Over the washings in the washing machine, the clothes gradually lose their splendor, especially in terms of their colors. White laundry will eventually turn yellowish or grayish, the black is no longer as deep, and the colors tend to fade. Very often, this is explained by maintenance errors that we make on a daily basis. And once these mistakes are made continuously, it is very difficult to turn back the clock. However, we can use some grandmother’s tips to revive the colors of the clothes and restore their shine. Discover all the techniques for a very black black, a dazzling white and always so vivid colors.
Care tips to never forget
To limit tarnish, it is necessary always take care to sort the laundry. Sorting makes it possible to limit the mixtures in the washing machine which can prove to be detrimental for the pigments of the clothes. Paying attention to tissue types can also play a role. Clothing that is heavier or that rubs more intensely, which may damage the fibers of more fragile parts. Also, you should avoid washing clothes indiscriminately, even if you use a fade protection wipe. Having several baskets (for white, black and colors) can therefore be useful, for example.
You can also wash your clothes, especially your jeans or delicate clothes, on the back to avoid fading colors. As soon as possible, also avoid washing that is too hot, especially for fragile fibers which prefer washing by hand. Finally, avoid overfilling the drum of your appliance for optimized washing and rinsing.
How to revive the different colors of clothes?
Tips for reviving white
Forget the bleach which can cause laundry to turn yellow and damage textile fibers. This product is also not environmentally friendly. For bed linen, curtains or clothes, you can use lemon juice instead. You can add it to a basin of hot water to soak for several hours or add it directly during machine washing. Otherwise, you can replace the lemon with sodium percarbonate (not to be confused with baking soda!). This bleach and stain remover is very effective in bleaching laundry. Finally, there is also the baking powder, to be added to the detergent for bleaching the laundry and removing stains from white.
Tips for reviving the dark
It is very easy to revive the black and prevent it from turning gray over the washings. The best-known grandmother’s trick in this matter is to keep thespinach cooking water for soaking black clothes. You can also soak your clothes in a basin of very strong coffee or add a cup to the fabric softener compartment. Another idea: boil one or two handfuls of ivy or walnut leaves in water and let cool before immersing dull clothes. They will regain all their intensity, all without having to dye them with a garment dye. In short, there is no shortage of solutions to revive the dark without chemicals.
And finally, here’s how to revive the colors
Baking soda is your best ally on the market to revive the colors of your linens and your wardrobe. It does not whiten, but it helps preserve the white. And for all other colors it acts the same by limiting washout that occurs over time. In addition to its cleaning and stain removal power, it is for this protective effect of all colors that it is so often recommended to use it in homemade laundry recipes or as a softener. To revive the colors, do not hesitate to bathe your textiles in bicarbonate water before washing. This will leave them glowing!
