Last Updated on March 4, 2023
The color discoloration is not limited to fading or lightening of colors. Technically, any change in color after washing is discoloration. White or light and bright-colored clothing may appear tinted with other darker shades. This defect is more related to the staining of dyed goods (to fibers of the same kind and fibers of another kind). In extra dark colors, dyestuffs and clothes-dyed materials with high saturation values tend to bleed.
In this blog post, we’ll look at the main reasons for clothes discoloration after washing and what are some ways to prevent clothes discoloration.
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Why are Clothes Discolored After Washing?
Following are the causes of clothes discoloration after washing:
Too Much And Undissolved detergent
The quantity of everything more than enough is not always better. Excessive use of detergent can leave a residue on the clothes. Moreover, undissolved detergents also cause discoloration in the clothes. It is often in a cold climate because detergent is unable to dissolve in cold water.
The blue color appears on the clothes due to adding the detergent at the wrong time. Also, this phenomenon happens when you throw detergent directly on the top of the load or directly pour it on the dry clothes.
Excessive Use of Fabric Softener
One of the reasons for discoloration is the improper use of fabric softener which can cause staining or fading of clothes. Putting fabric softener directly on wet clothes can make this happen. In addition, if you are using the amount of fabric softener more than recommended, staining or discoloration can appear.
Overloading Washer
No doubt, washing a great number of clothes at once can save your money and time, but this can cause more problems. Putting clothes of dark and white colors at once in a washer can stain the white clothes. Besides this, cramming too many clothes in the washing machine does not leave space for residue and dirt to get away and causes staining on clothes.
Dirty Washing Machine
If You are one of those who don’t clean their washer after washing, your clothes can be stained. This is because Dirty clothes can leave dirt, residue, and minerals behind in the washer that can redeposit on the other clothes when you throw them next time into the washer.
Hard Water
If the water you are using for washing the clothes is hard, it can cause discoloration. Hard water has a large number of minerals, calcium, and magnesium which can cause a reaction with the detergent and can leave minerals and residue behind which can ruin the clothes causing white stains on them.
Clogged Water Pump And Plumbing Issues
Discoloration can also happen if the filter of the washer above the water pump is clogged. All the soil, dirt and undissolved detergent in it can redeposit on the clothes and stain them. Moreover, the stains on the clothes can also be due to the pipes that carry water to the machine being rusty and old. Due to rust pipes, water also gets rusty and causes rust stains on them.
Ways To Prevent Clothes Discoloration
There are different ways which can help to prevent clothes discoloration, few of them are given below:
Proper Use Of Detergent
Detergent is one of the main factors that affect the texture of clothes. Stop using local detergent and use a limited quantity of detergent (neither too much nor too less) as recommended on it. Germs are killed by the foam from the detergent, which prevents the clothes from rubbing against each other.
Sort The Clothes According to To Their Colors
Washing the clothes according to their colors can prevent discoloration to some extent. Separate clothes into portions such as dark, white, and colors and don’t put all the clothes at once. If you have washed the clothes of dark color first, change the water before putting in the clothes of light color.
Wash In Cold Water
Hot water can also damage your cloth’s texture and color. But nowadays modern detergents make it possible to wash colored clothing in hot water, but it should still be washed in cold water if you are concerned about staining.
Avoid Staying Your Clothes In The Machine For Too Long
Don’t be careless while washing your clothes and don’t make them stay in the machine for too long. Because putting your clothes in the detergent can badly affect your clothes and they fade. Using a dryer for a long time is also unsafe.
Check The Water PH
The PH of water on the alkaline side (7.5 or more) can also cause discoloration. The water PH on the acidic side is better which also has to be normal (6.5). If the water you are using is alkaline, add vinegar which is effective to adjust the PH of the water.
If your water is still causing discoloration, it may contain a higher degree of chlorine which has a natural bleaching effect in it and can stain your clothes.
Read The Label
It is better to know that all types of clothes require their own and different treatment. So, you Should have to follow the instructions on the clothes label to wash the clothes. The label will tell whether to wash it in cold water or which detergent to use.
Don’t expose to the sun for long
Clothes might turn yellow if we hang them out in the sun for a longer period. Most commonly used fabric softeners and detergents include ingredients such as optical brighteners. These optical brighteners break down when the clothes are exposed to sunlight for a long time and cause discoloration in them.
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Conclusion
Cloth discoloration is untidy and unattractive. This may be due to detergent, powerful dye, or bleach used improperly. Always read the label first, wash your clothes in cold instead of hot, avoid drying for a long time, and wash clothes of different colors separately. Use of white vinegar, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, salt, and lemon during washing will keep the clothes vibrant, and bright.
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