How To Wash Dark Clothes

Washing in many ways is pretty simple, isn’t it? You just put the clothes in the washing machine, put the detergent in the drawer, and then you simply close the door and let it do its thing, right? Unfortunately, no it’s not always that simple I’ am afraid, yes it should be, but it isn’t and one of the things most people struggle with is darker clothes.

Whether it’s that special little black dress, a simple black T-shirt, a black pair of jeans or trousers or any other garment you can think of the same difficulty can apply. Getting darker clothes to clean properly can be tricky, and this goes for all darker colours.

Yes, black might be the most popular darker colour but “dark” clothes as they are known encompasses more than just black. It covers all kinds of colours and they are all pretty popular let’s be honest dark clothes never seem to go out of fashion, do they?

Whatever the season or style dark colours certainly lend themselves to fashion, don’t they? So, I’ am willing to bet you have plenty of stylish dark clothes in your wardrobe and today I’ am going to outline six simple steps that will help you get them clean.

So, without further ado let’s begin and take a look at how to get your dark clothes clean.

Number 1 – Separate The Clothes

Let’s start with one step that I’ am willing to bet some people already know. You should always separate clothes according to their colours, you don’t want to put a white shirt in the wash with a black one, do you?

By separating your laundry according to their colours, you can help prevent the colours from bleeding into each other. This will also help ensure your clothes get more thoroughly cleaned if any of your dark clothes have been stained more thoroughly like with grass or blood then do a little pre-cleaning first.

This will help ensure the stain gets cleaned out more quickly, and don’t worry a little pre-cleaning is relatively simple. Just use some detergent (make sure it’s non-bleached detergent) and then rub some in with some water and then add it to the next wash cycle.

Number 2 – Prepare The Clothes For Their First Wash

Now, this is a tip many people won’t know about and it’s a great way to keep your darker clothes looking their best wash after wash. For their very first wash, you should turn any dark clothes inside out and make sure you set your washing machine to a cold wash cycle. Here you can learn more about washing at the right temperature.

With a gentle cold wash cycle, you’ll be able to slow the dye transfer process and prevent the dark colours from fading. You don’t have to continue this all the time but if you have the opportunity then it’s a great way to keep dark clothes always looking their best.

Number 3 – Short Cycles Work The Best

Another great tip to ensure your dark clothes are thoroughly washed is to select the shortest setting you can. Now if the clothes are very dirty or have stubborn, tough stains then you are not really going to have many options, a longer wash cycle will be needed to wash out the stains.

However, if it’s only a slight stain then choosing the shortest wash cycle will be for the best. This way you can minimise the risk of colour fading, the less time your dark clothes spend in the washing machine the better.

Number 4 – Choose Your Detergent Carefully

This one is relatively simple, but many people don’t think about it, if you want your dark clothes to look their best after a wash then make sure you use the right detergent. You should look for a detergent that is specially formulated for darker clothes and you should avoid detergent that as bleach in it at all costs.

Number 5 – Remove Your Clothes Quickly

Yes, it might be a bit of a pain but if you want your dark clothes to look their best after a wash then you should make sure you remove them quickly once the wash cycle is finished. If dark clothes are left in the washing machine to long after the cycle is finished the colours can bleed onto others and cause a big mess.

Number 6 – Dry Your Dark Clothes The Right Way

Our final tip is one of the most simple all you need to do is make sure you dry your dark clothes correctly. This means you should avoid using a tumble dryer when possible because this will increase the odds of your colours fading. Instead, hang your clothes out to air dry and if possible keep them in the shade.