How to restore the color of faded clothing

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Content

Steps
Method 1 of 4: How to restore color with salt
Method 2 of 4: Using vinegar to rinse laundry detergent residue
Method 3 of 4: How to brighten things up with coloring
Method 4 of 4: How to use other household products and products
Tips
Warnings
What do you need
To restore color with salt
To remove residue from laundry detergent with vinegar
To dye your clothes
Other household products and products

Sometimes, after several washes, a new bright thing turns into a faded rag, and this is very annoying. Fortunately, there are different ways to bring clothes back to their original color. Detergent powder could build up on the fabric, causing the color of the garment to become dull. In this case, it is enough to wash things with salt or vinegar, and they will be like new. If the clothes have faded because they are no longer new, you can bring them back to life by painting them in their original color. In addition, you can restore the brightness of fabrics using common household products - baking soda, coffee or hydrogen peroxide.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: How to restore color with salt

1 Place your items in the washing machine and add your regular detergent. If your clothes have faded after a few washes, the laundry detergent that has accumulated on the surface of the fabric may be to blame. You can wash away this residue by adding salt to your regular wash cycle, and your clothes will look like new.
- Washing powder is more likely to leave a residue on clothes than liquid detergent.
2 Pour 1/2 cup (150 g) salt into the washing machine. After you put your clothes and detergent in the machine, pour 1/2 cup (150 g) salt directly into the drum. The salt will not only restore faded colors, but also prevent shedding of clothes.
- If desired, you can add salt with each wash.
- Use finely ground regular table salt. Coarse salt, especially sea salt, will not work as it does not completely dissolve in the washing machine.
- The salt will also help remove stains, especially blood, sweat, and mold.
3 Dry your clothes as usual. After the wash cycle is complete, remove the garment from the machine to check the brightness of the color. If you are satisfied with the result, the clothes can be dried. If the fabric still looks faded, try washing your clothes with vinegar instead of salt.
- If the clothes have faded from time to time, they can be repainted.

Method 2 of 4: Using vinegar to rinse laundry detergent residue

1 Pour ½ cup (120 ml) white vinegar into the washing machine. If you have a top-loading machine, you can pour the vinegar directly into the drum. If your machine is front-loading, you can pour vinegar into the rinse aid drawer. The vinegar will dissolve any powder residue and mineral deposits from too hard water, and your clothes will look brighter.
- Vinegar can be used not only to remove residue from fabrics, but also to prevent residues from forming on new clothes.
Advice: If the garment requires a more thorough wash, mix 1 cup (250 ml) of white vinegar in 4 liters of warm water. Soak the clothes in the vinegar solution for 20-30 minutes and then wash them as usual.
2 Wash your garments in cool water using a standard wash cycle. Put the faded items in the washing machine, add the detergent and start the machine. In most cases, soaking the garment in vinegar and then washing it is enough to brighten the color of the fabric.
- Choose a wash cycle that matches the fabric composition of your garment. For example, if you are washing delicate fabrics such as silk or lace, choose a gentle wash cycle. Stronger fabrics such as cotton or denim can be washed on the standard wash cycle.
3 Dry your clothes in any convenient way. The vinegar will be washed off the clothes during the rinse phase, so clothes should not smell like vinegar after washing. You can hang the washed items on a string or dry them in the machine. You can dry your clothes in any convenient way, taking into account the instructions on its label.
- If your clothes still smell a little vinegar, hang them outdoors or dry them in the machine along with cloths to soften the fabric. When the clothes are dry, the smell should disappear.
- If things still look dull, the dye has probably been washed off. To make such things brighter, they will have to be repainted.

Method 3 of 4: How to brighten things up with coloring

1 Check the composition of the fabric on the label to determine if it is dyeable. Some fabrics dye better, others worse, so before trying to restore the color of your favorite garment by dyeing, read the composition of the fabric on the label. If the fabric contains at least 60% natural fibers, such as cotton, silk, linen, wool or ramie, or if the garment is made of nylon or rayon, the dye will probably hold well on it.
- When dyed, a natural / synthetic blend will appear lighter than an all-natural fabric.
- If the item you are going to paint is made of acrylic, spandex or polyester, contains metal fibers, or if the label says “dry clean only”, the dye will not stick to it.
Advice: the things you are going to paint must be absolutely clean. If they are stained, the dye will not be absorbed evenly into the fabric.
2 Choose a dye shade that is closest to the original color of your garment. If you want an item to look like new, take it with you to the store when you go shopping for dye. Try to choose a dye shade that is closest to the original color of your garment. When dyed, it will give the brightest and most natural color.
- If you want to dye the item a different color, you will have to desaturate the fabric first.
3 Protect your hands and work area from dyeing. Line the area where you plan to work with fabric dye, newspaper, film, or tarp. This will help protect the table and floor from splashes and paint stains. Also, keep a rag or paper towels handy to quickly wipe off any paint spills. Wear old clothes that you don't mind getting dirty, and heavy gloves to avoid getting your hands dirty.
- Wear rubber gloves as the dye on the skin can cause irritation.
4 Pour 50-60 ° C water into the staining container. According to Russian regulations, the temperature of hot water at the tap should be 60–70 ° C, so if you just draw in undiluted hot tap water, its temperature should be sufficient for coloring. If you need higher temperature water for coloring, heat the water on the stove until it boils. Pour water into a large basin, bucket or tub, or fill your top-loading washing machine using the hottest setting.
- You will need about 10-11 liters of water for every 0.5 kg of fabric.
- For small items - T-shirts, accessories, or children's clothing - a bucket or pot will work.For bulky items such as sweaters or jeans, use a plastic dish or washing machine.
- Most garments weigh approximately 200-400g.
5 Dissolve the dye and salt in a cup and then pour the solution into a staining container. To determine how much dye you need, follow the manufacturer's directions on the label. Typically, about 1/2 bottle of dye is required for every 500 g of fabric. To set the dye to the fabric, add 1/2 cup (150 g) salt to the solution for every 500 g of fabric. Stir the dye and salt in a glass of hot water until completely dissolved. Then pour the dye and salt solution into a large staining container and stir well with a long-handled spoon or boiling tongs.
- It is convenient to stir the solution in a glass with a wooden stick or a disposable plastic spoon, which can then not be washed, but simply thrown away.
6 Soak clothing in the dye solution for 30-60 minutes, stirring regularly. Place the garment in a container of dye solution. Submerge the garment completely in the solution using a long spoon or tongs. Stir the garment every 5-10 minutes to ensure the dye is evenly soaked into the fabric. Try to smooth out any wrinkles and wrinkles so that the dye doesn't get stuck in them.
- The more you stir things in the solution, the more evenly the paint will adhere to the fabric. You can stir the solution without stopping or stir at intervals every few minutes.
7 Remove garment from dye and rinse thoroughly in cold water. When the time for dyeing is up or it seems to you that the fabric is already sufficiently dyed, carefully remove the clothes from the solution with a spoon or tongs. Transfer items to a bathtub or sink and rinse them under running cold water. Rinse until the water runs off the fabric is clear.
- Remember that wet fabric looks darker than dry. This should be taken into account when deciding whether it is time to take things out of the solution.
- Wash your sink or bathtub immediately to avoid staining.
8 Machine wash the dyed item by choosing a short wash in cold water. If you are satisfied with the resulting color, turn the dyed garment inside out and put it in the washing machine. Do not put other items in the car with the one you just painted, otherwise they may become stained. Even if you rinse it thoroughly by hand, a small amount of paint will still come off during the wash. Select a short wash cycle in cold water.
- Garments that are washed inside out retain their color better.
9 You can evaluate the resulting color only when the thing is completely dry. Dyed items can be rope-dried or machine-dried, depending on fabric composition and your preference. In any case, when the item is dry, inspect it to assess the result. Make sure the dye is evenly applied and there are no streaks or light spots on the fabric.
- If necessary, the item can be re-painted.

Method 4 of 4: How to use other household products and products

1 You can add baking soda to the washing machine to brighten whites. Baking soda, found in almost any household, can be used to restore brightness to fabrics, especially whites. Just add 1/2 cup (90 g) of baking soda to the drum of your washing machine, along with your clothes and your regular laundry detergent.
- Baking soda can also help remove unpleasant odors that have lodged in fabric.
2 Black clothes can be freshened up by soaking them in a coffee or tea solution. If you're looking for an easy, inexpensive way to bring black items back to their original appearance, simply brew 2 cups (500 ml) of very strong coffee or tea. Put black clothes in the washing machine and turn on the standard wash cycle. During the rinsing phase, stop the machine, open the door and pour strained coffee or tea into the machine.Wait until the end of the wash cycle and hang the garment to dry.
- Machine-dried clothes fade faster than air-dried clothes.
3 You can return things to their former brightness with the help of black ground pepper. During normal washing, add 2-3 teaspoons (8-12 g) of black pepper into the drum of the washing machine. The pepper helps dissolve the residue on the fabric and is completely washed off during the rinse phase.
4 To brighten whites, wash them with hydrogen peroxide. If, after a few washes, your clothes made of white fabric are discolored or have a dirty tint, you can soak them in bleach. However, after several bleaches, the item loses its appearance. Instead of bleaching, add 1 cup (250 ml) hydrogen peroxide to the laundry detergent and wash as usual.

Tips

Some of the above methods can be combined to brighten fabrics. For example, you can add salt and vinegar to your wash at the same time.
To prevent garments from fading from washing, sort items by color, turn them inside out, and wash them in cool water.

Warnings

The above color recovery methods are not suitable if your item is labeled “dry clean only”. Such fabrics require very careful handling and dye poorly.