Picking up faded black clothes from the clothesline can be a rather frustrating little accident, but it's not necessarily inevitable. Some essential washing practices can prevent your favorite black garments from losing their color. If that's not enough, there are other tricks you can give it a try.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Essential Washing Practices
Step 1. Wash your clothes less
No matter the special attention you pay to your black clothes and the precautions you take when washing them, the washing cycle itself makes the color less strong, eventually leading to signs of fading. To limit these effects, you should only wash black clothing when necessary. If you can skip a wash here and there, do so to preserve the integrity of the color.
- Black pants and sweaters worn over other layers of clothing can usually be worn up to four or five times before needing to be washed, especially those that have only been worn indoors. Similarly, if you only wear a garment for a few hours a day, it can be left out of the closet and worn again without going through a wash cycle.
- However, remember that black underwear and socks should be washed after wearing only once.
- Between washes, you can treat stains with a special product to remove chalky deodorant residue with a dry sponge.
Step 2. Wash them with similar colors
Whenever possible, wash your black garments with other black or dark garments. The dye has a tendency to go away during the wash cycle, but if there is no light garment that absorbs the dark dye, it will be reabsorbed by the black clothes it came from.
In addition to separating clothes by color, you should also divide them by weight. Doing this can protect the fabric and color of your more delicate black garments
Step 3. Turn your clothes inside out
The surface of the fabric directly exposed to the abrasive wash cycle is the one that will be consumed the most. Consequently, the dye will fade first on the surface that will be directly affected by the washing. Preserve the outside of black garments by turning them all inside out before doing laundry.
- Black colors fade due to the friction obtained when the clothes rub together in the washing machine.
- More precisely, the friction causes the fibers to break, and the ends of those fibers are exposed. As the surface of the fabric is interrupted, the human eye sees less color, even where the dye has not actually been lost.
- You can further reduce the amount of abrasion and friction your clothes experience by closing the zips and securing the hooks.
Step 4. Use cold water
Hot water encourages the dye to disperse from the fibers and discolour, so bright colors and black clothes tend to fade faster when washed in warm temperatures. Washing these garments in cold water, on the other hand, can preserve the color longer.
- Hot water breaks the fibers, which is why the colors fade faster due to washing cycles of this type.
- The cold water cycle should be started with water at a temperature between 16 and 27 ° C.
- Note that you may need to change your laundry habits in cold weather. Cold temperatures outside can cause the washing machine water temperature to drop, reaching 5 ° C. At such low temperatures, even liquid detergents may not be fully effective. If outside temperatures hit -18 ° C, you should consider using lukewarm water and a cold water rinse.
Step 5. Opt for the shortest cycle possible
Basically, just as you should wash black clothes as infrequently as possible, you should also make sure that the wash cycles are short. The less time your clothes remain in the washing machine, the less likely the dye will be to discolour.
When in doubt, a gentle cycle works well, but as a general rule you should still choose settings that are appropriate based on how dirty the clothes are and the type of fabric they were made from
Step 6. Add a specific detergent
Nowadays, there are special products that are formulated for use with dark fabrics. These detergents help keep the color solid during the wash cycle, so the color is less likely to fade and your clothes won't fade as easily.
- If you don't use a detergent labeled for dark colors, use one formulated for washing with cold water. These detergents can partially neutralize the chlorine in tap water, which is important because this substance causes black clothing to discolour and lighten.
- Remember that detergents don't necessarily contribute to fading, although some prevent it more than others. Any liquid detergent is fine, but you shouldn't use those containing bleaching substances.
- Liquid detergents work better than powder detergents in cold water. Powders tend not to dissolve completely in cold water, especially when using a short cycle.
Step 7. Skip the tumble dryer step
Heat is your enemy when you try to prevent black clothes from fading. Black garments should be hung to air dry or hung on a flat surface. Avoid using the dryer unless absolutely necessary.
- When hanging black clothes outside to dry, be sure to place them in an area away from the sun. Sunlight acts as a natural whitener, which will make black garments fade faster.
- If you need to use the dryer, use the lowest possible temperature based on the type of fabric of your clothes. You should also look closely at clothing to make sure it doesn't dry out too much or get too hot. Remove clothes while they are still slightly damp to be on the safe side.
Part 2 of 2: Additional Tricks
Step 1. Add some vinegar
During the rinse cycle, add 250ml of distilled white vinegar. Put it directly into the washing machine drum containing the black clothes; do not add it to the detergent compartment, if this compartment is present.
- Adding vinegar to the rinse cycle has several benefits, including preserving black clothes. This miraculous home remedy can fix colors and also eliminate detergent residue, which can create a film on clothing, making the color appear faded.
- Vinegar is also a natural fabric softener for clothes.
- The vinegar should evaporate during the rinse cycle, so it usually won't leave any odor. If there is any left, though, letting your clothes air dry should allow you to get rid of them.
Step 2. Try the salt
Add half a cup (125 ml) of table salt to the wash cycle along with your black clothes. The salt should be placed directly in the washing machine drum, not in another compartment.
Salt can help prevent color - even black - from fading. It is especially useful when used on new clothes, but can help regain the color of old ones by wiping away detergent residue
Step 3. Use a sprinkle of pepper
Add just one or two teaspoons (5-10ml) of black pepper to the washing machine drum with black clothes at the start of the wash cycle. Do not add it to the separate detergent compartment, if there is one.
- The abrasiveness of black pepper removes the residue responsible for some of the fading, and the black tint of the pepper can help reinforce the dark hue of clothing.
- Black pepper should be eliminated during the rinse cycle.
Step 4. Put some baking soda in the washing machine
Pour half a cup (125 ml) of baking soda into the washing machine drum after filling it with the black clothes you want to preserve. This substance should have the same proportion as the clothes. Turn on the washing machine as usual from that point on.
Baking soda is commonly used to brighten whites in the form of a chlorine-free whitener. However, because of this characteristic it can also be used to make other colors, including black, more brilliant
Step 5. Harness the power of coffee or tea
Make two cups (500ml) of black coffee or tea. Add this liquid directly during the rinse cycle, after the black clothes in the washing machine have already passed the wash cycle.
