Whether you’re washing dark denim jeans or a black hoodie and sweatpants, your goal is for them to come out of the dryer looking as close to new as possible. Unfortunately, heavily-dyed items have a tendency to fade over time. The guide below offers laundry tips for maintaining their dark shade and extending the garments’ life spans.

3 Tips for Protecting Dark Colors When Doing Laundry

1. Extend Time Between Washings

Colors tend to run in the wash, causing the dye in your clothing fibers to become less saturated. To keep your favorite pieces vibrant, don’t toss them into the machine after every use; instead, wait for them to become dirty or smelly.

Should your clothing get a small stain on it, try spot-cleaning rather than putting it in your laundry hamper. Mix a teaspoon of white or clear liquid dish detergent with 1⁄2 cup water, apply it with a white cloth to the spot, and then use plain water to blot the area.    

2. Separate Clothes by Type 

Separate dark and light clothes before washing to reduce the effects of color bleed. For example, if you wash a black and white t-shirt together, the black will likely end up faded while the white shirt will look slightly grey. 

Additionally, sort items by fabric type. Jeans, for example, will tend to have the same washing and drying instructions, which are meant to help preserve the fibers’ strength and color. However, a black cotton dress may have different needs. Separating them allows you to follow these recommendations more closely.   

3. Wash in Cold Water

Hot water lifts dyes from fabric more than cold water because the heat breaks down fibers. Therefore, wash darker and more colorful clothes under the cold setting for as little time as possible.

To protect the outside of the garments from fading as badly, turn your items inside out before loading them into the machine. Lastly, use a detergent made for color protection.

When you need a safe and clean place to wash your dark clothes, go to City Laundry in Lincoln, NE. This laundromat offers super-sized coin-operated washers and dryers made to handle any size and type of load. They’re open every day of the year from early morning until midnight. Have questions? Call (402) 483-2113 to speak with a representative. Learn more about their offerings online.