How do you keep your clothes black for longer?

It can be very frustrating when your black clothes fade in the wash, but you don't have to let it get that far. By following a few rules during washing, you can prevent your favorite black clothing from losing its color. If that's not enough, below you'll find a few more tricks you can try.

1 Wash your clothes less often.

No matter how carefully you handle your black clothes and how many precautions you take during washing, the washing cycle will cause the dye to fade, eventually making the clothes look dull. To prevent this, you should only wash your black clothes when absolutely necessary. If you can skip a wash here and there, do so to keep the color nice and deep.

2 Sort by color.

If possible, wash your black clothes only with other black or dark clothes. Dye tends to run during washing, but if there are no light garments to absorb the black dye, the dye will be reabsorbed by the dark garments themselves.
◦ You can also sort them by weight. This will better protect the fabric and color of your more delicate black garments.

3 Wash garments inside out.

The side of the fabric that comes into contact with the washing machine drum will wear the most. As a result, the dye will fade faster there. Protect the outside of black clothing by turning each garment inside out before putting it in the washing machine.

◦ Black colors also fade due to the friction of garments rubbing against each other.
◦ Friction damages the fibers, and the ends of these fibers are what you see. If the surface of the fabric is damaged, you will see less color there, even if the dye has not faded.
◦ You can further reduce the amount of friction by zipping up zippers and fastening hooks.

4 Use cold water.

Hot water causes more dye to be lost from the fabric, so bright colors and black clothes will fade faster if you wash them at warm temperatures. If you wash them at colder temperatures, the dye will stay vibrant longer.
◦ Hot water breaks down the fibers, causing colors to fade faster.
◦ Wash your clothes on the coldest possible setting. The water should not be warmer than 30ºC.

5 Use the shortest wash cycle.

Just as you should put your black clothes in the wash as little as possible, you should also try to keep the wash cycle as short as possible. The less time your clothes are in the washing machine, the less chance the dye has to run.

◦ A delicate cycle works well, but you should, of course, choose a cycle depending on how dirty your clothes are and what fabric the garments are made of.

6 Add a special detergent.

Nowadays, there are all kinds of special detergents for dark fabrics. These detergents help retain the dye during the wash cycle, so your clothes fade less quickly.
◦ If you don't have a detergent specifically for dark clothes, use one that is suitable for washing at cold temperatures.
◦ Note that detergent does not necessarily contribute to fading, although some are better at preventing it than others. Any liquid detergent is fine, but make sure it does not contain bleach.
◦ Liquid detergent washes better at cold temperatures than powder. Powder does not dissolve completely in cold water, especially if you use a short cycle.

7 Skip the dryer.

Heat is the enemy of black clothes. Hang black clothes on the line, or lay them on a drying rack. Do not use the dryer, unless absolutely necessary. If you must use the dryer, do not add a fabric softener sheet.
◦ If you line dry your clothes, make sure they are not in the sun. Sunlight acts as a natural bleach, which will cause your black clothes to fade.
◦ If you do want to use the dryer, set it to the coldest temperature. Keep a close eye on it so you can feel if the clothes are not getting too dry or too hot. Take the clothes out when they are still a little damp.

Tips

1 Add a little vinegar.

Add 250 ml of white vinegar during the rinse cycle of the washing machine. Pour the vinegar directly into the drum, not into the detergent dispenser.
◦ Adding vinegar helps keep clothes black by fixing the color and removing detergent residues. These residues can otherwise leave a film on your clothes, making it appear as if the color has faded.
◦ Vinegar is also a natural fabric softener.
◦ The vinegar evaporates during rinsing, so you shouldn't smell anything. If it still smells a little like vinegar, it will disappear after you hang the clothes to dry.

2 Try salt.

Add 120 grams of salt to the wash cycle. Put the salt directly into the drum when you add the dark clothes.
◦ Salt prevents dye from bleeding from clothes. It is especially useful when washing new clothes for the first time, but it can also refresh faded colors by removing leftover detergent residue.

3 Use a pinch of pepper.

Add 1 - 2 teaspoons of black pepper to your washing machine drum when you add the clothes. Do not put it in the detergent dispenser.
◦ Pepper scrubs away leftover detergent residue, and the black tint of the pepper can enhance the shade of the dye.
◦ The pepper will disappear from your clothes during the rinse cycle.

4 Put some baking soda in the drum.

Put 100 grams of baking soda in your drum when you add the black clothes. The baking soda should be put in the drum and not in the dispenser. Wash the load as normal.
◦ Baking soda helps to make white clothes whiter. But you can also make colors, including black, brighter with it.

5 Harness the power of coffee or tea

Brew 2 cups (500 ml) of black coffee or tea. Add this to the rinse water of the washing machine after washing.
◦ Coffee and black tea are both used as natural dyes. They turn light fabrics brown, but they enhance the dark color of black fabric.

6 Textile dye

If your clothes have faded despite the tips above, or if you found a dull black pair of pants in the back of your closet, textile dye can help. This dye is available for all kinds of fabric colors, including specifically for black clothing. With it, you can breathe new life into your faded clothes by dyeing them. However, it is important to always read the instructions on the packaging to prevent anything from going wrong in the dyeing process.

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