8 Easy and Simple Steps to Wash Black Clothes

Black clothes are timeless classics that go with practically everything. If you want to keep your clothes looking crisp and new, you must know how to wash black clothes, protecting them from fading. These 8 easy and simple steps on how to wash black clothes will help you preserve your clothes.

What Causes Black Clothes to Fade?

how to wash dark clothes

There are a lot of causes why black clothes fade, but some of the common causes happen during the laundry process, such as lukewarm to hot water washes, strong or too much detergent, friction while washing, sun drying, and over-drying.

Also, the dye itself can cause fading when it is somehow not correctly set or the kind of dye used on a particular fabric isn’t compatible. It can cause either bleeding or fading of the clothes. Fabric fibers tend to break during the laundry process due to the intense friction of clothes, making them appear faded.

How to Wash Black Clothes and Keep Them Black?

If you are unsure what to do with your newly bought clothes or don’t have an idea at all, you can always check your clothing tag for proper instructions about washing and care.

When washing black clothes, such as your shirts or jeans, they must be turned inside out and washed using cool to cold water. If you are using a washing machine, make sure to set it in a delicate cycle to keep the black clothes from fading.

Refer to this video to see how to take good care of black clothes and how to retain their blackness:

 

8 Simple and Easy Steps on How to Wash Black Clothes

Follow this 8-step guide on how to wash black clothes and keep their color long-lasting.

STEP 1: Check Your Clothing Labels for Washing and Drying Instructions

washing black clothes

Before doing your laundry, it is best to check your clothes’ care tag for washing and drying instructions, including recommended laundry detergents and fabric conditioners.

The reason you must check the care tags of your clothes is to prevent the clothes from deteriorating and fading, keeping your black clothes looking vibrant and new.

The care tag will indicate whether you need to do a normal or delicate cycle. The delicate cycle is much gentler and softer than regular cycles, making it the ideal setting for black clothing.

TIP: Always empty the pockets of your clothes before doing laundry, a massive pile of black clothes can blend in together, and just a piece of tissue can become a problem once done. Getting rid of white residue afterward can be a little challenging.

STEP 2: Make Sure to Separate Your Clothes Before Washing

Do not be tempted ever to dump all of your black clothes in the washing machine, thinking that you can save energy and time. Separating dark-colored clothes before doing laundry helps prevent bleeding, dye transfers, and color absorption on lighter hues.

Sorting your laundry by fabric type and weight can also make your washing easier as it helps avoid lint and pilling on your black clothes, making them look faded and old.

In addition, the friction between a heavy-duty material like denim against much more delicate fabric during the laundry cycle can worsen wear and tear on the delicate fabrics, resulting in a distressed look in your clothes.

REMINDER: Never ever, as in never ever dump your towels, bedsheets, and the likes together with your black clothes. The wash cycle of towels and bedsheets is different with clothes.

STEP 3: Before Washing Clothes Must Be Inside Out

black clothes

Prior to putting your clothes in the washing machine, make sure the clothes have been turned inside out to prevent fading. This step ensures that the inside of the clothes bears the intense agitation and fading from the laundry cycle while still being thoroughly clean.

Avoid overloading the washing machine to ensure that the clothes can move freely without distressing the fabric, allowing each item to be deeply cleaned.

TIP: Turning your pants or any black clothes inside out after taking them off and before putting them in your dirty baskets is a smart practice to get into early on.

STEP 4: Use Cool to Cold Water and the Setting Appropriate for Black Clothes

You might be asking what kind of water you should use to wash dark items. When you wash your clothes in hot water, the fibers relax more efficiently, making removing stains and tenacious filth easier. However, this exposes the clothing to extra wear and tear, deteriorating the color.

The temperature is crucial in preventing the fading of color whenever it comes to black clothes. You must know that the heat coming from the washing process can cause the dye to bleed or fade.

The most ideal washing water for black clothes is cool to cold water. It helps in preserving the color and reducing its fading.

When it comes to the span of washing, the shorter the cycle in a cold-water temperature can reduce agitation on your clothes, which helps prevent the dye bleeding.

STEP 5: Choose the Recommended Laundry Detergent to Preserve Its Color

washing dark clothes

Use a black-color-safe detergent and stay away from color-safe products and damaging ingredients like bleach. The easiest way to prevent fading is to use a liquid detergent designed for black clothes, as it works more effectively in cold water compared to powdered detergents.

If you have your regular detergent at hand, a modest amount in the washing cycle is safe for your black clothes. However, it is ideal to switch to liquid detergent than your regular powdered detergent to avoid undesired residue on your clothes.

Before putting your black clothes inside the washing machine, make sure to add your detergent first. Directly pouring the detergent on your black clothes may result in unwanted discoloration.

If some of your black clothes are pretty soiled, pre-treat stained clothes with a damp cloth and dab a laundry detergent or soak in the cold water beforehand.

STEP 6: Be Careful Not to Use Too Much Detergent

Some washing machine doesn’t have an automatic dispenser for detergent, meaning the detergent won’t be evenly distributed when you wash your black clothes causing damage to your clothes and can leave undesired detergent stains.

However, a minimal amount of concentrated detergent is enough. Always use the amount of detergent recommended by the manufacturer for your load size.

STEP 7: Always Use Fabric Softener

how to keep dark clothes from fading

By minimizing the friction caused throughout the laundry process, the fabric conditioner can do the job and help prevent the black clothes from fading. This step allows you to have your clothes feeling and smelling fresh, making them feel like new.

Certain brands offer detergent that comes with a fabric conditioner if you want to save. This is also ideal if your washing machine doesn’t have an automated dispenser for fabric conditioners.

TIP:  A few tablespoons of salt can help preserve the color of your black clothes. Why? Its chloride content aids in color preservation. A similar effect can be achieved by pouring distilled vinegar directly into the washing machine, which can also soften your clothes.

STEP 8: Drying Your Black Clothes on Low Heat or Air Dry

Despite the fact that line drying clothes saves a lot of money and is beneficial to the environment, drying black clothes in bright sunlight might cause them to fade.

Drying black clothes on a low heat setting or air drying can prevent premature fading and damage to the fabric fibers. Instead of using the outdoor clothesline, use an indoor drying rack, or do some DIY rack to avoid the exposure of your clothes to the harsh UV radiation.

Using a tumble dryer setting without the heat is also provided in some washing machines, which is a time-saving and convenient option than air drying.

How to Fix Faded Black Clothes?

wash black clothes in what water

The one and the only way to salvage faded clothing is to re-dye it. On the other hand, Dyes are only helpful for natural fibers that can be washed. However, the new color will not cling to Nylon. It’s incredibly tough to dye your own clothes, and it seldom fills clothing uniformly.

If you’re dyeing garments in the washer, run a short, empty cycle once you’re finished to ensure that no dye is left behind that could harm subsequent loads of laundry.

Need a guide in how to fix your faded black clothes? Well, look no more.

You may get help dying a cloth back to its original color at your local dry cleaner, but be prepared to empty your pockets for this specialized service.

Depending on the clothing you want to dye, you should consider paying somewhere between $100 to $500. No matter how serious the situation, even specialists make mistakes from time to time.

Conclusion

The bottom line, when washing black clothes, you have to take extra care to prevent unwanted discolorations, patches, white residues, and deterioration.

how-to-wash-black-clothes

Leave a Comment