Not a good idea, say the experts. 'Drying clothes with colors can cause the colors to bleed and mix,' says Maria Mooney, brand director and cleaning expert for Truly Free. 'It's best to dry whites and colors separately to ensure the quality of your fabrics stays intact. '
Can I Dry White Clothes with Colors? No. To avoid color transfer, it's best to dry white and light clothes separately from dark clothing. Generally, you'll want to dry items as you've separated them for washing.
No, you should not mix whites with colors when doing laundry. Washing whites with colored fabrics can lead to color transfer, which can result in dingy or stained white clothing. It's best to separate your laundry into three categories:
Drying clothes with colors can cause the colors to bleed and mix, which can ruin both the clothes and the dryer. When you put wet clothes in the dryer, the heat causes the fibers of the fabric to open up and release any dye that is still present in the fabric.
You should dry whites and colors separately for a few reasons. White garments can absorb excess moisture from colored clothes, which could include color transfer, especially if the colored items are new or not colorfast. The heat of a drying cycle can also make dyes more susceptible to bleeding.
Dry on Low Heat
White fabric in particular is sensitive to heat and prolonged exposure too high temperatures in the dryer can actually singe fabric and cause it to turn yellow. The next time you're drying whites, try placing your dryer on a lower heat setting and remove your clothes before they completely dry.
The reasoning is straightforward: whites, particularly cottons and linens, usually get washed in hot water to keep them bright. Colors are typically washed in cold water to prevent fading. Mixing the two can lead to color bleeding—like when a red sock turns a white shirt pink.
For coloured stains on white garments, white vinegar or baking soda for weak spots and oxygen bleach for stronger ones. Soak clothes in cold water with the aid of vinegar, then washing; or soaking in oxygen bleach, then rinsing.
Which is why, before washing new clothes, soak them in a mixture of water and white vinegar or salt. This helps set the dye and reduces the likelihood of it bleeding during future washes. After soaking, wash these items separately in cold water.
“Whites & Colors” means “High Heat” and is the best all around setting for drying large loads. “Sturdy Permanent Press” means “Moderate Heat” with cool down. “Delicate Permanent Press ” means “Low Heat” with cool down and is excellent for delicate fabrics and fine washables.
If you want to remove coloring washed into white clothes, start by soaking the garment in a sink with 1 gallon of cool water and 1 cup of white vinegar for 30 minutes. Then, rinse the garment with cool water and machine wash it with detergent and cool water. Air dry it when it's done.
The number of pacs necessary depends on the load size. To guarantee superior performance, add two Tide PODS® pacs into the washing machine drum before you add clothes. Use one laundry pac for smaller loads or three for larger loads.
When to Use Hot Water – For whites, typically dirty clothes and diapers, use hot water (130°F or above). Hot water is best to remove germs and heavy soil. However, hot water can shrink, fade and damage some fabrics, so be sure to read your clothing labels before selecting the hot option.
Be sure to wash white clothes separately from anything with colour, such as dark items or brights. Even lightly dyed items and older clothes can leech dye during a wash cycle, which can stain your whites or give them a dull, grey appearance.
Consider washing dark clothes in cold water, then air-dry. Hot water and drying clothes in a dryer can cause fading to happen faster. Use a dryer sheet to help remove pet hair and repel lint. And remember to clean the lint trap in your dryer after each and every use.
Any clothing that displays the tumble dry symbol can safely be dried in the tumble dryer, while it's best to dry clothing with a do not tumble dry symbol naturally, either outside on the washing line, indoors on a clothes horse, or laying flat on thick, absorbent towels.
Color catcher sheets are a very useful tool when washing clothes, especially if you're concerned about colors bleeding or transferring between garments. These sheets are designed to absorb and trap any dyes that your clothes may release during the wash. This prevents them from staining other clothes in the load.
A common myth is that washing the product in vinegar or salt “fixes” the color and prevents it from crocking or bleeding. Unfortunately, this is not the case. If salt or vinegar has been tried and it seemed to work, it is only because the free dye remnants were removed in the washing.
Understanding Laundry Color Bleed
Unfortunately, you won't be able to tell until you get the garment in the wash and experience a color bleed. Some colors are more susceptible to color bleeding, with orange and red colored clothes typically being the most prone to color bleeding compared to other colors.
You can also attempt to treat the stain with lemon juice – it is much gentler on the fabric (and the environment) than bleach. Commercial color run removers are also an option; they are usually used to let the garment soak in, removing the excess color at the same time.
For whites-with-colors that don't like regular bleach and/or hot water, you can switch those out with a color-safe "bleach" (which contains hydrogen-peroxide) and/or cool water and still add the dye catcher. Those articles won't be disinfected, but they should still be acceptably white.
Not a good idea, say the experts. 'Drying clothes with colors can cause the colors to bleed and mix,' says Maria Mooney, brand director and cleaning expert for Truly Free. 'It's best to dry whites and colors separately to ensure the quality of your fabrics stays intact.
Choosing laundry detergent for colorful laundry
Any detergent with bleach will cause colors to bleed or fade, so a specially formulated detergent like Purex® plus Clorox 2® Original Fresh Liquid Laundry Detergent is ideal because it is tough on stains, but safe for colorful laundry.
Start with Neutrals: Neutrals like black, white, gray, and beige are versatile and can be paired with almost any color. They are the base of any great outfit. Use the 60-30-10 Rule: This rule helps balance your outfit. Use 60% of a dominant color, 30% of a secondary color, and 10% of an accent color.