If you’ve ever had a favorite shirt or dress that’s started to fade, you know how disappointing it can be. Not only does the faded fabric look bad, but it can also start to feel rough and thin. Let’s discuss how to brighten faded clothes and how to keep colors bright in the future. By following these simple steps, you can keep your clothes looking new for years to come!

Faded clothes can be a huge bummer, especially if it’s one of your favorite items. Let’s talk about how this happens first, and then we’ll talk about how to make clothes look new again.

The sun is the number one cause of fading, but washing and drying your clothes can also contribute. Every time you wash your clothes, the fabric fibers loosen, and the color fades a little bit. This is why it’s important to follow care instructions when laundering your garments. Hot water and bleach are two of the biggest culprits when it comes to fading clothes. Does the dryer fade clothes? Yes, it can be a big culprit. If you must put your clothes in the dryer, make sure to use the lowest heat setting possible.

Now that you know how and why clothes fade, let’s talk about how to brighten faded clothes again. If your clothes are already faded, there are a few things you can do to brighten them up.

Sunlight: For white clothing, sunlight is the best way to naturally brighten clothes. Hang your faded garments in direct sunlight for a few hours, and you’ll notice a big difference. If you don’t have access to sunlight, you can also use a bleach solution to brighten up your clothes.

Dye, natural or store-bought: For colored clothes, dyeing is a great way to bring new life to old clothes. You can buy dye at your local craft store, or you can use natural dyes like turmeric, coffee, or tea.

Vinegar: How to brighten colored clothes? Try soaking them in vinegar for 30 minutes before washing them. You can also add a cup of vinegar to your regular laundry detergent to help prevent fading.

Salt: Salt is another great way to brighten up faded clothes. Add a half cup of salt to brighten clothing along with your laundry detergent and wash your clothes as usual. The salt will help lock in the color and prevent further fading.

Wash with same color new clothes: Washing your clothes with brand new clothes of the same color can result in the color of the new clothes bleeding into your old faded clothes.

Now that you know how to brighten up faded clothes let’s talk about how to keep laundry from fading in the first place. By following these simple tips, you can keep your clothes looking new for years to come!

Wash with cold water: Washing your clothes in cold water is one of the best ways to prevent fading. Hot water is a major culprit when it comes to fading clothes.

Hang dry garments: The sun and the heat from the dryer can both contribute to fading, so try to hang dry your clothes whenever possible.

Wash inside out: Washing your clothes inside out helps to protect the color from fading.

Use a color catcher sheet: A color catcher sheet is a product that you add to your laundry detergent that helps to protect clothes from fading.

Choose detergent wisely: The best laundry detergent to keep colors from fading is one that’s made for the type of clothes you’re washing. Options like Dark Protect from Oxiclean are specially made for dark clothes.

A void bleaching: As we mentioned before, bleach is one of the biggest causes of fading. If you must use bleach, make sure to dilute it with water and only use it on white clothing.

Wash with salt on the first wash: Adding salt to your first wash helps to set the color and prevent fading.

By following these simple tips, you should know how to brighten faded clothes and how to extend the life of your clothes as well. For more helpful laundry tips, check out our towel washing tips blog as well as our wrinkle removal hacks ! And for any issues with your appliances, call the top-rated washer and dryer repair team at BSC!