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How To Keep Clothes From Fading

By ShirtSpace | Feb 12, 2024 |  Updated Feb 12, 2024

We all have seen the transformation of a piece of clothing from our closet, starting as crisp and rich in color, or bright and clean looking – to then gradually fading into something quite different over time. Sure, some of this is natural. But there are steps you can take to combat this inevitable process from progressing faster than necessary. Read on, as we answer important questions, like how to keep dark clothes from fading, and how to prevent color-bleeding from making your lights not as vibrant as they once were.

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How To Keep Clothes From Fading

A man wearing a gray t-shirt that was once a black t-shirt that has faded. 
Image credit: epictextures from Getty Images

Fading is inevitable for some clothing items, depending on the fabric, the color, exposure to elements such as water, heat and light, including laundry practices. The good news is there are precautions you can take to prevent fading, and give your t-shirt, sweatshirt or other apparel item a fighting chance at a long lifetime in your closet. 

Understanding Fabric Care: The Basics

A man and a woman, both wearing white t-shirts, but the woman’s is discolored from color bleeding, and the man’s is crisp and bright white. 
Example of a white shirt that is starting to become “dingy” vs. a fresh white tee. 
Image credit: Antonia_Diaz from Getty Images.

Consider the following factors that impact the likelihood of whether clothes are likely to fade or not. 

  1. Fabric Type: Fabrics can differ greatly in the laundry practices that they require for proper maintenance. For example, when it comes to t-shirts, you would not wash and dry cotton the same way as you would with polyester. Cotton is very prone to fading, and polyester is more resistant to fading. With this information in mind, you might take different precautions with a cotton shirt than you would with a polyester tee.

  2. Dyeing Techniques: There are many ways to dye a t-shirt. For example, standard dyes tend to fade over time, but garment-dyed and pigment-dyed garments often remain looking good over time due to their vintage, worn-in, yet still rich color. 

  3. Water Temperature: Hot and sometimes even warm temperatures tend to cause some dyes to bleed, and as a result, fade faster. Cold water typically helps reduce colorfastness, as well as unwanted shrinkage for many materials. 

  4. Color: Dark colors such as black, navy and dark grays, like charcoal, tend to fade over time. Light colors, like white and super light pastels, can become dingy. 

Pre-Wash Tips for Color Preservation

Putting the steps of how to keep clothes from fading into practice starts way before the dryer, as opposed to what one may think. Be sure to plan ahead and take these preventative measures to protect your clothes from fading or color bleeding. 

  1. Sort by Color: The method of how to prevent black clothes from fading is essentially the same as you would for light clothing. Separating your laundry into dark, light and white color groups can drastically help with fading that occurs over time. This is because light colors tend to absorb a bit of the dye from the dark-colored shirts. For darks, the abrasion of light colors and their tendency to absorb dark colors, as well as water exposure, with gradually fade a dark t-shirt over time.

  2. Use Vinegar or Salt: Adding either table salt or white vinegar to the wash cycle helps prevent color bleeding. Don’t believe us? Even RIT dyes suggest using salt for color retention when using their dyes. 

  3. Turn Clothes Inside-Out: Protecting the outward surface of the shirt, and instead exposing the inside surface to any abrasive movement, is a great tactic to lock in the color of your tee.

  4. Test for Colorfastness: For brand-new pieces of clothing, blot a bit of hot water with a paper towel onto the piece of clothing. If color easily comes off onto the paper towel, then you will know the garment will likely bleed color and should be washed separately from other garments for the first few handfuls of washes. Dark blue denim jeans are notorious for bleeding, as you might have noticed if you’ve ever worn a pair with a bright white t-shirt or a pair of sneakers. If you do have an issue with colorfastness, read on to learn how to stop clothes from bleeding color through proper washing and drying techniques.

Washing & Drying Techniques to Maintain Color Vibrancy

A dryer with bright, colorful t-shirts spilling out. 
Image credit: gbrundin from Getty Images

When learning how to prevent clothes from fading, following laundry care best practices is the most diligent way to ensure the longevity of the color of your clothes.

  1. Low Heat Settings: Wash on a cool or cold setting. Just remember to avoid heat whenever possible! Cold water keeps the fabric fibers closed, so that they do not absorb dye as well as those soaked in warm or hot water.

  2. Use Color Catching Sheets: These magical little laundry sheets attract and trap excess dye so that your clothes do not soak them in. Simply place one in the washing machine with your load of clothes, and they will do their thing!

  3. Air Dry: Skipping the dryer altogether is a fantastic way to avoid fading, since heat and abrasion are the best ways to keep the color intact.

  4. Remove from Machines Promptly: When you leave your clothes to cool in the machine dryer, they often cool with wrinkles. This typically leads to either having to throw it back in the dryer for a few minutes, or ironing – both types of heat exposure, which leads to fading. By folding or hanging clothes while they are freshly out of the dryer, you can prevent unnecessary heat application. 

Long-Term Care and Storage Solutions

A messy closet, full of wrinkly clothes. 
Image credit: pixelshot

Learning how to stop clothes from fading doesn’t end after drying. There are other habits you can get yourself into when it comes to storage and laundering, that will really make a difference for the color longevity of your clothes. Similar to the relationship between hair dyes with haircare products, color-friendly cleaning detergents are also essential if you want to retain color. 

  1. Proper Storage: Keeping your clothes in a dry closet or dresser, away from moisture and direct sunlight, are ways to keep your clothes looking fresh and new.

  2. Avoid Overwashing: It’s no secret that a shirt will fade gradually over time as you wear, wash and dry it. Adjust your habits to wearing your item 1–2 times more before completing the cycle of washing and drying. This will help increase your garment’s lifespan.

  3. Use Color-Safe Products: Nothing strips color faster than harsh chemicals that aren’t color-safe. Be sure to use only detergents, fabric softeners and bleaches that are made to preserve color. 

Vibrant shirts neatly hanging on a clothes rack, away from direct sunlight – the best way to store your clothes to prevent fading.
Image credit: Sorapong’s Images

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