.
- Soak the dyed fabric in the prepared solution for 10-12 hours.
- Rinse well and wash as usual.
Important! When working with aspirin, you must use gloves, as in high concentrations it can damage the skin on your hands.
Washing with potassium permanganate
Despite the fact that potassium permanganate is pink, it bleaches fabric perfectly and can be used for light-colored clothing. An important rule when working is that all grains of potassium permanganate must be dissolved in water, otherwise they may stain it when they come into contact with the fabric.
Pour the required amount of hot water into the soaking container and add potassium permanganate until a light pink solution is obtained. Place faded items in water and leave until the liquid cools completely. Rinse the clothes well and hang them to dry.
Boiling
You can try to save white or light-colored clothes made from natural fabrics by boiling them again to remove stains. To enhance the effect, you can add grated laundry soap to the water. Boiling time should vary from 30 to 60 minutes.
Do you trust folk recipes?
Not really
Features of bleaching clothes made from different types of fabric
The type of fabric matters when choosing a bleaching method. In order not to damage things, you need to take into account the following points:
Cotton and linen items and white jeans are not afraid of boiling. However, during the cooking process they may shrink slightly. They can be bleached by any means, including bleach and boric acid. However, soaking time should be kept to a minimum.- Items made of wool and silk do not tolerate contact with aggressive substances. They can only be treated with liquid bleaches. An effective and safe folk remedy is mustard, soda and turpentine.
- Synthetic clothes are washed at a water temperature of no higher than 60 degrees. It is not recommended to bleach it using aggressive agents. You can use lemon juice and vinegar solution.
The more delicate the fabric, the more gentle the wash should be. The water temperature is reduced to a minimum (up to 30 degrees), and the use of bleach and acid-containing products is abandoned.
If you are not sure that the fabric will react normally to the detergent, first treat an inconspicuous area of it.
Household chemicals
If folk remedies do not help, then ready-made industrial products for removing stains will come to the rescue.
Stain remover, bleach and washing powder
The first method that should be used for damaged light-colored clothing is repeated washing with powder with a bleaching effect.
If this method does not help, then you need to use more concentrated drugs that exist on the market today:
- oxygen bleaches. The most popular among them are Vanish or Lion. They can be used for both white and colored fabrics. First, the fabric should be soaked in water for 5-10 hours with the addition of bleach in the dosage specified by the manufacturer. Then, wash with powder and the same bleach;
- chlorine-containing bleaches - Ace, “Whiteness”. Suitable for use only on white fabrics with a natural composition. The item must be soaked for one hour and washed at a temperature of at least 70 degrees with the addition of powder and chlorine bleach;
- stain removers. For example, Antipyatin. It must be applied pointwise to the paint and allowed to sit according to the instructions. Then wash the item in the usual way.
Using bleach
Bleach should not be used on silk, wool, leather or colored items. This product is ideal for bleaching faded white items made from natural materials. Synthetics are difficult to process in this way. In addition, when treating artificial fabrics with bleach, you may not get the desired result.
Choose bleaches that contain oxygen in liquid gel form. They act gently, carefully and effectively. When washing with bleach, be sure to read the label and follow the recommendations! Do not abuse this product!
If washing by hand, soak the item in bleach for six hours and then wash. If using white, soak for 20-25 minutes. After the procedure, rinse the material thoroughly in clean, cool water. For a washing machine, use this product carefully, and only if the instructions allow it.
To bleach in a machine, choose bleach in the form of a chlorine-free gel and slightly dilute the composition with water, then pour it into the drum before laying clothes or into a special compartment for conditioner. Wash at low temperature and rinse several times.
To remove colored stains from thick fabrics such as linen, calico or denim, apply pure undiluted bleach to the affected area and leave for a minute. Then soak the product in a solution with bleach diluted according to the instructions. Wait 20-30 minutes and wash.
How to prevent shedding?
It is easier to prevent the problem of discoloration than to deal with its consequences. In order for things to shed less, you should adhere to the following recommendations:
- wash clothes, grouping them by color: white separately from colored ones. The rule works for both hand and machine washing;
- It is advisable to soak a new product before the first wash in cold water with the addition of table salt;
- use special powders, liquid detergents and conditioners designed to fix color on fabric;
- If you have any doubts about color fastness, do the first wash by hand in cool water;
- choose the right household chemicals to care for things. For colored fabrics, compositions marked color are suitable, and for white fabrics - white;
- follow all recommendations of the clothing manufacturer regarding its care. All of them are contained on the product label and relate to water temperature, washing method and the possibility of using various household chemicals.
The problem of faded paint is often encountered in everyday life. You can encounter such a nuisance not only when purchasing a low-quality product, but also when violating the rules of caring for it.
It is possible to remove stains of faded paint and refresh things; for this, both folk remedies and industrial compositions can be used.
