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How to Set Color and Stop Dye Bleeding in Clothes

visible dye bleeding in clothes

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

It's common to run a laundry cycle and then notice some of your clothes with dye bleeding afterward, which can be a hassle to deal with especially if it's ruined your favorite clothing items. Whether it's accidentally washing your white clothes with some reds and then noticing pink hues in your white pieces or blue streaks from your jeans.

We're sharing the ultimate guide with various methods to help you actually set the color and even reverse the damage, so your clothes stop bleeding in the wash.

How to Stop Dye Bleeding in Clothes

If you suspect that brightly colored clothes are going to bleed, how should you try to set the color? Some people add salt to a load of laundry to set the color, while some swear that adding distilled white vinegar to the wash or rinse water sets the dye. Unfortunately, neither method will work reliably to prevent dye bleeding from clothes or fabrics that have already been commercially dyed.

Vinegar and salt may help during the manufacturing process of cotton yarn or other fabrics. Salt is added to the dye bath as a mordant (a chemical that fixes a dye) to help cotton yarn fibers better absorb the color. For wool or nylon, the acid in vinegar acts as a mordant in the dye bath to help the fibers absorb color. However, neither is a dye fixative for purchased garments made from already dyed fabric or fibers. Instead, it helps to learn the best cleaning practices to keep cotton, wool, or nylon fabrics in good shape.

Best Practices

To minimize garments from bleeding dye...

  • Use a commercial dye fixative.
  • Wash new items separately to remove loose dye.
  • Turn clothes inside out before washing.
  • Use caution washing color-saturated items even after a few years.

Commercial Fixatives

Commercial dye fixatives can be used to stop dye bleeding in clothes. However, carefully read the instructions because some products work in one type of washer and not another, or they work on some fabrics and types of dyes and not others.

Dye fixatives are cationic, meaning they have a positive charge and cling to negatively charged direct and acid dyes. However, they cannot stick to positively charged basic dyes and do not create colorfastness.

vinegar and salt for dye bleed prevention

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Best Advice for Clothes That Fade

Some regular laundry tips will help guard against color bleeding and fading:

  • Test any questionable garment to be sure it is colorfast before washing it with other clothes.
  • Hand-wash clothes separately that have bled color previously.
  • For clothes that may bleed, like blue jeans, wash them in a load with similarly colored clothing. 
  • Do not rely on detergents and color catcher cloths that promise to trap dye. They are unreliable methods, and you may still have pink-toned whites.
  • Use cold water when washing and rinsing colored clothes to help colors last longer.
  • Sort your clothing carefully and correctly before loading the clothes washer.
  • Wash colored clothing inside out to help with bleed.
prevent clothes from bleeding

The Spruce

Why Do Some Fabrics Bleed Dye?

Fabrics can lose dye in three ways after they're manufactured:

  1. Crocking occurs when color is transferred as the fabric rubs against another surface. If you have ever seen blue streaks on upholstery after wearing new blue jeans, you've witnessed crocking. It occurs because the dye was not properly adhered to the fabric.
  2. Color bleeding happens when the fabric gets wet and the dye leaches into the water. This is what happens when a red sock invades your load of white underwear leaving them pink.
  3. Color fading is when the fabric loses dye due to bleeding, crocking, exposure to bleaching products, or intense ultraviolet rays (sunlight).

All of this color loss happens due to how the fabric was manufactured or because of incorrect handling by consumers.

testing for dye bleeding

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Dye Bleeding You Cannot Control

If the color loss happens due to the following reasons, it is beyond your control:

  • Incorrect dyeing techniques or poor-quality dye were used during manufacturing.
  • The incorrect dye was used for the type of fabric (not all dyes work on all kinds of fabrics).
  • The dye was not properly rinsed out leaving an excess of unattached dye in the fabric.
  • The manufacturer did not use a fixative or mordant to bind the dye to the fabric.

Ways You Can Control Dye Bleeding

You can control some of the color loss by keeping in mind a few tips:

  • Excessive exposure to hot water during washing can cause the mordant to be washed out of the fabric. If the mordant is washed out, it will no longer hold the dye to the fibers. Use the lowest water temperature possible to wash colored clothes.
  • Control rough treatment of the fabric by not overcrowding the washer, skipping harsh detergents, and avoiding washing in hard water that can cause micro-breakages in the fibers and lead to dye release.
  • Avoid overuse of bleaching products, too much exposure to the sun, and excessive heat that can cause fabrics to fade and release the dye.
  • Before wearing jeans or any garment you suspect might shed color due to crocking (test by rubbing briskly with a clean white cloth). Wash them separately to remove loose dyes.
  • Do not overwash black clothing and only wash the item when visibly dirty. Use detergent specifically formulated to clean black fabrics for minimal fading.
laundering colored fabrics separately

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Will the Bleeding Clothes Ever Stop Fading?

Maybe. Some clothes may stop releasing dye after several washes. But be careful; don't trust them completely. Higher water temperatures may cause dye release even after a few years. Never wash an unstable dyed garment with any other clothes you care about. It's best to wash a vibrant or color-saturated garment by itself to prevent damage to other items.

FAQ
  • Does rewashing clothes remove color bleeding?

    Rewashing clothing can remove color bleeding, either temporarily or permanently. However, keep an eye on the color bleeding item over time because the dye may reactivate later.

  • How many washes does it take for clothes to stop bleeding?

    There isn't any set number of washes it takes to stop clothes from bleeding. Every garment is different.

  • Does vinegar remove color bleed?

    Vinegar may help remove a color bleed stain on a garment. However, vinegar may or may not be able to stop a garment from bleeding color.

  • Can baking soda remove color bleed?

    Baking soda has bleaching abilities and may remove a color bleed stain on a white or light-colored garment. However, baking soda will not prevent a garment from bleeding color.

  • What kind of salt is best for stopping dye from bleeding?

    Professionals use potash alum salt when setting dyes. This ingredient is found in the spice aisle of a grocery store marked as "alum." You can also use common table or cooking salt, including sea and kosher salt.

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Vinegar to Set Color? Iowa State University Extension.