Woman shares hack to keep black clothes dark without fading - and it's so simple

Daily Record

19-05-2025

A cleaning fan has shared a simple hack to stop black clothes from fading and it's so quick and easy and it's all to do with what you pop in the washing machine
A cleaning enthusiast has provided a straightforward tip on TikTok for maintaining the rich hue of dark and black garments after washing. Carolina McCauley explained to her followers that she adds certain items into the machine to ensure her clothes stay vibrant and feel soft once washed.
Some brands make laundry detergent specifically designed to keep your dark colors looking as good as new. But for those who love a natural washing remedy, Carolina advocates for a recipe more commonly associated with fish and chips than washing your clothes.
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Salt and vinegar are her go-to ingredients. Her video was accompanied by this advice: "Send this to someone who wears all black! Washing black clothes the right way keeps them looking bold and fresh!".
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How to wash dark clothes and prevent fading
Carolina shared a six-step routine she uses to ensure her dark clothes doesn't fade or inadvertently bleach. Avoiding chemical fabric softeners, she favours white vinegar to keep her clothing soft.
Yet, when it comes to cementing the colour in her dark clothes, Carolina reaches for the salt.
The guidelines on how to wash your dark garments to prevent colours from running or fading are quite simple, reports the Express.
Turning your clothing inside out before the wash, particularly jeans, is paramount to combat fading.
Then, introduce half a cup of salt into the wash cycle to secure the shade.
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For a soft feel, opt for vinegar rather than synthetic fabric softener; additionally, Carolina suggests washing dark pieces separately from other coloured and white laundry.
She emphasised the use of cold water, highlighting its gentle nature on fabric and dyed items.
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Once washed, aim to dry the clothes in the shade if possible as the sun can bleach your garments.
Salt helps in preventing clothes from fading by acting as a 'colour-setting' agent, which assists in securing the dye's molecules within the fabric's fibres. This will help reduce any colour bleeding and prevent black dye washing out during a cycle.
And vinegar is something cleaning guru Mrs Hinch's fans advocate for stopping dark jeans from fading too.
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One fan asked for advice on keeping her black jeans black on a Facebook page for her fans. And followers said to wash them inside out and add vinegar to the load.
Another instructed: "So soak them in vinegar for a little while, before you wash them, it will set the colour dye."
And a third commented: "We add white vinegar to all our black washes and it works amazing for us. No more faded jeans."
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Whirlpool also suggested some alternative methods for maintaining the darkness of black clothes, including washing items inside out on a cold water wash or a delicate cycle in the washing machine.
The clothes can then be dried on a low heat or air dried to retain their colour.
Other social media users advocate for tips, such as using non-bio washing detergent to makle sure your clothes "stay looking good for years".