Washing gingham?

MrsNurseyC

Does anybody have any tips on washing red&white gingham- so the white squares don't end up pink?

Got some really lovely habitat tea towels as a wedding prezzie, that I really should attempt to wash...but I've put off for as long as possible, dare I ruin 'em!

Churchmouse

Do they not have any washing instructions on the label? If not I'd still expect the red to be colourfast to at least 60C. For the first wash before using them they can be done on a cool wash, with only a little powder, since all you want to do is get rid of any dressing in them. After that I'd be tempted to use "colour" washing products so as not to "bleach" the red too much. Good luck!

trigger2

I used something called Colour Catchers - small sheets that you put into the wash & they catch the dye instead of it running. They worked well but I think you can only use them for 1 wash each. I got mine from Tesco. hth

Ytaya

I've got some colour catcher sheets from the States, but I suspect the Tesco ones are the same. I've successfully used them for two or three washes with very brightly coloured items that would ordinarily run quite a bit. The sheet comes out brown and nasty after the second or third go, but the washing didn't run!

MrsNurseyC

Just had another look at the washing instructions. Machine wash at 40 is ok, and I'm advised to wash with similar colours. Not a great help, that! (I'm sure it says that on most of my simple to wash plain coloured t-shirts, too)

I have colour tablets, perhaps I should just use one single tab and wash with a very small pastel load: I don't trust putting the tea towels in with plain whites (incase everything turns pink!) or dark colours (incase the white squares turn dark) but don't have many pastels.

Re: Colour catcher sheets, are they expensive and can I use them with with very different coloured clothes in the same wash?

trigger2

The Colour Catchers were about £2.60 for a box of 20, as far as I remember. I've used them for colour loads & also for paler loads eg some white tops with colour stripes on them, & they've worked well. Personally if I have something to wash that I'm not sure may run, I try to put in a towel of a similar colour as well & just run those thro the machine, I'm too frightenend of dyeing anything else ! Have you an old towel that you could bung in with the tea towels, one that you don't mond if it gets grotty ?

MrsNurseyC

Awww, thanks again for your help Trig. To be honest I don't have any grotty towels anymore: ones ruined by previous hair dye experiments tend to be cut up and used for cleaning, dusting....so then I'm not fussy about what colour they turn & they tend to be washed in with 'darks'. Colour catchers& a coloured tab it'll be I think!

trigger2

No probs, hope it goes ok !