27 Jan 2025
Bright, beautiful clothing can be the pride of your wardrobe, but over time, those vivid colours may start to fade, and your favourite pieces can lose their vibrancy. Luckily, we have 10 tricks to keep those colours strong.
Simply follow our easy guide to keeping clothes looking fabulous, with some handy laundry tips:
how to stop your colourful clothes from fading.
1. wash less!
It’s surprising how often we wash clothes that actually DON’T really need to be washed! And if we can wash our clothes less often, they’ll keep their deep colours for longer. Want 5 ways to cheat your way out of washing clothes? We’ve got you covered here.
2. check the label.
Your clothing care labels should explain exactly the care your clothes need. Some might prefer a gentle hand wash, while others need the VIP treatment (dry cleaning) Always check the care labels before putting your clothes into the wash. Failing to follow the instructions and giving your clothes the care they need can lead to fabric damage and colour-loss.
3. don’t mix & match.
Keep darks with darks, and lighter shades together. For those vibrant reds, purples, oranges, and yellows, save them up and wash them separately. Blues and greens can wash together in another cycle. The more you can keep like with like, the more you can guard against colours bleeding into one another.
4. pretreat stains.
If you spot a stain - pretreat it with smol stain gel or smol laundry liquid directly to the stain, and gently rub it in to help it reach deep into the fabric fibres. As both these are bleach-free (alongside our smol laundry capsules) there’s no danger of your colours fading as you work to get them clean and fresh.
5. flip it inside out.
Turn your coloured clothes inside out before washing them to help keep the dye where it belongs—on your clothes, not in the water!
6. don’t overload things.
Yes full loads are the way to go for the most energy efficient wash BUT that doesn’t mean overstuffing the drum. Overfilling the washing machine can reduce the quality of your wash. For your clothes to show their best colours - you need them clean after all!!
7. gentle cycles & cold wash power.
Coloured and patterned clothes love a gentle wash. The less agitation, the less chance of fading! Opt for gentle cycles to keep those clothes looking newer for longer.
And when it comes to temperature… clothes LOVE a cooler wash. Thank goodness smol laundry capsules are designed for a cold wash; still delivering a brilliant clean even when you’re washing at 20°C. Hot water will remove more dye from your fabric’s fibres which means your clothes will come out of the wash a paler shade than they went in. Not great when you’re trying to keep your coloured clothes looking vibrant. So STAY COOL!
8. use fabric softener.
A splash of fabric conditioner doesn’t just bring softness. It can actually help your clothes retain their colour. Fab con is fab at reducing friction in the washing machine by lubricating and protecting the fibres in your clothes. This in turn stops abrasion and dye loss. It all adds up to your clothes holding onto their original colour for longer.
9. don’t forget the load.
Try to remember and take your clothes out as soon as the cycle ends. If they sit too long in the damp drum, the dyes can leach out of the fabric onto each other, leaving you with a sad, blotchy wash.
10. hang it up.
Air dry for the win! And ditch the tumble dryer (it can speed up colour fading). Hanging your clothes on a line or rack and letting them dry naturally in the air will keep your colours intact.
N.B. if you’re line drying outside - don’t put your brightly coloured clothing in direct sunlight - the sunshine will fade the fibres further.
So there’s your 10 step guide to keeping colours bright. Simple ways to keep your wardrobe vibrant, your clothes happy and those fading colours at bay.