You’ve finally decided to take the plunge and get that custom printed shirt made. It’s perfect! And then, disaster strikes: you put it in the wash with your other clothes, and it comes out covered in colour run. What gives?
You’re probably reading this because you just had a colour run on your clothes while doing the laundry, and now all your white clothes are stained! Or maybe you have a white shirt that’s seen better days, and you’re desperate for some tips on how to make it bright again. Either way, you’ve come to the right place. Here are 3 easy ways to get your whites looking brighter in no time.
Sunlight
As the old saying goes, “Sunshine is the best disinfectant.” And while that may be true when it comes to germs, sunlight can also be a great bleaching agent for clothes. In fact, sunlight is one of the best natural bleaches available and can be your absolute best friend when it comes to getting rid of stains. Hang your clothes in direct sunlight for a few hours, and the stains will start fading away.
Here’s how it works – The ultraviolet (UV) light in sunlight breaks down the molecules in stains, which then loosens the stain’s hold on fabric fibres. So, if you’re looking to custom print clothes or take care of clothes, try hanging them in direct sunlight for a few hours. You may be surprised at how well it works!
There are several benefits to using sunlight to bleach clothes. First of all, it’s free! And second, it’s much gentler on fabric than chemical bleaches. That means that your clothes will last longer and stay looking newer for longer periods of time.
In addition, sunlight is a great disinfectant. UV light kills bacteria, viruses, and mould spores, so hanging your clothes in sunlight can help get rid of any lingering smells or stains. And finally, sunlight just feels good! There’s nothing like the fresh smell of laundry that’s been hung out to dry in the sunshine.
Vinegar & Water
You love your clothes. But sometimes, they just don’t seem to love you back. They get dirtied and stained, no matter how careful you are. And bleaching them only seems to make the problem worse. It may sound too good to be true, but it’s not! All you need is vinegar and water.
Yes, if sunlight isn’t an option (maybe you’re more of a night owl or something), try soaking your clothes in a mixture of vinegar and water overnight. This will help remove any lingering stains.
Vinegar is a natural disinfectant and fabric softener, which makes it perfect for cleaning clothes. Simply add 1/2 cup of vinegar to your washing machine before laundry detergent, and run the cycle as normal. The vinegar will help remove stains and odours from your clothes while also softening them.
Water is important for two reasons. First, it helps dilute the vinegar so that it doesn’t damage your clothes. Second, it creates steam, which helps lift stains from fabric fibres. Simply add 1 cup of water to your ironing board, and lay your shirt on top of the dampened area. Then, press down with your iron for 10-15 seconds. The steam will help lift stains right out of the fabric!
Stain Removers
For tougher stains, you can try using a stain remover pen or spray. Apply the product to the stained area, and then launder as usual.
These essentially work by breaking down the dye molecules so that they can be rinsed away. One popular method is to pre-treat the stain with a stain remover before washing. This helps to break down the dye molecules so that they can be more easily removed in the wash cycle.
BONUS TIP!
Here’s a freebie for you all who have tried the top three methods, but are still finding it difficult to get those whites looking white again.
LEMONS!
Another popular method we’ve come across is to use lemon juice in place of vinegar. Vinegar is an acetic acid, which means it can act as a bleaching agent. Lemon juice also contains citric acid, which can help to break down dye molecules. To use this method, simply apply the lemon juice directly to the stain and then wash as usual.
Closing Words
There you have it! Three easy ways to get your whites looking brighter and, hopefully, remove colour run from clothes.
So next time your clothes need a little freshening up, don’t despair and no need for you to Google how to remove colour run either. Just reach for the vinegar, sunlight, or stain remover, and you’ll have them looking good as new in no time!
You might want to save this article for future reference, especially if you’ve got yourself some awesome Custom Prints like our dri-fit shirts for your office and somehow all of them miraculously got colour run on their laundry at the same time…
