any salvaging dingy white?

[Anonymous]

I got such a cute top that was mainly black with white detail around the arms and neck. surprising probably no one other than me, after the very first (cold!) wash, the white is dingy and instead of cute it looks dirty and worn out. Is there any getting the white back to bright white given I can't just bleach the whole thing?

[Anonymous]

Try this: https://www.ritdye.com/products/color-remover-2/

Always use a color catcher with new clothes that have color+white, especially dark colors or reds, regardless of temperature. Reds are all fugitive (i.e. the color likes to run), and dark colors are usually "overdyed" to achieve saturation, often leaving loose dye particles that will come out/off in the wash.

If the item is especially dear to you, you can handwash it with some of this first: https://www.jacquardproducts.com/synthrapol (depending on fiber content)

-textile artist

[Anonymous]

What's a color catcher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Try this: https://www.ritdye.com/products/color-remover-2/

Always use a color catcher with new clothes that have color+white, especially dark colors or reds, regardless of temperature. Reds are all fugitive (i.e. the color likes to run), and dark colors are usually "overdyed" to achieve saturation, often leaving loose dye particles that will come out/off in the wash.

If the item is especially dear to you, you can handwash it with some of this first: https://www.jacquardproducts.com/synthrapol (depending on fiber content)

-textile artist

I love that the dcurbanmom community includes a textile artist!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's a color catcher

Color catchers are those dye trapping sheets that absorb the color dyes when you do wash so that the colors won’t ruin your clothes. Try Shout color catcher. Usually sold at any market in the laundry aisle.

[Anonymous]

If it’s just dye run and it hasn’t dried yet stick it in an oxy clean soak for an hour and wash it again. Works every time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Try this: https://www.ritdye.com/products/color-remover-2/

Always use a color catcher with new clothes that have color+white, especially dark colors or reds, regardless of temperature. Reds are all fugitive (i.e. the color likes to run), and dark colors are usually "overdyed" to achieve saturation, often leaving loose dye particles that will come out/off in the wash.

If the item is especially dear to you, you can handwash it with some of this first: https://www.jacquardproducts.com/synthrapol (depending on fiber content)

-textile artist

I love that the dcurbanmom community includes a textile artist!

Me, too! What a cool, helpful community!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I got such a cute top that was mainly black with white detail around the arms and neck. surprising probably no one other than me, after the very first (cold!) wash, the white is dingy and instead of cute it looks dirty and worn out. Is there any getting the white back to bright white given I can't just bleach the whole thing?

It's probably polyester and there is no fixing poly. If it is cotton it is possible to perhaps brighten the white.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Try this: https://www.ritdye.com/products/color-remover-2/

Always use a color catcher with new clothes that have color+white, especially dark colors or reds, regardless of temperature. Reds are all fugitive (i.e. the color likes to run), and dark colors are usually "overdyed" to achieve saturation, often leaving loose dye particles that will come out/off in the wash.

If the item is especially dear to you, you can handwash it with some of this first: https://www.jacquardproducts.com/synthrapol (depending on fiber content)

-textile artist

Does the ritdye work well to keep it on the white and not have it remove spots of the black as well?

Also thank you for the tip!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Try this: https://www.ritdye.com/products/color-remover-2/

Always use a color catcher with new clothes that have color+white, especially dark colors or reds, regardless of temperature. Reds are all fugitive (i.e. the color likes to run), and dark colors are usually "overdyed" to achieve saturation, often leaving loose dye particles that will come out/off in the wash.

If the item is especially dear to you, you can handwash it with some of this first: https://www.jacquardproducts.com/synthrapol (depending on fiber content)

-textile artist

Does the ritdye work well to keep it on the white and not have it remove spots of the black as well?

Also thank you for the tip!

The problem you're likely to encounter, especially with cheaper clothing, is poor dye technique/control that has led to what we call overdye (unattached dye molecules). Dyes that have not been properly set will continue to "bleed". So if it's already bleeding, you may lose more of it with a dye-remover, and if you leave a dye remover long enough, it will do exactly what it says: remove the dye. I'd start with the Synthropol, which is designed to release the loose molecules, hopefully leaving any properly-attached dye in place.

Most dyes are set with pH and/or temperature. If you've run it through the dryer already, you may have bonded the previously-loose molecules to the white fabric. At that point, your only hope is going to be things that fade color (bleach, peroxide, oxy-clean, etc.) or things that can release dye bonds and lift dye, like a dye remover.

And all of that advice will vary, based on the fabric content we're working with. What does your tag say the fiber type/blend is?

[Anonymous]

All of which is to say: keeping your technique(s) isolated to the white trim is the safest bet.

[Anonymous]

Oxyclean makes a product that is supposed to whiten whites without bleaching out the colors. I use it for my daughter's softball uniforms, which irritatingly are bright white with bright orange and blue stripes. Of course, whenever she slides or makes a diving catch, the white is completely covered in red clay powder which combine with the sweat to make a sludgy reddish stain. The oxyclean stuff seems to work okay. So if the other approaches don't work, maybe try this one.
https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/482CE211-E2C8-4892-A2AC-BF3B386B933D?channel=SEM&utm_source=google&utm_id=go_cmp-13514262691_adg-124338490235_ad-702585677945_kwd-318635285998_dev-c_ext-_prd-&gclid=CjwKCAjwlbu2BhA3EiwA3yXyu1HeEDs4hApg7hwgJzeKAV5uNDBD7drYSfPJfbuOkgU6Yma5SKT68RoC8XQQAvD_BwE&maas=maas_adg_api_580625016043898119_macro_1_1&ref_=aa_maas&aa_campaignid=13514262691&aa_adgroupid=124338490235&aa_creativeid=ad-702585677945_kwd-318635285998_dev-c_ext-&utm_medium=cpc

[Anonymous]

Hey, OP- did it work?

[Anonymous]

OP! Update, please!

[Anonymous]

https://www.amazon.com/White-Brite-Laundry-Whitener-Bottle/dp/B001BAODYW/ref=asc_df_B001BAODYW/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693702993263&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2806171232044284051&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9029978&hvtargid=pla-393055785511&psc=1&mcid=94b9bb09675e37cb8d47dca1c0df5456

It's safe on colors. I love this stuff.