Over the years, homeowners have used salt to flavor and preserve food. This mineral carries a wide array of benefits yet is one of the most affordable items on earth.
But did you know salt can get used in the laundry room?
Salt is popularly known for reducing and preventing bleeding and fading in clothes. Salt prevents the release of dyes from the fabric.
So, if you are looking for a simple, natural, and cheap solution for washing your colored clothes, salt is your solution.
How do you use salt to keep colors from fading?
When washing your colored clothes, follow the below-detailed steps to protect them from fading.
- The first step would be to separate your colored and light-colored garments. This way, you will prevent the transfer of colors from dark-colored clothes to white clothes. Consequently, you boost your clothes’ durability.
- Take a medium-sized or large bucket and fill it with water. Needless to say, the bucket you use to wash your bedding and clothes is highly dependent on the load of clothes. Once you fill your bucket with water, add a cup of salt to the water. Please leave it to dissolve. It would help if you measured the amount of salt based on the size of your laundry.
- Put the dirty laundry in the bucket with the salty water. Please leave the laundry in the water for several hours before you start washing.
- After some hours, you can start washing your clothes either through a machine or hand wash. To save time, you can always soak your clothes when you are busy doing other things. When washing, consider adding salt to the laundry just for extra protection.
- After washing the clothes, you can also add salt to the rinse solution. Once your clothes are clean, hang them to dry. Avoid leaving your clothes to dry for long periods. This only increases the chances of shrinking, bleeding and fading.
One thing you have to do before you start washing colored clothes is read the washing instructions.
These guidelines often go a long way in helping you clean your clothes in the right manner. In fact, do this for all your clothes. In turn, you will promote the longevity of your clothes.
Salt is a mineral containing sodium chloride. The chloride contained in salt is responsible for locking dyes on garment fibers.
So, using salt to keep colors from fading is an effective technique. In fact, you would barely experience any bleeding when washing your clothes with saltwater.
Several homeowners also report that salt can revitalize the color of your bed sheets and clothes.
So, if you have faded jeans or t-shirts that you would still like to wear, add salt in your wash water.
Other ways to prevent clothes from fading
Do you want to maintain the nice color on your fabric? Here is what you need to do.
Use cold water to wash your garments
Not only is washing your bedding and clothes with cold water cost-effective but also good at keeping your clothes bright. Coldwater tends to leak in fibers in clothes.
Therefore, little dye or color would get released when washing colored clothes in cold water.
Conversely, warm or hot treated water does the opposite. When you place your fabric in warm water, the fibers open up. This increases the chances of bleeding and fading of clothes.
Using detergent for colored clothes
Nowadays, you can use a wide range of detergents to lock dyes and colors in your clothes.
Such detergents often incorporate a particular chemical responsible for keeping colors from fading or bleeding.
Some of them include Perwoll Renew Black 3D Detergent and the Woolite Darks Liquid Laundry Detergent. You need not worry.
Most of these detergents are equally effective as well. They clean your clothes effectively and fight stubborn stains.
Avoid using regular detergents when washing colored clothes. They won’t help you boost the durability of your clothes.
Using vinegar to wash your clothes
One natural technique to prevent colors from fading is using vinegar to wash clothes.
All you have to do is add vinegar to the rinse water. Besides, vinegar works perfectly fine as a natural fabric softener.
Vinegar locks in color on the fabric. You can also soak the dirty laundry in a water and vinegar solution before you begin doing your laundry. Additionally, homeowners say that vinegar is useful in helping you restore your faded clothes.
Using this method is way affordable and safer than purchasing chemical detergents for colored garments.
Use Baking soda on your clothes
Baking soda is well known as a stain remover and an odor neutralizer. Besides that, individuals can also use baking soda to preserve colors on the fabric.
They lock in the colors and prevent the clothes and bed sheets from looking dull or faded. All you have to do is add the correct portion of baking soda to your washing water. Additionally, if your clothes have a strong foul odor, baking soda will come in handy.
Dry your clothes appropriately
Avoid leaving your clothes out in the sun for too long. Doing this will prevent your clothes from fading. Ultraviolet rays from the sun do not react well when in contact with dyes.
Also, when drying your pillow cases, bed sheets and clothes hang them while they are inside out. Use a timer based on the weather conditions so that you don’t forget to remove your clothes from the hanging line.
Set the washing machine on gentle mode
When washing colored towels, clothes or bedding, do your best to prevent friction. So, always set the washing machine on gentle mode. High friction between clothes in the washer increases the chances of bleeding and fading.
This also applies to handwashing procedures. Avoid scrubbing your clothes using high pressure when hand washing.
Moreover, do not overload the washing machine. Doing this increases friction, which in turn leads to a release of dyes from the garment.
Avoid washing colored clothes
Although it may seem like a bad thing, washing colored clothes frequently increases the chances of fading. So, if you have not worn your clothes for the whole day, you need not wash them.
If you think that your pair of jeans is not dirty, consider washing them the next time you wear them. Of course, this depends on your preference.
Conclusion
Saltwater washing is a natural yet effective way that prevents clothes from fading. The chemical component Chloride in salt is responsible for locking in the dyes and colors in your garments.
