How to Prevent Clothes Fading During Washing

Prepping your clothes for the wash is essential to preventing fading. Taking time to empty pockets, turn clothes inside out, unfurl socks and fasten buttons prevents stress on the fabric that can result in tears or twisted seams.

Sort your laundry piles by color to prevent colors bleeding, and wash delicates like lace with light fabrics. Also, make sure to use a liquid detergent specifically made for dark clothing that’s tough on stains but gentle on fabrics.

Sort Your Clothes Properly

When it comes to doing laundry, sorting your clothes is a process that many people skip. However, separating your laundry into different piles by color, fabric type and soil level can help prevent dye transfer and protect delicate fabrics from damage. Sorting your laundry may seem like a hassle, but it can significantly impact the lifespan of your garments.

Sorting your laundry properly will also help prevent brightly colored clothes from bleeding onto whites and turning them a dull shade of pink or grey. It is recommended to wash colored clothing separately from whites for the first few washes, as this will help the colors set and prevent any dye transfer.

In addition to separating your laundry by color, it’s important to separate your fabrics by their weight and thickness. For example, thick and heavy fabrics like jeans should be washed separately from delicate fabrics such as lace. This will prevent the thicker fabrics from rubbing against the lighter fabrics, which can cause unwanted lint and pilling that leads to a faded look.

It’s also a good idea to separate your laundry by the severity of any stains. Heavily soiled clothing should be washed separately from lightly soiled clothes as they often require a longer wash cycle or pre-soak to prevent further staining and fading. Finally, it’s important to read the care label on each garment before washing. This will help you determine the best water temperature and wash cycle for each item of clothing.

Wash in Cold Water

While it may seem counterintuitive, washing your clothes in cold water can actually help prevent them from fading. Warm or hot water causes fabric fibers to break, which causes colors to fade faster. The cooler temperature minimizes the damage, allowing your clothes to stay bright and vibrant longer.

If you’re unsure whether or not to wash your clothes in cold water, read the care label on each piece of clothing. In most cases, it’s fine to wash your items in cold, unless they require warm or hot water for stain removal (or the washer’s sanitizing cycle).

Even if you can’t avoid washing some of your items in warm or hot water, try to limit those instances to four or fewer times per week. This will give you enough time to use the cold wash for most of your laundry, preventing fading and helping your clothes look newer longer.

When you do have to wash your clothes in warm or hot water, try using a detergent that’s made to protect colors and resist fading. This type of laundry detergent will ensure that your clothes come out looking as good as they did when you put them in the washer. A gentle detergent is also safer for your clothes, as it’s less damaging to the delicate fibers. If you want an extra boost of fade defense, add in a laundry booster like ARM & HAMMER Plus OxiClean Fade Defense.

Use the Right Detergent

The type of detergent you use plays a significant role in how your clothes look. Using the wrong kind can strip your clothes of color and cause them to fade. It’s important to choose a gentle laundry detergent that doesn’t contain bleach. This will help keep your colors brighter for longer.

Another key to avoiding faded clothes is to use fabric softener after washing them. This will not only make your clothes softer and less stiff, but it will also protect them from losing color in the wash.

Clothes fade from a variety of factors, including hot water washes, harsh detergents, agitation during washing and overdrying. You can minimize these effects by sorting your clothing properly, washing in cold water, turning your clothing inside out and avoiding overloading your washer. Additionally, drying your clothing on a low heat setting and hanging them to dry can also help avoid color fading.

When you have a pile of laundry to wash, start by sorting your clothes by color. This will prevent dye transfer from occurring between dark and light outfits. It will also help ensure that delicate garments don’t get ripped or damaged by heavy, rough fabrics. Next, wash your clothes in cold water on a short, delicate cycle. The cold water and shorter cycle will help to minimize any abrasion that could cause your clothes to fade. Finally, you should always turn your clothes inside out before placing them in the washing machine. This will allow the inside of the garment to take the brunt of any abrasion and fading from the washing machine, while still providing a thorough cleaning.

Turn Your Clothes Inside Out

When washing clothing, turning it inside out is one of the best things you can do. Not only does it prevent colors from fading, but it also protects delicate fabrics and helps prevent lint buildup on the outside of your clothes. It’s especially important for pants and hoodies that can develop fraying along the edges.

It can also help prevent lingering body odors, since the inside of the garment is in direct contact with your skin. Turning your garments inside out also allows the detergent to attack odors head-on and thoroughly clean your clothes.

Lastly, it can also help reduce pilling since the agitation of the washing machine can cause garments to rub together and form pesky pills. However, by turning your clothes inside out, you can avoid this problem altogether.

It’s always a good idea to follow the instructions on your care label when it comes to washing and drying your clothing. This way, you can be sure that you’re getting the most out of your garments and ensuring that they last as long as possible.

Don’t Overload the Washing Machine

Putting too many clothes in your washing machine can make it harder for each garment to be cleaned and may cause friction between the different fabrics. This rubbing can lead to the fabric fibers breaking down over time, which in turn leads to fading.

It can be tempting to cram your washer full of laundry, especially when you have a lot of clothing that needs to be washed. However, overloading your washing machine can lead to an ineffective clean and a shorter cycle than you might expect. Overloading your washer can also cause detergent and fabric softener residue to build up on your clothes. This can lead to a stiff feel and unpleasant odors.

An overloaded washer can also cause your laundry to bleed, causing the colors in your clothes to fade. Sorting your laundry meticulously and washing darks with other darks, lights with other light items, and whites alone will help minimize the risk of color bleeding.

Always follow the instructions on your clothes’ care tags to ensure you wash your clothing properly. Using cold water, turning your clothes inside out, and washing them on a delicate cycle can help keep your outfits looking fresh for longer. Additionally, you can reduce the risk of fading by hanging your clothes to dry on a clothesline or by using low heat in the dryer. This will minimize the amount of friction that occurs between your clothes during the drying process, which can cause them to fade.

Hang Dry

While it might seem like a no-brainer to toss all your clothes in the dryer, abrasion and heat can damage fabrics over time. This can cause fading, especially with dark colors. To avoid this, a simple process of air drying is an effective way to keep your clothes looking fresh.

To help your clothes last longer, consider air-drying your delicates instead of putting them in the dryer. This way, they can keep their luxurious texture and stay safe from the harsh friction that occurs when you toss them in the dryer.

The next time you wash your favorite shirts, pants or dresses, give them the hang dry treatment and skip the dryer altogether. This simple step can extend the life of your favorite pieces and save you a few bucks, too.

Another important tip to help your clothes fade less is to sort them by fabric type before washing. This can prevent dye transfer between darks and lights, and can also avoid abrasion and fading between heavy duty fabrics and lighter materials. After sorting your clothing, try using a delicate cycle in cold water to further reduce agitation and fade-causing chemicals.