Finding mysterious bleach spots on your laundry, even when no bleach was used, is frustrating. This is a guide about preventing bleach stains on clothing.
i need help. Every once in a while (more lately) when I do a colored load of wash clothes will come out with what looks to be a bleach stain on them. I have already lost a few shirts and some nice pants and I cant figure out whats doing it. I very rarely use bleach and I know I didnt spill it. I seperate the clothes and follow the lables. I am sick of losing nice clothes. It will only happen to one or two things a load and not every time I do wash. Anyone have any ideas what it could be?? Thanks for the help,
Missy in PA
By Fay123
03/11/2010
Thanks everyone for the good hints. I found that I was getting white stains or residue on clothes from the detergent even when I use liquid detergent and diluted it in a jug of water and poured it on the clothes before starting the washer. Using only cold water might be the culprit, although I diluted detergent in hot or warm water first. So annoying to find when hanging clothes on the line and I had to rewash them.
Sometimes I didn't notice the marks until they were dry as I mostly hang them inside out (to avoid fading) and discovered this when putting them away. A little rubbing removed some, but not all. NOW, thank goodness, I have discovered that if I put the undiluted detergent in a large spare plastic cap from a bottle of detergent or softener and place it on top of the clothes close to where the water fills from and turn on the washer, it dissolves the liquid and I rarely get residue stains on clothes. Original we had a plastic ball with an opening until it broke up, and now we just use any large cap that has no sharp edges to harm clothes when agitating.
I keep getting bleach stains on all of my clothes, I no longer use bleach and have washed the washing machine. Please Help?
Emma from Tas, Australia
By carolmek
04/25/2011
The same thing has been happening to me, I've tried everything that all of the postings suggest. Spoke directly to Whrlpool and they had no idea what could be causing it either. I'm glad I'm not the only one who is going crazy over this. I also have many friends who have this problem. We don't use acne products. My husband uses topical medication but the stains are usually on MY towels that he doesn't use! The only other thing we have thought is bad dye lots in some clothes but even that doesn't make sense. Somebody help!
Can someone help a dumb bachelor? I only use bleach when doing whites in a separate load. I notice periodically a small white bleach stain on an item in later loads of shirts and pants. This obviously ruins the item, and is driving me crazy. This has been happening for years, which leads me to believe I'm doing something wrong. And I don't think it's just me, because I'm starting to notice it on others clothes as well. Can someone help. Thanks.
Larry from Clearwater, FL
By Emm (Guest Post)
01/02/2009
I get this bleaching too, mostly around the necks of shirts, and I use a sunscreen-lotion on my face. But I also get it elsewhere (like the legs of underwear), and I rarely use _anything_ but the mildest, most natural, non-allergenic lotions or plain oils, like Jojoba and almond. My BF uses the same face lotion sometimes, but his occasional bleaching spreads evenly down his shoulders. I use maybe a liter of bleach in a couple years.
Cyinda - I used to live in Olympia! I used a few drops of Tea Tree Oil in every load to fight the allergens like dust mites and mold, and the dryer is hot enough to kill anything else! (And hydrogen peroxide works very well on stains on whites - haven't tried it with colors.) I _hate_ to endorse brands, but that Tide pen works wonders on almost all stains (even took the yellow off small a blood stain after that H2O2).
My daughter has a problem with her laundry. She randomly gets bleach stains on her wash. She has stopped using any bleach and fabric softener and it still happens. Does anyone have any ideas what might cause it. It doesn't seem that the machine would hold bleach for months. Very strange.
Thanks for your help,
Sally from South Berwick, ME
By btingen
03/06/2011
I was having the same probelm. I would get bleached marks around the collars and sometimes sleeves of my shirts, and around the edge of my towels. I finally narrowed it down to the Clearasil that I was using.
I live in a dorm at school, none of the kids are supposed to use bleach, but of course they do. I've been the lucky person to put clothes in after they are done and have had 3 very nice shirts with bleach stains. How can i prevent this? I don't have the time/money to run just a load before I put my clothes in. Any suggestions?
Kevin from Philly, PA
| I recently washed a relatively brand new pair of 100% cotton navy blue dress pants, but the left butt section of the pants got lightly bleached in various spots--probably the residues from previous load of washing whites with bleach. Is there any way to dye it uniformly or make it look brand new again?
If it can be dyed, where would one purchase a quality, inexpensive kit so it can be done correctly and the spotty parts will not look a shade lighter than the rest of the pants? Also, is there a way to prevent this from happening again in the future--this is not the first time it happened to my clothes. Thanks. BluesClue from D.C. | |
| Answers: | |
| RE: Preventing and Repairing Bleach Stains on Clothing | 02/28/2006 |
| 1. Try to find a Sharpy marker pen in the same color, and fill in the spots. If you get the ones meant for marking laundry, you will only have to do this occasionally. Try on an inconspicuous place first. I bought mine at K-Mart.
2. To prevent a reoccurrence, after running a bleach load, run a rinse cycle of only water to remove the residue before your next load. Run it on the lowest cold water setting. | |
| By Jean (Guest Post) | |
| RE: Preventing and Repairing Bleach Stains on Clothing | 02/28/2006 |
| I think you should start using a non-chlorine bleach, then you won't have the problem. | |
| By WIsgal | |
| RE: Preventing and Repairing Bleach Stains on Clothing | 03/01/2006 |
| Sorry, nothing will ever be the same once it is bleach stained! I love the cleansing power of bleach, but have ruined so many things, sometimes I swear to never use it again. Even small drops left on the counter or washer and your clothes are spotted. I have a whole drawer of "clothes to do yard work in". | |
| By guest (Guest Post) | |
| RE: Preventing and Repairing Bleach Stains on Clothing | 03/01/2006 |
| I stopped using the bleach dispenser in my washer as I frequently ended up with bleach stains on dark clothing. I can only think that some bleach remains in the dispenser and is deposited on the next load of clothes. Now I add the bleach as the washer is filling and have had no more problems. | |
| By Joankay | |
| RE: Preventing and Repairing Bleach Stains on Clothing | 03/02/2006 |
| I don't know if there is a way to get rid of the bleach "stain", but i did find out that liquid fabric softener will also "bleach" clothes. I have since switched to fabric softener sheets. | |
| By jmz2005 (Guest Post) | |
| RE: Preventing and Repairing Bleach Stains on Clothing | 03/02/2006 |
| I have had success with dark blue pants/jeans - by using some of these - 1) use ball point pen in the same color as the pants, then smear with alcohol/hair spray - 2) try permanent marker 3) try eye shadow the same color as the pants (the last is a temporary measure | |
| By pamphyila (Guest Post) | |
| RE: Preventing and Repairing Bleach Stains on Clothing | 03/17/2006 |
| I have been a relentless victim of bleached clothing because of my husband's carelessness. He has ruined yet another outfit by being the lazy person he is! My outfit was washing in the dryer before I went to work so that it would be ready for this evening. Instead of him leaving my outfit be he removed it from the washer (damp from being cleaned) and set it aside so he could wash WHITES! He was too lazy to place it in the dryer, but get this, had enough energy to place my fresh clean outfit back in the washer after he was done with WHITES and BLEACH. Not only was my outfit BLEACHED but it was buried underneath DIRTY Clothes. He hadn't even started a wash cycle. Use a Fabric Marker Pen another posting said that Marvy Fabric Pens are the best permanent solution! Good luck! | |
| By Mad Wife (Guest Post) | |
| RE: Preventing and Repairing Bleach Stains on Clothing | 04/22/2006 |
| How about navy blue permanent marker? | |
| By Katmommy | |
I ruined two new pairs of pants in two days, both with bleach. The first one I got splatters from the bleach pen on my pink pants and then the next day I was cleaning my kitchen floor and squirted my Clorox floor cleaner and apparently got it all over the one pant leg. I would love to fix these pants, but I don't want to make it worse. I didn't know if dying the pants with the color would help or what I could do. If anyone knows I would love the answer and or suggestion.
Thanks,
Carolyn from LI, New York
By Mary Beth
By Barbie
My daughter has a problem with her laundry. She randomly gets bleach stains on her wash. She has stopped using any bleach and fabric softener and it still happens. Does anyone have any ideas what might cause it. It doesn't seem that the machine would hold bleach for months.
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Preventing Bleach Stains on Clothing