Last Updated on 3 months by Susan Mayrich
With these two effective ways, anyone will know how to get colour run out of clothes. You can choose between the natural method of using household products or a colour removing solution to eliminate the stains on clothing.
We will also discuss what causes colour run on clothes and how to prevent it in the long run. And if most of your garments are white, check how to remove colour run from white clothes.
How To Get Colour Run Out Of Clothes: Most Effective Method
Before trying cleaning products on your clothes, test them to see if they’re compatible with the garment’s materials. Then, use the cleaning solution on a small part of the fabric and follow the recommended cleaning instructions of the product.
It is also best to read the cloth label regarding the tips and instructions recommended for washing it. This includes whether you can use a washing machine and what water temperatures you can wash it.
How To Get Colour Run Out Of Clothes Using Vinegar Or Lemon Juice
If you don’t want to use chemicals on your clothes and its fabric won’t fade with vinegar, this common household item can remove colour run out of laundry.
You can also swap vinegar with lemon juice. Here are the instructions:
- Mix a cup of distilled white vinegar and a bowl of cold water
- Soak the stained garment in the vinegar solution for several minutes
- Wash the clothing item as usual to remove the vinegar
- Alternatively, you can use lemon juice in this method
- Once the stains are completely gone, you can dry the clothes outside or with a dryer
- If the colour stain persists, repeat the process before drying the clothes, or the dye stain might set within the fibers of the fabric
How To Get Colour Run Out Of Clothes Using Colour Run Remover
If lemon juice or vinegar is ineffective in removing the colours on your clothes, consider a colour run remover. This product is formulated for removing colour run stains effectively because it can break down stubborn dye molecules.
But of course, check if the solution is compatible with the materials on your t-shirts or jeans. Read the care label of your clothing item before proceeding with this method, but usually, any garment that can be bleached can be washed with a colour run remover.
- Read the product instructions for the colour run remover and follow everything carefully
- Soak the garment in the colour run remover according to the recommended time
- Wash the clothes in the usual, whether by hand or with a machine
Natural Solutions To Remove Colour Run
Vinegar and lemon juice are the natural methods to remove dye stains from clothes. The average person will use approximately 6 cups of vinegar per month on laundry to help remove colour run.
Here’s how to get dye out of clothes with vinegar if you want to know more about this natural dye stain remedy.
How To Get Colour Run Out Of Clothes Using Baking Soda
But if you’re looking for a way to clean dye stains with common household products, try baking soda. Add half a cup of baking soda to the laundry load and add the detergent as usual to the washing machine.
Run the wash cycle and add another half a cup of baking soda while the rinse cycle runs. Mix half a cup of baking soda with four liters of warm water for hand washing, then soak the clothes in the cleaning solution for 30 minutes.
Add half a cup of baking soda if the item still has the dye stain. Rinse with warm water and wash as normal.
Chemical Solutions To Remove Colour Run
Besides using a colour run remover, you can wash your laundry with bleach to remove the dye stains on the fabric. This is particularly effective if the dyes have set within the fabric fibres.
How To Get Colour Run Out Of Clothes Using Bleach
Dilute bleach with water and soak the affected clothes in the solution for ten hours. Then, launder as usual.
However, remember that not all garments can be used with bleach. Check the care label or test the cleaning solution on the cloth beforehand.
What Is A Colour Run?
Colour run refers to the dye stains that transfer among the clothes in the laundry. Colour run in the wash depends on the garment fabric and dye type, as the latter should stay in the material to avoid bleeding.
This is also why the color pigments in the dye must use a fixer, so they’ll bind on the fabric effectively. It’s worth noting that synthetic materials are less prone to colour run because the dye was added when their fibres were created.
On the contrary, some colours run in the wash more than others. For example, red dyes are harder to fix and typically use a dye more prone to bleeding, so your red clothes can run in the washer.
How to test for color fastness and avoid colour run on clothes
To prevent your colored fabric from bleeding into other clothes and causing dye stains, do the colourfast test at home.
- Dampen a small part of the colored fabric and put cotton or anything white and absorbent over it.
- Iron the cotton and check if it will soak up the colour.
Common Causes Of Colour Run
The most common cause of colour run is not fixing the dye on the fabric. Therefore, the color will bleed in the water and stain the other clothes in the load.
You might also be doing laundry practices that lead to clothes bleeding and colour run stains. Look out for these common causes of colour run to keep your whites and other light-colored clothes from getting dye stains:
- Always wash your whites and colored garments separately or wash the same-colored clothing items together
- If you have a new colored garment, avoid washing it with other clothes because its dye might not have been fully set and can bleed on the first wash
- Separate heavy from delicate clothing items to reduce friction on the load
- Never overfill your washing machine, as it can lead to friction that encourages colour run
- Warm water can open the fabric fibres and cause color bleeding on the laundry
- Wash clothes on a gentle setting
- Use color-catcher sheets to trap the dyes during the wash cycle
- Consider using a cup of vinegar during the rinse cycle to hold the dyes in the clothes
- When drying clothes, do not overexpose them to UV
How To Prevent Colour Run From Occurring
It’s possible to prevent color breeding and dye stains on your garments. Keep these tips in mind when doing your laundry:
- Test your new clothes for color fastness and wash the fabrics that bleed separately
- Wash the whites and colored clothes separately
- After washing, check the clothes for dye stains and re-wash immediately; if you tumble dry the clothes with dye stains, the heat can set the colour run and make it harder to remove
- Hot water can encourage colour run, so new clothes should be washed with cold water to prevent their dyes from escaping the garment fibres
Tips For Removing Colour Run From Delicate Fabrics
If you’re dealing with dye stains on delicate fabrics like silk and satin, removing the colour run should be handled with extra care to avoid damaging the materials. Keep these steps in mind for the best results:
- Spot treat the affected area with mild liquid laundry detergent
- Check the product label to see if it’s safe with materials like silk and satin
- Work the detergent into the fabric and soak for 20 minutes
- Wash the affected spots and repeat if the stain persists
- Once the dye is removed, hand wash the delicate clothes with mild detergent than using a washing machine
- Check the care label for the recommended water temperature on your clothing item
- Air-dry the clothes under a partial shade
For additional tips, especially on washing colored clothing, read how to remove color bleeding from colored clothes.
Does Color Run Color Come Out Of Clothes?
Fortunately, the color run comes out of clothes. Ensure to check after washing before drying to avoid further setting any dye stains.
Make a bleach solution if vinegar or detergent is insufficient to remove the colour run. Here is everything to know about this method:
- Read the bleach label for the recommended solution for your clothing items
- Follow the time you should soak your clothes
- Make sure you can use bleach on your piece of garment as it can fade colored clothes
- Wash the clothes as normal and dry them under natural sunlight
Conclusion
And that’s it! We hope this was a helpful article on how to get colour run out of clothes.
You can use vinegar, lemon juice, or baking soda to remove the colour run or dye stains. There are also colour run remover products you can test on your garment if the stain persists.
And to avoid color bleeding in the long run, avoid using high temperatures when washing and always separate your whites from colored clothes.
