HOW TO WASH BLACK CLOTHES WITH MINIMAL FADING

It’s important to separate your black clothes from both your whites and light colors before tossing them in the wash. This is because mixing colors can cause the darker dyes to seep into other garments, staining your whites and lights while also causing your darks to fade. 

If possible, you may want to also separate your black items from other dark clothes to help prevent additional color loss, but you can also make that decision based on how many loads you actually want to run (or have time to wash).

Before tossing any garment in the wash, check the care instructions on the tag to avoid ruining the fabric. Certain articles of clothing may need to be hand washed, dry cleaned or washed on a specific washing machine cycle. This may need to be hand washed, dry cleaned or washed on a specific washing machine cycle. This may require some additional sorting on your part—for example, if you need to separate delicate items from more sturdy items like denim. You can reference this laundry symbols guide if you are having trouble translating the wash instructions on your garments. 

Washing dark clothes inside out helps to preserve the integrity of the garment and protect the outside from both machine agitation and fading. That’s because harsher fabrics can damage more delicate ones or cause pilling as they rub against each other in the wash. If you have garments that are especially delicate or require extra care, consider using a mesh laundry bag to help protect them from damage while in the wash with other items.

The first step to treating stains on dark clothing is to remove as much excess gunk as possible by scraping it off the garment. After you’ve done this, either use an enzyme detergent or mix a mild detergent with cold water to treat the stain. While black clothing should typically run through a cold-water wash, you will want to run the stained item through the warmest water that is recommended on the care tag. More stubborn stains, such as deodorant, may require a more specific solution such as a mixture of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and water. 

Bleach is not recommended when trying to remove a stain from black or dark clothing, as improper use of bleach can cause irreversible damage and lead to color loss. 

Take care when selecting a washing detergent for black clothes. Avoid detergents with boosters or bleach alternatives to help keep black clothes from fading. A mild detergent is probably going to be your best bet to help preserve color quality in black and dark clothing items. Only use what you need—too much detergent can leave residue on clothing.

You will probably want to wash black clothes in cold water. Warmer water can lead to bleeding  and fading of color from the fabric. Be sure to check the care tag on the garment before washing it, in case the fabric requires a specific temperature setting. 

In most cases, it’s probably best to wash your black clothes on Delicate to prevent agitating the fabric, which can lead to fading. As with temperature selection, you’ll want to check the care label to ensure you are using the best wash cycle for your black clothing.

Using minimal or no heat for drying is a good way to help keep black clothes from fading. Consider using a low heat setting or hanging delicate items when it comes to black clothing.