Fabric bleeding, also known as dye run or color migration, occurs when excess dye seeps out of a fabric and stains other areas. This often happens when fabrics are washed in warm or hot water, especially when new or dark-colored items are washed together with lighter fabrics. While dye run can sometimes permanently stain fabrics, there are several methods you can try to stop or minimize fabric bleeding and rescue your clothes.
What Causes Fabric Bleeding?
Fabric bleeding happens due to excess, loose dye in fabrics that has not fully set during manufacturing. When the fabric is agitated in water, especially warm water, the dye molecules can become loose and spread onto other materials. There are a few main factors that contribute to fabric bleeding:
- Washing in hot water – The hotter the water, the more dye is released
- New, dark fabrics – These tend to have the most excess, unset dye
- Washing non-colorfast fabrics together – This allows loose dyes to transfer between fabrics
- Agitation – vigorous washing and spinning can cause more dye release
- Detergent chemistry – Some detergents loosen dye molecules more than others
To prevent dye run, it’s important to wash fabrics in cool water, separately, and with care until you know the fabrics are colorfast. However, even colorfast fabrics can experience some bleeding over time as the dyes wear and wash out.
How to Stop Fabric Bleeding
If you’ve noticed dye transferring from one fabric to another, there are several methods you can try to stop the bleeding and potentially remove or minimize any staining:
1. Soak in Cold Water
Start by soaking the bleeding fabric in cold water. This helps stop excess dye from continuing to leach out. Add a tablespoon of salt to help set the dye. Let it soak for 30 minutes up to a few hours. Rinse until the water runs clear.
2. Use Vinegar
White vinegar is mildly acidic and can help bind loose dye molecules to the fabrics. Fill a sink or basin with cold water and 1 cup of distilled white vinegar. Submerge the bleeding clothing and soak for at least 30 minutes, up to a few hours. Rinse thoroughly.
3. Use Salt
Salt acts as a dye fixative. Make a salt bath by mixing 1/2 cup salt per gallon of cold water. Soak the fabrics for 1-2 hours, then rinse. The salt helps bind the dye molecules to the fabric.
4. Try Color Catchers
Color catcher sheets contain a powder that absorbs and traps loose dyes in the wash. Add 2-3 sheets along with the bleeding fabric to capture dye in the water. The sheets will turn colors instead of your clothes.
| Color Catcher Brand | # of Sheets |
|---|---|
| Carbona | 36 sheets |
| Shout | 30 sheets |
| Rit | 30 sheets |
5. Wash with Detergent for Colors
Switching to a detergent specially formulated for bright colors can help stop bleeding. These contain agents to bind dyes and conditioners to keep fabrics from shedding excess dye. Some top picks are:
- Tide Color Revive
- All Free Clear Plus Colors
- Woolite Darks
6. Turn Garment Inside Out
Sometimes just flipping a piece of clothing inside out when washing can minimize dye transfer. This prevents loose dye from rubbing off onto other items. Try washing problematic fabrics this way.
7. Wash in Cold Water
Always wash with cold water if dealing with fabric bleeding. Hot water causes more dye to leach out. Stick to the coldest setting safe for that fabric type.
8. Wash Separately
Don’t mix fabrics prone to bleeding with whites, light colors or delicate fabrics. The loose dyes can easily stain lighter items. Wash these darker, newer fabrics by themselves first.
How to Remove Fabric Dye Stains
If you’re dealing with existing dye stains on clothes or fabric, there are a few stain removal methods to try:
Bleach
For white or colorfast fabrics, diluted bleach can help remove or lighten dye stains. Mix 1 part bleach to 4 parts cold water. Pre-treat the stain, let sit 5 minutes, then launder as usual. Be careful using bleach products on colored fabrics.
Vinegar or Lemon Juice
These mild acids work to dissolve dye stains. Apply white vinegar or lemon juice directly to the stain. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes, then rinse and launder. The acid helps remove excess dye.
Rubbing Alcohol
Rubbing alcohol can lift fresh stains out of fabrics. Apply it directly to the stain and gently rub the area. Rinse thoroughly and wash. Don’t use on delicate fabrics like silks.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Mix 1 part hydrogen peroxide with 4 parts water. Spray or sponge onto the dye stained area. Let it bubble for a few minutes, then rinse. Hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent that helps lighten dye discoloration.
Color Remover Chemicals
Products like Rit or Carbona Color Run Remover applied directly to stains can remove stubborn dye discoloration. Follow the product instructions. These work similar to bleach but are safer for colored fabrics.
Oxygen Bleach
Non-chlorine bleaches like OxiClean use oxygen to lift stains and are gentler than chlorine bleach. Pre-treat stained areas before washing with warm or hot water to activate the oxygen bleach.
Distilled White Vinegar
Due to the acetic acid, white vinegar has a mild bleaching effect. Add 1 cup in the washing machine rinse cycle to brighten fabrics and remove small stains.
Borax
A borax soak can help remove dye stains from fabrics. Mix 1⁄2 cup Borax powder per gallon of warm water. Soak fabrics for 1-2 hours, then launder.
Mechanical Removal
For stubborn stains, take the garment to a professional dry cleaner. They have access to stronger chemical solvents and mechanical cleaning methods to remove set-in stains.
How to Keep Fabrics Colorfast
To prevent future bleeding, there are some tips to keeping your fabrics colorfast:
- Wash in cold water
- Add salt or vinegar to rinse water
- Use color catcher sheets in wash loads
- Follow fabric care instructions
- Wash darks and lights separately
- Turn clothing inside out
- Use a laundry drying rack instead of machine drying
- Avoid over-drying fabrics
New clothing, especially darks, should be washed separately a few times before mixing in loads with other items. Over time, dyes set better into fabrics making them less prone to run. With care, even non-colorfast fabrics can be washed at home without bleeding or staining other clothes.
Conclusion
Fabric bleeding can be frustrating, but there are many techniques you can try to stop it and remove any stains. The keys are using cold water, dye fixatives like vinegar or salt, color catchers, and washing problematic fabrics separately or inside-out. For set-in stains, bleach, hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol or color removers applied directly to the area can lift dye. With some trial and error, you can find a system that allows you to keep wearing those favorite clothes without dye disasters.
