One of the deciding factors before purchasing a piece of clothing is how long shoppers can use a piece of clothing. Something that’s used and washed often should be able to withstand the wear and tear of time. This is why many people go for more expensive brands with better quality. But even then, these expensive clothes are not exempted from the risk of fading and bleeding over time.
Many people go as far as have their own customized closet space for their designer clothes. This makes a home improvement franchise opportunity sound like a great one. But what’s the use of a closet if your future clients don’t properly care for their clothes in the wash?
Maybe you have a similar concern too. How can this be avoided? Enjoying your clothes for a long time helps when their color doesn’t fade right away.
Why Does Dye Leave the Fibers?
There are many reasons why the dye on a garment fades over time. It can be because it wasn’t suitable for the fabric or because there was just too much dye for the material to hold in. Other factors that cause fading include the age of fabric, heating, humidity, and electrical lighting. But about 40 percent of the fading in clothes is mostly caused by ultraviolet radiation (UV). Regardless of the reason, it’s natural for colors to fade one way or another. But with the proper care, a garment’s color can last for a long time.
How to Prevent Clothes from Bleeding and Fading
One of the things many people struggle with is maintaining the intensity of color in their clothes. Here are some steps and tips that can help anyone with the same struggle:
Read the Tag
Before putting your newly bought clothes into the washing machine, be sure to check the tags. It’s where you can find instructions for washing, ironing, and drying. Some tags will have warnings to use cold water or not to use detergent. To know how to treat your clothes better, take time to read the tags. You can also group your clothes according to how you should wash them to make things a little more efficient.
Turn Your Clothes Inside Out
The washing machine isn’t gentle when washing clothes. Although the roughness is necessary to wring out dirt, it can compromise the quality of your clothes, especially if some garments are best hand-washed (so be sure to check the label first). To prevent the harshness of the washing machine from contributing to dye leaving your clothes, set them inside out before they make their way to the washing. This helps minimize any wearing down that might come with the wash.
Separate the Darks and Lights
It’s inevitable for some dark-colored clothing to bleed a little in the wash. This is why the practice of separating colored clothes from white ones is a thing. If you washed both light and dark colored clothes together, it’d be a recipe for disaster—an irreversible one at that.
Wash in Cold Water
As many tags say, wash in cold water. What’s wrong with warm water? Shouldn’t it do just as well as cold? Warm water softens the fibers. This makes a garment vulnerable to bleeding, thus fading. Most dark-colored garments might have this care instruction, and naturally, it’s best to follow suit.
Add Some Vinegar
This might sound like an odd step, but vinegar is excellent at fade prevention by keeping the fabric’s color intensity. It acts as a fabric softener too! With half a cup of vinegar, let your clothes soak for about 30 minutes, then rinse. It’s important to dilute the vinegar with water instead of pouring it straight onto your clothes, especially since it’s acidic. If you’re worried about the smell, there’s no need to because It’ll wash away during the rinse cycle.
Minimize Using the Dryer
Don’t use the dryer unless you need to. Using it often can cause the fibers of your clothes to become rough and faded-looking. Instead, hang your clothes to dry naturally. Although it takes more time, it’s worth doing in the long run.
Everybody loves to enjoy their clothes for as long as they’re able to. But having your navy-blue shirt fade after a couple of washes can be disheartening. Even if the shirt is still in one piece and good condition, the faded color can be a turn-off. Don’t let faded color be the reason why you stop wearing your favorite shirt. Follow these steps to help preserve their original color for as long as you’d like.
