In America, 75 percent of women have dyed their hair, taking it from its natural color to a whole new color. We assume that you are seeing this article because in the process of dying your hair, you got dye splashed on your precious piece of clothing and are now looking for a remedy.
OR
You allowed your children to do a fun DIY project that involved the use of dye, and now, dye is all you see on their clothes, and you are asking yourself, “Why did I allow them?” Well, not to worry.
If you fall into either of these options or you have a different story, the dye can be removed from your clothing. We curated this article to help you fix that cloth and get it back to its original state. To find out how to get dye out of clothes, continue reading.
Table of Contents
Types of Dye
There are twelve distinct kinds of dye, but for the sake of this article, we will concentrate on just two of those kinds because those are the ones that are most pertinent to the subject at hand. Let us take a look at the various types of dye.
Natural Dye
Natural dyes are extracted from animal or plant matter and do not undergo any kind of chemical processing. They are obtained from sources such as flowers like weld, sunflowers, marigolds, leaves, insects, bark roots, and so on; however, they are not easily accessible and require an extraction process.
Synthetic Dye
Unlike natural dyes, synthetic dyes are organic compounds that are used to impart color to textiles, paper, leather, and plastic in a semi-permanent or permanent manner.
6 Ways to Get Dye Out of Clothes: Step-by-Step
It makes no difference whether your shirt was stained by natural dyes from plants or you were working with synthetic dye colors for a DIY project or your business.
That, as previously stated, can be removed. In the following section, we will go over six different methods for getting dye out of your prized piece of clothing and returning it to normal.
1. Removing Dye From Clothes Using Chlorine Bleach
Only brightly colored clothes can have dye stains. Since chlorine bleach, also known as sodium hypochlorite, is a harsh chemical known to remove stains from brightly colored clothes, it is logical to include it as one of the methods for removing dye stains from clothes. Let’s take a look at how it’s done in the steps below.
Step 1: Make a Chlorine Bleach Solution
Using a rubber bowl (avoid metal bowls), combine a tablespoon of chlorine bleach with at least four cups of water, resulting in a 1:4 diluted chlorine bleach ratio. Using a disposable spoon or stick, thoroughly combine the solution. Ensure that the solution has been thoroughly mixed.
Step 2: Soak the Cloth
After making the chlorine bleach solution, soak the stained clothes for at least ten minutes in a medium of your choice. Stick to the ten-minute time limit, as anything longer may cause your cloth to be damaged.
Step 3: Rinse the Bleach Off
After the soaking step has been done, rinse the soaked clothes with clean and clear water. If the chlorine bleach smell still sticks after the first round of rinsing, repeat the process until the cloth smells fresh, free of bleach smell.
Step 4: Wash and Dry
After completing the procedure described in the step before, the final action is to place the fabric in the washing machine and put it through a standard washing cycle until it is sufficiently clean. After this, the fabric should be laid out to dry.
2. Removing Dye From Clothes Using Vinegar
Is it possible to find a remedy that does not involve using vinegar? Vinegar is one of the holy grails of home remedies.
If you have vinegar on your shelf, you’re in good hands; if you don’t, get up, go to the store, and get some because we’re about to show you how to use it to remove dye stains from your clothes.
Step 1: Create a Vinegar Base
Fill a clean bucket or wash basin halfway with cold water. You fill it halfway because you need enough water to cover the garment. Then, add one cup of distilled white vinegar and thoroughly mix using a stick or mixer.
Step 2: Soak the Affected Cloth
The article of clothing should be immersed in the vinegar solution and left to soak for at least 30 minutes before being removed.
Step 3: Rinse the Cloth
Take the cloth out of the washing basin, place it in another bucket filled with clean water, and give it a good rinse to remove any trace of vinegar.
Step 4: Wash and Dry the Cloth
After rinsing that off, the cloth should be placed in a washing machine and put through a standard wash cycle. After washing, remove the item of clothing from the washer, check to see if the stain has been removed, and then hang it up to dry.
3. Removing Dye From Clothes Using Baking Soda
Baking soda, also known as one of the holy grails of home remedies, wouldn’t be missing from this list. Baking soda is used as a cleaning agent, and let us see how this cleaning agent can get dye out of clothes.
Step 1: Create a Baking Soda Paste
In a bowl, add as much baking soda as you can. Now, add a sufficient amount of water enough to turn the mixture into a paste.
NOTE: Do not add too much water. Find a ratio that works, but if the water you add appears too much, you can add more baking soda to the mix.
Step 2: Apply the Paste to the Affected Area
Now, apply the paste to the affected area using a brush or your fingers, using gentle, circular motions. Leave the paste to dry for about 10-24 hours. Leaving for a whole day is a better option.
Step 3: Remove the Baking Soda Paste
Since the baking soda paste has been on the cloth for hours, it will be dry, and to successfully take the crumbs out, you need to use a dull knife or your fingernails if they’re long and strong enough. Ensure that all the crumbs are out.
Step 4: Wash and Dry the Cloth
After this, place the clothing in your washer, run it through a cold water cycle using laundry detergent and then leave the cloth to air dry.
4. Removing Dye from Clothes Using Ammonia and Dish Soap
Although not as strong as chlorine bleach, ammonia, an alkaline solution used as a cleaning agent, can remove dye stains from clothes. Dish soap, on the other hand, was designed to remove stains. The combination of ammonia and dish soap can aid in the removal of dye from clothing.
Step 1: Mix Ammonia and Dish Soap
To make an ammonia and dish soap solution, combine one tablespoon of ammonia, one teaspoon of dish soap, and one pint of warm water in a clean bucket.
Step 2: Put the Cloth in the Solution
Put the stained part of the cloth into the solution made of ammonia and dish soap, and then let it soak for half an hour.
Step 3: Rinse and Wash the Dye Out
After that, rinse with cold water to remove the ammonia and dish soap solution. Check the fabric for any remaining dye. If there is, repeat the process before finally putting the cloth in the washing machine and allowing it to air dry.
5. Removing Dye From Clothes Using
For protein and plant-based stains, hydrogen peroxide is an excellent stain remover. This means it will be incredibly effective against natural dye stains.
As an oxidizing agent, hydrogen peroxide can break down dye and make it disappear. Let’s take a look at how it’s done using the steps listed below.
For Fresh Dye Stains
Step 1: Create a Solution
Measure and combine one cup of hydrogen peroxide, one cup of baking soda, and one cup of water in a mixing bowl. Stir in all three ingredients until thoroughly combined.
Step 2: Apply the Solution to the Stained Spot
After you’ve made the solution, pour it into a spray bottle, gently shake it, and spritz it on the stained area. Begin cleaning the stain as soon as possible by dabbing it with a soft cloth or brushing it off with a toothbrush until the stain is gone.
Step 3: Rinse the Cloth
Make sure that all of the solutions is removed from the cloth by rinsing it thoroughly with cold water in a bowl or by having it run under running water from a faucet.
For Dry Dye Stains
Step 1: Make the Needed Solution
In a large mixing bowl, combine three cups of hydrogen peroxide with one cup of baking soda. Combine thoroughly until the solution is formed.
Step 2: Spray the Solution on the Affected Area
Fill a spray bottle halfway with the solution and spritz it on the affected area. After spraying, allow the mixture to sit and work for 20 minutes.
Step 3: Brush the Stain Off
Remove the stain with a toothbrush by brushing it off repeatedly until it is completely gone. After that, rinse the stain and wash the cloth with laundry detergent before it dries.
6. Removing Dye From Clothes Using Nail Remover
This option is for getting hair dye stains out of white-colored clothes. A nail remover that contains acetone is the best type to use to get hair dye out of your white clothes and here’s how to do it.
Step 1: Get Rid of Excess Dye
Blot any excess dye from the fabric with a paper towel or a clean, soft cloth.
Step 2: Apply the Nail Remover
Place the piece of fabric on a level surface, place a piece of tissue paper under the stained area, and then use a cotton ball to apply nail polish remover to the stained area.
Step 3: Repeat the Process
Use cotton balls soaked in nail remover to repeatedly dab the affected area until the stain is completely removed.
Step 4: Wash and Dry
Take the cloth, put it in a bowl or the washing machine, and wash it with some kind of laundry detergent. After that, rinse the cloth and hang it up to dry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Dye Be Removed from Clothes Using Toothpaste?
Toothpaste is another well-known home remedy ingredient that can be used to remove dye from clothing. Still, it may not be as effective as other options, such as vinegar, bleach, and hydrogen peroxide.
Does Washing Dye Stained Clothes with Cold Water Help?
Washing your clothes in hot water can sometimes damage them, especially when using modern laundry detergents. When you use hot water, the fibers open up, allowing loose dyes to bleed, whereas cold water closes them up, extending the life of your clothes.
What Do I Do When Dye Runs in Wash?
To get rid of dye runs in the washer, try soaking the affected area in a solution consisting of one cup of white distilled vinegar and one bowl of cold water. Be sure to check a hidden part of the garment first to see if the vinegar will affect it by testing it in a small area.
Final Words
It is possible to remove the dye from your clothes, whether it is a natural or synthetic dye that got on them, as we have seen with these six different methods that are mentioned in this article.
Whether it is hair dye or clothing dye, it is possible to remove it. These techniques are effective and practical, and they can assist you in removing dye from the clothing item you have.
We hope that you will give one or more of the methods described in this article a shot to complete the task at hand, and if you do give one of them a shot and find that it was successful, we would appreciate it if you would let us know how it went in the comment section.
Additionally, if you have any other questions, feel free to ask them there, and we will do our best to answer them.