Keeping colours bright

mrbrightside842

Hi!

I've just been doing some ironing, and my girls got some little red peppa pig outfits for their birthday. I'd say they've only been washed 3 times, but the top is looking faded. It almost has a grey sheen to it, as if it's bobbling and the bobbles are grey. But it's not quite bobbling - it's just not as smooth as it first was, if that makes sense? Lol! They have leggings that match, which are still red. I'm not sure why the top has faded, and the leggings haven't. Whilst looking through their coloured (mainly pink) clothing, alot has this faded white/grey look to it. Ive always assumed it was down to general wear, but when these tops have only been washed 3 times, it must be happening in the wash. l

I usually buy whatever liquid gel is on offer or cheapest, like persil or fairy and it goes straight in the drum. Clothes are usually inside out to be washed. I have to use non-bio stuff due to allergies, and I don't wash too hot. Though I tumble dry almost everything except things that I think will shrink.

Are there any tips on products or things I can do to stop things fading so fast?

dollydaydream07

do you wash/dry things inside out??

i think i read somewhere that if things are done inside out then it helps to stop them fading - especially when drying bright coloured things outside

other than that i'm not much help - sorry

Bronnie

Couple of thoughts.

Do you use a washing product for "Colours". Some of the ones that claim to get your whites white can also strip out some of the colour from coloureds.

Do you wash "like" colours together? If you wash bright coloureds with black or denim, you can get colour coming out of them which will make your lighter/brighter stuff dull / grey.

Also wash for minimum wash at low temp, inside out as per previous poster.

HTH

happy35

I always use non bio washing liquid and put it in the drawer rather than the drum. I also wash dry and iron inside out and I don't have any real colour fade on clothes, even things we have had for a while

Seakay

Put a good cup of vinegar in the conditioner section of the detergent drawer next time you wash. It's possible that some of the greyness is caused by not all of the detergent being removed.
After that make up a mixture of one quarter vinegar (cheapest malt is fine) to three quarters water in and old bottle and add a cup of that to every wash. Cuts down on build up in the machine, especially in hard water areas, and makes sure that the soap has all gone. You can add fragrance (essential oil etc) if you want but the vinegar smell does not linger at all.
Also, always use at least half as much detergent as the manufacuturer suggests - I promise that your clothes will be just as clean but you'll get less build up on the fabric and in the machine

zippychick

i cant seem to find a specific thread ! cold washing your laundry suggests it might save colour on clothes

there was a thread - preventing colours fading but very little response! ill merge this later

thanks
Zip

morganlefay

I asked a question on here some months ago because I use those ‘Colour Catcher’ things and I wondered if anyone could suggest a cheaper way of doing that. Several people (gently) ticked me off and said they weren’t necessary, but if they could have seen what I’ve accidentally done to coloured things when one red sock has accidentally slipped in with pale things they wouldn’t be so sure. In the end someone helpfully suggested cutting colour catchers in half. I find them invaluable for stopping colours travelling, and for stopping things going grey. If you do use them they come out of the finished wash having absorbed a lot of loose colour almost always, and seldom come out white (in which case I use them again) So I’d suggest trying them to keep colours from fading and travelling. They may not be the cheapest thing ever – but how cheap is ruining your coloured clothes ?

mrbrightside842

Thanks for the replies. I shall definitely try the vinegar! So, it can be any vineger, like what I put on my chips? Doesn't have to be the white/clear stuff? I'll have to look out for a colours detergent I can use, and for the colour catchers. I thought they were just for stopping turning your whites pink if you washed them with red. I wash like colours together and so hadn't thought to use those.

bluebag

mrbrightside842 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. I shall definitely try the vinegar! So, it can be any vineger, like what I put on my chips? Doesn't have to be the white/clear stuff? I'll have to look out for a colours detergent I can use, and for the colour catchers. I thought they were just for stopping turning your whites pink if you washed them with red. I wash like colours together and so hadn't thought to use those.

My eldest daughter went through a phase of wearing EVERYTHING black, deepest, darkest black and would bin anything that had faded. (teenage 'nuff said)
I found Mr t's colour powder and persil colour powder OK, everything else faded the colours, the liquids being the worst. I also used vinegar in the rinse.

Funily enough the cheaper clothes from primani faded the least, all the designer and very expensive stuff faded and bobbled really quickly. Go figure.

Seakay

mrbrightside842 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. I shall definitely try the vinegar! So, it can be any vineger, like what I put on my chips? Doesn't have to be the white/clear stuff? I'll have to look out for a colours detergent I can use, and for the colour catchers. I thought they were just for stopping turning your whites pink if you washed them with red. I wash like colours together and so hadn't thought to use those.

Absolutely, any vinegar at all (well, not the ready spiced kind or non brewed condiment but apart from that!) the colour and smell of the vinegar will not affect your washing at all.