A new, sleek pair of dark jeans is an outfit staple that can instantly make you feel put-together and polished — until you realize the deep dye has bled onto your hands, sweater, and (ack!) your favorite upholstered armchair. Here's how to prevent this annoying dye transfer:
First, forget your mother's trick of soaking denim in a solution of vinegar (or salt) and water to set the color — it won't work like it might have decades ago. "Today's dyes don't respond the same way," says Good Housekeeping homecare expert Heloise.
The real trick is to heed the warnings you might have noticed on your new jeans' tag: "Before wearing them, wash the jeans several times in cold water to rinse out any loose dye that may rub off," says Heloise. "Turn them inside out so they won't rub against other items, and wash with other dark colors."
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Heloise also notes that treating jeans with a fabric-protector spray, like Scotchgard, can help keep the dye in place, but the protector may wash out eventually. And if you're worried about fading your new denim before you get a chance to show it off, use a special detergent formulated to preserve dark colors.
"They really do work," says Carolyn Forte, director of the Cleaning Lab in the Good Housekeeping Institute. "They have ingredients to help fabrics hold onto dyes and to deactivate the chlorine in the water that can fade colors. We recommend Tide Plus ColorGuard and Woolite Dark."
Of course, even with the right precautions, accidents can happen. If you do spot a blue shadow on your cream-colored couch, try blotting with mild dish detergent, vinegar, and water. But be sure to take extra-special care around leather pieces. "Don't rub a light or white purse or even boots or shoes against dark jeans," says Forte. "It's hard to remove blue dye from leather."
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