Ask The Experts: How to Prevent Clothes From Fading When Washing and Drying

There’s nothing quite worse than grabbing your favorite article of clothing out of the washing machine and realizing that the cleaning process has impacted its color quality. Whether you are trying to keep your lucky shirt in mint condition or want to preserve your recently purchased pair of pants, it’s worth taking the time to look into how to keep clothes looking new longer. Although clothing is bound to lose its original vibrancy over a period of time and through many washing cycles, there are ways that you can best protect your clothes from fading away too quickly. We’ve asked our laundry experts the top tips and tricks for keeping clothing looking new and right off the rack after every wash. Here’s what you need to know:


How to Prevent Clothes From Fading When Washing

Before you take your clothing out of the hamper and put them directly into the washing machine, you will want to refer to the tag for the recommended wash treatment. Different clothing materials call for different wash temperatures, cycles, and even tell you about whether or not it should be machine dried or air-dried. Although it may seem inconvenient to check out the suggested washing treatment for your clothing, it’s highly recommended so you can best preserve its quality in the long run. If you find your clothing is missing its tag or you removed it when you first got it, don’t worry! Here are some great tips on how to keep clothes looking new longer:


  • Wash Temperature Matters! Choose cold water over warm water to prevent fading. Warm water breaks down fibers, which can cause your clothing to bleed its dye, thus fading and even shrinking. 


  • Wash Like Clothes Together. One of the best ways to keep your clothing in good condition is by washing like colors together. Dyes that have a darker shade can impact lighter shades. We recommend separating your laundry before tossing them in the washing machine— we know it’s an extra process but you will thank us later!


  • Wash Clothing Inside Out. Turning your clothes inside out helps prevent pilling and other wear and tear that the washing cycle can inflict on your clothes. It can even better preserve any logos or ironed-on items from coming off in the wash.


  • Skip the Drying Machine. If possible, air-dry your clothes to help maintain their color and vibrancy. The tumbling of the dryer tends to make clothing fibers rougher, giving the appearance of fading. 


When in doubt, speak with a laundry professional at your laundromat with the best practices on maintaining fade-free clothing!


Top 24-Hour Laundromat Near Me

At The Laundry Cafe, helping keep our customer’s clothing in perfect condition is what we take pride in. With competitive prices, laundry convenience, and a facility that is filled with plenty to do, getting all of your laundry done quickly and conveniently is easily achievable at The Laundry Cafe. If you are interested in more information and tips on the best way to wash your garments or wish to set up a wash, dry, fold service from our laundromat, please contact us today to speak with a representative. 


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