How to wash black and dark clothes without fading
Sorting your washing
Step 1. It’s a well known fact that to keep whites bright, you need to wash them separately. But not many people realise that it also works both ways! Dark clothing washed with light or coloured clothing will start to fade, or leach dye. For this reason, it is best to wash darks and blacks on their own.
Step 2. When sorting your dark clothes, try to remain on the lookout for different types of fabric too, and always empty pockets. A big pile of black clothes can tend to blend into one mass, but if there’s just one forgotten tissue in there, you are going to have a very tough time getting rid of the white residue afterwards.
Washing dark clothes: Key steps
To achieve best results when washing dark clothes, follow these tips:
- When thinking about how to wash dark clothes without fading them, always wash dark clothes separately from lights. Blacks, navies, and other very dark colours can go together.
- Always check the care labels of your clothes before washing them together. Red clothes often recommend being washed by hand at first as this dye is known to run at first.
- Wash dark clothes in cold water as this preserves the dye for longer. Hot washes can cause dye to run and fade, so choose a detergent that can be used on a cold wash and lower that water temperature. Try Eco Mates Coconut Castile Laundry Soap for great results
- When washing dark clothes, choose a washing detergent that is suitable for dark colours, and always avoid additives such as bleach which is lethal to dark colours.
- Try to avoid tumble-drying dark clothing as the heat can distress the fibres of the fabric and cause the colour to fade. If air-drying, ensure you hang items out of direct sunlight to avoid fading
- Remember that delicates need a gentle wash. You might even be better off handwashing them with liquid detergent in a sink if your machine doesn’t have a gentle enough setting.
How to wash dark coloured clothes without fading – Choosing a wash cycle
- Darks need a cold, short cycle. Depending on the level of soiling, it might be best to pre-treat some stains with a damp cloth and a dab of laundry detergent so you can pop them on a quicker cycle.
- If you’ve wondered what temperature to wash dark clothes then 30°C is generally a fairly safe temperature for most darks – remember to check your detergent to see if it is suitable for use at this temperature first though.
We hope that with these tips, washing dark clothes should be much easier. If you find sorting laundry a bit of a chore then why not invest in a couple of small laundry baskets for your room so you can sort your laundry as you get undressed?