Accidentally dyed a skirt in the wash

Wizzbang

Hi everyone,

This is a long shot, I have read all the previous threads for advice. I put a load of pale colours in together and unfortunately a (new-to-me) pale pink top dyed a vintage Laura Ashley skirt I had also just purchased. I have never had a problem washing pale colours and whites together before and all the other whites in the wash were fine, so there must be something about the 30-40 year old vintage fabric that made it more absorbent.

It's a lot better than it was, but still has a pink tinge about it. I would love to restore it to its former pristine white background, but I want to treat it carefully as it's got a blue floral print and because of its age. So far I have tried soaking it in a scoop of Vanish and 40 degree water (from the pink tub) x3. After the third time, no more pink seemed to be removed. A 40 degree wash with a good slug of white vinegar - didn't seem to do much. A regular wash (didn't seem to do much) with my regular non-bio powder or liquid soap flakes. A run in the washing machine on its own with a whole sachet of Dylon colour run remover- helped it to be less pink. A soak in a bucket with a Dr Beckman colour run remover, possibly removed a bit more pink.

Should I just keep going with say, the Dr Beckman until it doesn't seem to be removing any more? It seems to be the creases in the fabric (in the elastic waistband and the pink tucks) that are holding the colour. Understandable I guess. Or is this as good as I am going to get it? Should I try a weak bleach solution, or will this fade the blue print? Should I try Dri-pak's Soda Crystals boost? Should I try a bio washing powder?

TIA!

jackyann

In my experience, the Dr. beckman's / Dylon remover are the best you will get. Try rubbing hard into the creases.

I wouldn't bleach as it will weaken the fabric - and possibly remove the pattern (and worse, like the die take-up it may do so patchily)
Bio will have no effect at all (the enzymes work on biological stains)

However, as a very last resort, if you feel you couldn't otherwise wear it, you could try bleach. Or, my 'last resort' would be to dye it - possibly a blue, with idea that the pattern would show slightly.

Good luck - we've all been there! And yes, you do have to beware of vintage fabrics I'm afraid!

MandM90

I'd also try hanging it out in the sunniest part of your garden for a couple of days. Not sure if it'll work for dye that's run, but it's got turmeric and all sorts of other stains out of my clothes!

Wizzbang

Thanks all. The next sunny day, I will hang it outside to try and bleach it back to 100% white. I had been thinking of trying that. If I can bear to spend any more time/effort on it, I will try rubbing stain remover into the creases. I'd been soaking it in a bucket, to prevent any staining drying in. But now I've actually dried it, it really is almost white. I'm hanging next to my white towels and it's really, pretty good! Thanks heavens for this board- best tips anywhere on the net.

Wizzbang

jackyann wrote: »

In my experience, the Dr. beckman's / Dylon remover are the best you will get. Try rubbing hard into the creases.

I wouldn't bleach as it will weaken the fabric - and possibly remove the pattern (and worse, like the die take-up it may do so patchily)
Bio will have no effect at all (the enzymes work on biological stains)

However, as a very last resort, if you feel you couldn't otherwise wear it, you could try bleach. Or, my 'last resort' would be to dye it - possibly a blue, with idea that the pattern would show slightly.

Good luck - we've all been there! And yes, you do have to beware of vintage fabrics I'm afraid!

Thanks, it would be sacrilege to dye a vintage Laura Ashley piece. I'd rather accept the pink tinge as another part of its character/ journey. I picked this skirt up for about £20, but it's worth closer to £100 and it would lose all value if I change it from its original appearance. I think I will wash all my vintage items on their own in future, just in-case!

jackyann

Yes, I do see what you mean!
Dyeing can be quite a blunt instrument I think - funnily enough one of the pieces I was most happy with was a Laura Ashley. Back in the 70s I had a sort of burnt orange dress (bought at one of the 'sample' sales she used to hold for nurses) that faded in the wash to mud. I Dygoned it, then died it blue and it kept going for many years.

I hope you can sort it out so that you are happy with it.

Wizzbang

jackyann wrote: »

Yes, I do see what you mean!
Dyeing can be quite a blunt instrument I think - funnily enough one of the pieces I was most happy with was a Laura Ashley. Back in the 70s I had a sort of burnt orange dress (bought at one of the 'sample' sales she used to hold for nurses) that faded in the wash to mud. I Dygoned it, then died it blue and it kept going for many years.

I hope you can sort it out so that you are happy with it.

I understand her very early garments are prone to dye bleed and fading. I think they used less colour-fast dyes in those days. I often see them with bleed onto the lace or patchy fading. I think if the skirt was plain I would consider dyeing it, however it's a fabulous fabric - looks a bit like that vintage blue Wedgewood china. The funny thing is I washed another vintage dress of hers at the same time (this one white background with red flowers all over it) and it didn't get even a smidgen of pink on it. Strange huh?

joedenise

Are you sure the pink tinge didn't come from the red flowers on the other fabric? It may have done - seems more likely than a pale pink top to me.

Denise

Wizzbang

joedenise wrote: »

Are you sure the pink tinge didn't come from the red flowers on the other fabric? It may have done - seems more likely than a pale pink top to me.

Denise

I suppose it's possible. I just assumed it was either the pink top or pink cardigan I had also washed. All items were second hand, but new to me. I'd be surprised if they had never been washed before, but I always like to give things a wash before wearing when they are second hand. I ought to do a proper hand wash (rather than in the machine), then I will be able to see what is bleeding. Occasionally you just get an item that always looses dye don't you? Does salt fix dye, I am sure we used to use that when tie-dyeing?

APennySaved

Found this thread after I did a search here at MSE for: Colour Run Remover (manuf. by Dr Beckmann).

As I am having MAJOR problems finding a high street shop that sells this!

I have tried at e.g. all the major supermarkets, cheap household goods shops, & even Superdrug, but with no success. (Superdrug sadly now seem to have replaced household/cleaning items with yet more cosmetics! :cool:)

But sadly this CRR product seems to have been 'replaced' on the shelf by colour run remover/preventer sheets. Which is not what I want; & in any case the instructions for our Hotpoint washing machine says in-wash sheets are not to be used under any circs. No probs, as in any case I want to use the CRR powder I have used before: I have frequently used Dr Beckmann's CRR in the past, with great success!

I have had an in-wash accident - the ever-occurring pink-tinge to a new white cotton item! - so need to remove it.

In the past I bought CRR at Woolworth's . . . well that's a no-go of course!

So when I noticed this thread that mentions Dr Beckmann's Colour Run Remover: I was wondering where people buy this product?? As high street shops are nearly identical UK-wide these days, I reckon any well-known retailer located at a town anywhere in the UK will stock it!

Ot of course any VFM online seller will also do. Though this is something I've always liked to buy from a high street shop as the powder won't have aged on the shelf i.e. won't have caked/dried out/etc.!

In fact, I recollect that the brand Glo used to make this CRR too; do they still? (I have a feeling that the Glo brand was bought out by some other ccompany . . . ?)

I don't just want to 'whiten' the colour-run with a refresh-whites product, I want to strip out the colour run, & I think a CRR will do the jobe better than a whitening agent.

BTW, I wasn't aware Dylon did a similar product, so will give that a go if Dr Beckmann's isn't available. As long as it's powder, not sheets!!

Wizzbang

I found Dr Beckmann in Wilko and Glo at the Coop. HTH