dye running - how to make it stop?

[smhufflepuff]

Hedgiedaddy bought himself a fancy new shirt. It's an off-white cotton shirt with very colorful parts - the collar and cuffs. Tried washing it and the colors from the color and cuffs bled onto the off-white He commented, rather sadly, that now his happy shirt looks like a clown shirt.

We're keeping it wet... figuring letting it dry might let the dye set in permanently. Anyone had a similar situation? How do you get the colors off the white? And keep them off the white?

 

[Nancy]

Once it's already wet and running I don't know what you could do. My grandmother always used to say to rinse the item in salt water before washing the first time and it will set the dye. That's what I've always done and it seems to have worked. I've also heard using vinegar in the in the water before washing will set the dye.

Good luck

 

[smhufflepuff]

Hedgiedaddy was much too excited to wear his shirt to pause and salt- or vinegar-rinse it first Will definitely have to remember that for next time... which, if we can't get the bleeding dye out of this one, will probably be soon. I can picture him running back to the store for a replacement shirt.