How to Wash Dark Clothes to Avoid/Reduce Fading

Does your favorite black coat you have bought at a high price have some faded white patches on the back? Or the color of your blue short dress has turned faded blue from royal blue? These cases are common that we notice regularly and are rather disappointing and frustrating. You might think such accidents occur due to poor quality of fabric served or ill-handling of the garments. You have been taking all precautions and care while washing, drying, and ironing, yet you are facing these undesirable cases. Hence, you must take extra care and follow some steps while washing your dark clothes to avoid fading or at least reducing them.

Avoid Frequent Washing

Washing clothes too often causes wear and tear and will tend to take down the actual color of the cloth gradually. The appearance of dust and specks of dirt on dark-colored clothes gets less priority and hence is not visible easily. Wash them only when much needed, maybe after 4 to 5 wearings. One proper wash at the end of the season is sufficient for black or dark blue coats and over jackets, which are worn over other clothes. To avoid frequent washing, carry a stain or spot remover always to rub out any stains instantly. The stain remover comes in liquid form or as a pen. Buy anyone as per your need.

Note: Never mistake this tip with your undergarments. Even though dirt is not easily visible on black underwear, wash them after every use. Wearing the same undergarments every day may harm your health.

Sort Out Your Clothes

Before moving on to washing, sort out your clothes and arrange them in different sections. Keep light-colored clothes and dark-colored clothes separate. Usually, the dye of the fabric runs out of dark clothes. If you wash dark clothes with light ones, the ran-out dyes from the former will be soaked in the latter. It will destroy your light-colored clothes as well as fade the dark ones. If washed separately, the color runs out of the dark color fabric and will be resoaked in the same.

Maintain a Low Temperature

We tend to wash our clothes with hot water to remove dirt easily. Hot water tends to dissolve the dye from fabrics, resulting in running out of dye from your favorite clothes. This phenomenon is known as dye bleeding. To prevent dye bleeding from your garments, maintain a low to medium temperature for washing the same.

If your clothes are too dirty, treat them using the following steps before washing. It will help in maintaining a low temperature.

• Treat all kinds of spots and stains beforehand. Try to clean that stubborn spot as soon as it lands on your clothes. Otherwise, removing those stains will make your work harder and your garment dye-bleed.
• Air dry your clothes after every wear. It will keep any stingy and foul smell away from the garments.

Wash Inside Out

If your garment has turned quite old, it is natural for the colors of the same to fade. Here is a tip to avoid such a fate- turn your garments inside out and wash them. If there is any chance of color bleeding from your clothes, it will happen from the inside part. The color of the outer surface will be intact. This method is not only helpful for old dark clothes but also for new ones.

Note: For better results, you may also button and zip up the clothes and turn them inside out.

Wash in Shorter Cycles

Besides keeping in mind not washing your clothes very frequently, try to maintain a shorter cycle while machine cleaning. A longer cycle will increase the chance of color running out from fabrics, leading to the fading of dark clothes. Use the mode in the washing machine as mentioned on the fabric care label of the respective garments, but run the cycle for a short duration. To be on the safer side, you may use the delicate mode while washing.

Avoid Using an Electric Heater

If you are a dark color lover, you must know that an electric heater is the enemy of dark colors. Keep both of them away from each other. Heat acts as a catalyst in fading out the colors from your clothes. After washing dark clothes, leave them to air dry naturally instead of using an electric heater. Lay them flat on a clean surface or hang them on a clothesline under a shaded area. If you are running out of time and have to wear dark clothes that are wet at the moment, you may use your dryer but at the lowest possible temperature.

Note: Do not leave your clothes to dry under direct sunlight, as the sun acts as a strong bleach and will pale out the color of your dark clothes.

Bonus Tips!

• Add 1 cup of white vinegar to the washing machine during the rinse cycle. It acts as a natural cloth softener and helps in setting colors.
• Use 1 cup of salt during the washing cycle. It will prevent your fabric from color bleeding.

We hope you found this article beneficial. Happy cleaning!