How to wash new coloured clothes & prevent colour from running

How to prevent colour bleeding and staining in 6 steps

1. 1

   Wash colours and whites separately

   Always wash colours and whites separately. If you have any new garments in strong colours, you may want to wash these with similar colours only or hand-wash them the first time you wash them.

   Wash your clothes on a low heat cycle, preferably 30ºC.
2. 2

   Don't tumble-dry clothes as this can set the stain

   Avoid drying clothes with stains as high heat can set colour stains into your clothes.

3. 3

   Dab the stain with a clean cloth to lift as much as possible

   If you still end up with a stain, dab at the stain to lift as much liquid as possible from it, avoiding rubbing as this will push the stain deeper into the fibres.

4. 4

   Wash the clothing again

   Try washing the clothes again, following the instructions on the label. You should ideally wash clothes with colour bleed separately – if there are a few items that have been affected, you can use a short programme on the washing machine, but if it’s a single item, you’re best off washing it by hand.

5. 5

   Add a cup of distilled white vinegar to cold water and soak the stain

   Try adding a cup of distilled white vinegar to a bowl of cold water and soaking the stained area. Be sure to test a small area of the clothing first to check it won’t be affected by the vinegar. Then wash again as normal.

6. 6

   Use a commercial stain-removing product and wash normally

   If all else fails, try using a commercial stain-removing product. Ensure you read the directions on the label and test the product on a small area first. Once you have treated the stain, rinse the clothing and wash as normal.