Colour fastness
Before beginning your wash, it is important to determine whether or not your clothes are colourfast, otherwise you may end up with a messy wash with dyes running into other clothes! We recommend that you check the care label and do the colorfastness test.
The colourfastness test
Dampen a small area of hem or inside seam with water, then iron a piece of white fabric or kitchen paper on to it. If any colour blots off, the garment is not colourfast.
How do I wash non-colourfast items?
Wash your non-colourfast items separately in cold water, and rinse immediately. Don't soak them, as their colours will run. Dry cleaning is safer for garments that lose a lot of colour, but check the care label first.
What should I do if I get dye run into other clothes?
If an accident should occur, there are reversal products, such available in supermarkets and chemists. If an article washed in your machine has released a lot of loose dye, carry out a wash with no clothes before doing the next load. This will stop the loose dye affecting the next wash.
Is colour-safe oxygen bleach OK?
Some laundry products, such as Omo Matic, contain colour-safe oxygen bleach specially designed for excellent stain removal when washing whites and colours. It is not the same as household bleach which is chlorine based and can easily damage colours.
However some items are coloured with dyestuffs that are even sensitive to colour-safe bleach, and on these the care label should be clearly marked "Do not bleach".
If you are unsure, do the test. Make a paste with Omo Matic and water, place a small amount on an inconspicuous part of the garment (e.g. inside a hem) and leave overnight. Remove the paste carefully. If any colour is lost, the dye is not stable and the garment should not be soaked or washed in a product that contains oxygen bleach.
