How to Remove Dye Stains from Clothes
Have you ever dyed your hair only to find that you’ve got more colouring on your clothes than your hair? What about when a stray pair of red socks ends up in the wash with your crisp white shirts? Removing a dye stain from fabric can feel like an impossible task at times – but not with OMO washing powder! Learn how to remove hair dye from clothes with our laundry tips and see what precautions you can take to avoid such mishaps in the future.
How To Remove Dye From Fabrics
When learning how to remove dye from clothes, it’s important that you follow these initial steps regardless of the type or colour of fabric that has been stained.
1. As with all stains, it’s best to act quickly. The more time the dye stain must seep into fabrics and dry, the trickier it will be to remove.
2. Familiarise yourself with the recommend washing technique for your clothes. You’ll find this on the item’s care label.
3. Check your chosen stain removal method on a small bit of the fabric first, before using it on the stain. This will help prevent any unnecessary damage.
How To Remove Dye Stains From White Clothes
Dye stains are a nightmare on white clothes – the contrast in colours can make them seem much worse than they are. Learn how to remove dye stains from fabrics that are light in colour by following these steps:
1. Add a little OMO Handwash Powder to hot water. You should keep the temperature below the maximum indicated on your clothes’ care label and only use the amount of detergent as indicated on the packaging.
2. Leave the clothing to soak in the solution for a couple of hours.
3. Rinse the fabric in hot water.
4. Wash in the washing machine using a detergent that is tough on stains, like OMO Ultra Capsules.
5. Check for any leftover stains. If the dye has not been completely removed, then do not tumble dry or iron the garment. Just repeat the previous steps instead.
6. For extra tough stains, try soaking the item in a solution of cold water and oxygen bleach (non-chlorine bleach) for one hour. Only try this is the garment’s care label allows it. Remember to use biocides with care too. You should always read the product information label before use and wear appropriate safety clothing.
7. Wash the item in the washing machine as normal after it has been soaked.
How To Remove Dye From Coloured Clothes
For the most part, learning how to remove dye from clothes that are dark in colour is the same as learning how to remove dye from fabrics that are white or light in colour. Before you get started, it is important to check your clothes are colourfast or you could end up with more dye stains on your hand. Use our Colour Fastness Test to learn whether your clothes can use the first method of stain removal. If your garment is not colourfast, then try this stain removal method instead:
1. Dampen a white cloth with rubbing alcohol and spot-test an inconspicuous area of the fabric. You can also try this with hairspray if you don’t have rubbing alcohol to hand.
2. Use the dampened cloth to dab the stain repeatedly. You should see the dye transferring from the stain to the cloth.
3. Rinse the garment with warm water at the temperature specified on the garment care tag.
4. Wash in the washing machine on the warmest temperature setting that the garment’s care label recommends.
5. If some staining remains, then try repeating the previous steps.
What About Dye Stains On My Hands?
Dye stains on fabric are one thing – but what is the process for learning how to remove fabric dye from skin? This is normally a little easier than removing the stains from fabric, just follow these steps:
1. Wash your hands thoroughly as soon as possible. As with clothing stains, the quicker you act the better the results.
2. Use hand soap and a nailbrush or cloth to gently scrub at the stains. Be careful not to cause damage to your skin.
3. If the stain is very stubborn then you can rub a little hairspray or alcohol onto it with a cotton pad. Be careful not to use this method if you have any cuts or broken skin on your hands as it could cause further irritation. Remember to wash your hands with soap and water thoroughly afterwards to remove the chemicals from your skin. Now that you know how to remove fabric dye from skin and clothes, dying your hair or recolouring old clothes will never be a source of concern again!