Your Colorful Clothes Won't Fade If You Use This DIY Trick

POPSUGAR Photography | Sarah Lipoff
POPSUGAR Photography | Sarah Lipoff

If you actually buy colorful clothes (I'm a gray and black kind of gal), the last thing you want is for the item to fade and the color to become dull. But there's a fix for that! You can actually colorfast your clothes so they don't fade or bleed onto other clothes in the wash. The process is so simple and doesn't use any harsh chemicals, so it's perfect for using on cotton tops, fluffy towels, linens, and even natural-fiber rugs. Here's what to do.

How to Colorfast Your Clothes

  1. Thoroughly clean a large mixing bowl or cleaning bucket, and then fill it with one gallon of fresh, clean water. Add one-fourth cup table salt and one cup vinegar. The vinegar and salt work together to naturally lock the color into the fabric. Give the water a swish to make sure the salt and vinegar are distributed evenly.
POPSUGAR Photography | Sarah Lipoff
  1. Add the garment to the water, and press it into the water until it's fully saturated. That's it! Let the fabric soak in the water for 24 hours to ensure the color is completely set. You might notice a bit of color in the water, but that's OK.
POPSUGAR Photography | Sarah Lipoff
  1. Remove the item, dump the water and rinse the container, and fill it with fresh water. Add the fabric back to the container and gently squish and swirl it, refreshing it with clean water. If you still see color releasing from the fabric, repeat a soaking in the vinegar saltwater.
  2. Let the fabric fully dry, and your item will hold its color the next time it's tossed in the wash.