Black clothes are almost always unusually attractive especially when new, but this charm fades with time, and more so with repeated washing and drying. But does that mean that you should dispose of your black clothes whenever they turn dull grey as a result of fading? Well, maybe not!
How glad would you be if you are able to restore the hue of your favorite black clothes? We can also imagine the joy and relief. This article will touch on the quick tips that you need to know about restoring black clothes, but you can read more at for in-depth directions. So, let’s get into it.
1. Use salt or vinegar
At times, the “fading” on your black clothes is not really fading. It may be the result of detergent accumulation over time, making your clothes have a dull and somewhat faded look. This is more common when you use powdered detergent as opposed to liquid detergent.
For this kind of “fading”, you can use salt or vinegar to return the deep black color of your garments. Here is a quick idea of the steps that you should follow to get the expected results.
Step 1: Pick the right salt – To ensure that you get pleasant results, you have to choose the right kind of salt, which in this case is salt with fine grains. The reason for using fine-grained salt is to ensure that it dissolves with ease.
Step 2: Wash your clothes – Add about half a cup of salt or vinegar to the washing machine, after putting your garments. In addition to restoring your garments’ color, this method can protect your clothes from fading upfront. It’s best recommended that you use cold water when washing black clothes. Once you are done washing the clothes, dry them either with an air dryer or preferably by hanging them to dry on their own.
If you use this method and it doesn’t work, that means that the color of your clothes has actually faded. In that light, you will be required to re-dye your garments to restore the color. For that, there are two quick and effective methods:
- Use black coffee
- Use fabric dye
Here is a closer look at each one of these methods:
2. Using black coffee to restore black clothes
This method is the best if you are after a natural-looking result, and it’s especially effective on cotton fabrics. The following is the procedure of restoring the color of your clothes using black coffee:
Step 1: Sort your clothes so that they are in groups of garments with similar colors.
Step 2: Make two cups of coffee, and make them as strong and dark as possible. Keep in mind that the darker the coffee is, the better your result will be.
Step 3: Wash your clothes as you normally would, and when the time to rinse your clothes comes, add the two cups of your dark coffee into the washing machine. Rinse the clothes, as usual, using the machine, after which you can get them out.
Step 4: Hang the clothes to dry, rather than using a machine to dry them. It’s highly recommended that you always hang your black clothes to dry, to protect them from fading.
3. Using fabric dye to restore black color on your clothes
Before deciding to use fabric dye on your clothes, it’s important to keep in mind that dyes are only meant for natural fabrics (cotton, linen, silk, etc.) and synthetic fabrics such as nylon. As such, you never want to use fabric dyes on 100% polyester and spandex. Follow these steps to dye your clothes:
Step 1: Prepare the area that you are going to be working on by covering it with plastic or newspaper, and always have sponges or paper towels in case of a spillage.
Step 2: Prepare the dye solution using hot water and add it to the dye bath. Ensure that the water level in the dye bath is sufficient enough to submerge your clothing. You can add one tablespoon of laundry detergent into the bath to facilitate better absorption of the dye.
Step 3: Add one cup of table salt for better results if you are dyeing cotton, linen, ramie, or rayon. If you are dyeing silk, wool, or nylon garments, one cup of vinegar will intensify the results.
Step 4: Soak the clothing in the dye bath for up to one hour. Be sure to maintain the temperature of the dye solution by adding hot water or heating the dye bath by placing it above a heat source.
Step 5: Rinse the clothes in warm water to remove the undissolved dye. Afterward, rinse the clothes in cold water until there is no black color.
Step 6: Turn the clothes inside out and wash them using a washing machine with a gentle cycle and using a mild detergent. You can then machine-dry or hang your clothes so to dry.
In summary,
You now know how to restore the color of your black garments when it fades. Before settling for a specific color restoration method, always ensure that it is the most convenient for you. All said and done, the above are the most effective and preferred methods of restoring the deep black color of your garments.
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