Seven Tips for Washing Colorful Bedding

1. Follow Care Label Instructions 

It may seem like a 'no brainer,' but manufacturers provide you with all the basic information needed to prolong the health and life of your bedding.

Click Here for: Decoding Care Label symbols

2. Washing Machine Settings

When unsure of what settings to choose, it is safest to default to Normal/Cold settings.  Unless specifically noted, you don't want to wash your bedding in hot (above 105F) water.

3. Select a Gentle Detergent

There are some quality detergents available specifically formulated to prevent fading. These laundry detergents are safe for all of your laundering needs and are comparably priced to other detergents.

4. Use Vinegar

It may sound odd, but 1 cup of white vinegar in a load of bedding will act both as a natural fabric softener and color fast agent.  The pungent vinegar odor goes away in the wash.

5. Wash Other Deep Colors Separately

While every tip is meant to help preserve your colors, some color wash may take place. Avoiding additional deep colors in the bedding load will help prevent color exchange.  Often, dull colors are created not only from color wash, but also from color exchange.

6. Load the Washer Correctly

It is tempting to cram all you can into one load. However, stuffing the washing machine shortens the life of your washing machine, wears out fabrics more quickly, and does not produce cleanest possible results.  Loosely layer your wash two approximately 2/3 to 3/4 capacity.

7. Slightly-Damp Dry Your Sheets

Over-drying causes color fade. It is particularly tough on bright, deep, and/or dark colors. Sheets should be removed from the dryer when they are still slightly damp. Look over the features on your dryer to see which setting will produce the results you want.  There may be a damp-dry setting or just a timer.  Your washer and dryer are significant investments. Take the time to learn how to use them optimally!