need tips on washing black clothing,please

[Darlene]

With the kids working I find myself with a lot more black colored clothing to launder. What tips can you give me on keeping them black & not fading?

I saw some new product advertised on TV recently for this very thing but didn't pay attention. Any help would be appreciated.

[paelthom]

Whenever I have dark clothing, I always add a big cupful of salt to the first wash. It is supposed to help set the dye and keep it from fading. I've heard that white vinegar also helps set the dye. Maybe it's just an old wives tale, but it's one I do.

[KKCondrey]

When I worked at Ruby Tuesday we had all black and they told us about the salt/vinegar thing as well. You can also use Woolite that have a special brand for Black clothing now. Also, don't wash it in hot water and try not to dry them a lot. I would usually dry mine just enough (10-15 minutes) and then hang them up to dry unless I had to be at work that day. I didn't do the salt/vinegar thing, but I did the other stuff and mine were blacker longer than most of the others. HTH

[Darlene]

Thanks Pat & Kat. Hey that rhymes!

[canadian gardener]

I ditto. Dd wears black. I bought some Cheer, and I use it just for her blacks. It's got some kind of Colour guard thing in it that keeps the cotton from linting up in little gray fuzzy things on teh surface.

[slowtypinwoman]

I wash mine inside out and in cold water only. Never hang them outside on the line in the sun.

[grace1902]

For black clothing, try to buy things that aren't 100% cotton as it has the tendency to fade most. Always use cold water for both wash and rinse. Ignore any instructions by stain removers to apply warm water to any stains after application ("Shout", I know works just as well in a cold water pre-soak for stains as warm). If you dry your clothes outside, try to avoid direct sun if needed by hanging other clothing or bedding around them to block sun as much as possible.