How to Keep Laundry From Fading & Restore Faded Clothes

Faded colors are a downside of laundry, especially for favorite items that are worn and washed often. Wondering how to keep colors bright on the clothes you love? Separating items by color can prevent fading while turning clothes inside out before washing can also help. The experts at Register Appliance Service, your washer and dryer repair service detail how to keep laundry from fading and brighten colors with these simple tips.

Wondering How to Keep Laundry From Fading? Try These Laundry Hacks

Knowing how to keep laundry from fading doesn’t involve expensive products or special techniques. Some simple adjustments to your laundry practices and common household ingredients can help keep colors bright and restore faded clothes.

Follow Wash Instruction Tags

What’s the secret to how to keep laundry from fading? The instruction tags can hold all the answers. They often provide specific directions regarding water and drying temperatures, as well as wash settings, that can preserve color. After reading the tags, be sure to follow the instructions exactly for best results.

Separate Items By Color

Separation is key in how to prevent clothes from bleeding. No matter what, darker clothing has the potential to leech dye onto lighter items, leaving them with faint streaks of color. The best way to avoid bleeding is to wash dark clothing separately from light and white items.

Turn Clothes Inside Out

The outer fibers of clothes are directly exposed to water, detergent, and dryer heat, making them wear out and fade more quickly. To avoid excessive wear and tear and keep black clothes from fading, turn colored items inside out when washing and drying. This will protect the outer layer of clothing and no one will see the inside if fading occurs.

Wash Colored Items in Cold Water

Water temperature is also a factor in how to keep laundry from fading. Always wash colored clothes in cold water. Warm or hot water can break down fabrics faster, resulting in faded colors, while cold water stops bleeding and preserves clothing fibers. What’s the best laundry detergent to keep colors from fading? Maintain color with a detergent that’s specifically formulated to be most effective with cold water.

Avoid the Dryer When Possible

Does the dryer fade clothes too? It certainly can, especially when the highest heat settings are used. The constant tumbling motion can also contribute to fabric breakdown and fading. If possible, hand dry clothing or use a drying rack to preserve color and fabric.

How to Brighten Faded Clothes

If too many items have fallen victim to fading, don’t worry. You can brighten clothing and revive color with simple household ingredients.

These tips detail how to restore faded clothes:

• Add salt to wash load: Detergent residue is one of the biggest contributors to fading. To break up the residue and restore color, add ½ cup of table salt to the empty washer drum, add clothing, and complete a regular wash cycle.
• Wash clothes with vinegar: White vinegar can also dissolve detergent residue as well as break up the minerals in hard water and soften fabrics. Add ½ cup to the empty drum of a top load washer or to the fabric softener dispenser of a front-loader. Run a regular wash cycle to completion.
• Rejuvenate whites with baking soda: For white loads, wash with ½ cup of baking soda or 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide along with detergent. Whites will appear fresher and brighter.

Need additional washing tips? Contact us today!