First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Rewash the item right away while it is still wet.
- Keep it out of the dryer and away from the iron.
- Check the care label, and test any bleach or color remover on a hidden spot first.
- Never mix chlorine bleach with other cleaners; rinse between products.
Dye transfer from a dark red or navy shirt can tint a whole load of white clothes, and the loose dye is easiest to catch while everything is still wet. Dye transfer happens when unfixed color leaches out in the wash or rubs onto other fabric, and it can be lifted if you act before the item dries. Whether the fabric can take chlorine bleach decides the route, so check the care label before you reach for anything.
Pink in white clothes usually needs a rewash before anything else, so pull the load out and start over. Keep the wet item away from light fabrics until the color stops bleeding. If red still shows on whites after a rewash, give it a second rewash before you try anything stronger.
6 items
What you'll need
Tap an item to get it on Amazon, or tick what you already have.
- Liquid laundry detergentPretreats the stain and goes into the wash. (opens Amazon)
- Non-chlorine (oxygen) bleachGoes into the wash, and soaks colored items, at 1 cup per wash. (opens Amazon)
- Packaged color removerFor white items only; follow the label. (opens Amazon)
- Disposable glovesFor the chlorine soak. (opens Amazon)
- Cold tap waterFor the chlorine soak, then cool water for the final rinse.
- Chlorine bleach (opens Amazon)
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
7 steps
How to get dye transfer out of clothes
Step 1 of 7
Rewash it before it dries
Don't dry the item, and don't leave it in a heap while it's wet. Rewash it as quickly as possible, since transfer is more likely while wet items lie together.
Tip. Rewash the item alone if you can, so the dye can't move onto anything else.
Step 2 of 7
Work liquid detergent into the stain
Apply liquid laundry detergent directly to the stained area and work it in with your fingers. Repeat if the stain is still there before you move on to the wash.
Step 3 of 7
Wash with oxygen bleach
Add the detergent and 1 cup of non-chlorine (oxygen) bleach to the wash. For colored or non-colorfast items, soak the item in oxygen bleach first, then launder it.
Careful. Oxygen bleach is safe on colorfast fabrics only, so test a hidden spot first.
Step 4 of 7
Use a color remover on whites
If the item is white, use a packaged color remover and follow its label, then launder it. Colored items skip this step and move on to the next one.
Tip. Read the label for both the color remover and the fabric before you start.
Step 5 of 75 minutes
Soak whites in chlorine bleach
Only do this if dye remains on a white, bleach-safe fabric, and only after everything has been rinsed out. Make a soak of 1/4 cup chlorine bleach in 1 gallon of cold tap water, put on gloves, and submerge the item for up to 5 minutes. Rinse it with cool water when it's done.
Careful. Skip this on wool, silk, mohair, leather or spandex, since they are not bleach-safe.
Step 6 of 7
Check and repeat if needed
Check the item once the wash and any soak are rinsed out. If pink or color remains, rinse and repeat the treatment rather than soaking longer.
Tip. Look at the stained area in good light before you decide it's gone.
Step 7 of 7
Air-dry and check again
Hang the item to air-dry, then check the stained area again once it's dry. Only move it to the dryer when the stain is completely gone.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for dye transfer
Look for a packaged color remover labeled for white fabric, and a prewash stain remover spray or stick for colored items. Read the label for fiber use before you buy.
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on this fabric, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light before using any heat. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →Pick what it is on
Dye Transfer on every material
No match. Try the main search for anything else.
How to tell it's working
The rinse water should run a little lighter with each pass, and the white fabric around the spot should stop picking up tint. Air-dry the item and check it before it goes anywhere near the dryer.
If one full round changes nothing and the spot still shows once the rinse runs clear, the dye has probably bonded to the fibers, so switch to the older-dye section instead.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your fabric
Whites and white shirts
White cotton and linen tolerate the strongest treatment here, provided the care label permits chlorine bleach. Mix about 1/4 cup of chlorine bleach into a gallon of cold tap water and submerge the shirt for no more than 5 minutes per round.
If the stain is still there after about 15 minutes in fresh solution, another round won't help and only weakens the fibers. Rinse with cool water, then check the shirt in good light before it goes near the dryer.
Colors and denim
Colored fabric and jeans get the same cold-first treatment, but chlorine bleach is off the table for them. Work liquid detergent into the spot, then use an oxygen bleach only after you've confirmed the dye stays put.
To check, blot a damp white cloth against a hidden seam; if any color transfers, skip the bleach and repeat the detergent work. Rinse between rounds and don't stop until the rinse water runs clear.
Silk, wool and delicates
Silk, wool and spandex can't take chlorine bleach at all, so a dye stain on them calls for the gentlest route you have. Rewash while the item is still wet and work liquid detergent gently into the spot.
Rubbing alcohol can lift some dyes, but it's off limits on acetate, triacetate, modacrylic and acrylic blends, so read the label first. If the gentle steps don't clear the stain, a dry cleaner is a safer next move than a stronger product on a delicate fiber.
Dry-clean-only items
When the label says dry-clean only, keep home products away from the stain and blot up whatever you can with a clean white cloth. A bleach or color remover that hasn't been checked for colorfastness can pull the garment's own color out along with the dye.
Take it to the cleaner within a day or two, and name the dye and the fiber so they can plan the treatment. Dye that hasn't had time to dry is simpler for them to lift, so don't let it sit.
Red dye
Red dye follows the same sequence as other dye transfer, so start with the detergent and the oxygen-bleach wash. On a white item, add the color remover before you move on, and reserve the chlorine soak for bleach-safe whites only.
Check the item before it goes near the dryer. If any red remains, repeat the treatment rather than soaking longer.
Old, dried or set-in stains
A stain that has been in the wash for a while, or has sat in a damp pile, is more stubborn than a fresh one. You'll usually need to soak the stained area repeatedly rather than expecting one wash to clear it.
Once the item has dried, dye transfer is harder to lift and may be permanent, and the heat of drying sets it further. Repeat the color remover or oxygen-bleach soak, then rewash. On bleach-safe whites, use short chlorine rounds of up to 5 minutes rather than one long soak, and if the stain is still there after 15 minutes of bleaching, stop, because bleach won't remove it at that point.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on dye transfer?
Most household remedies do little against dye transfer; detergent, oxygen bleach and, on white items, chlorine do the real work. Here is how each remedy you might be tempted to use lines up with those steps.
Works2Skip4
Chemical safety
Never mix these
Some products in this guide react dangerously with each other. Use them one at a time and rinse with water in between.
Chlorine bleach + Oxygen bleach (OxiClean)
Both makers advise against combining them: OxiClean says not to mix it with chlorine bleach, and Clorox says the two bleaches cancel each other out.
If they mix by accident: Don't use the mixture; ventilate the room and avoid breathing fumes or touching it; call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for disposal advice or if anyone feels unwell.
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't spot-bleach
Treat the whole garment rather than one spot, since spot-bleaching is the mistake to avoid. Keep to the soak times in the steps, and only use bleach on fabrics that can take it.
Don't rub in bar soap
Bar soap sets many stains, so keep it away from a fresh dye stain. Use liquid laundry detergent instead; it works as a pretreatment on a fresh dye stain.
Don't leave wet items piled together
Transfer is far more likely while wet clothes lie against each other, so one bleeding shirt can color everything it touches. Pull each item out of the washer as soon as the cycle ends, and spread the wet fabric apart until the stain is gone.
Don't skip the colorfast check on a colored item
A bold red or navy garment that isn't colorfast can lose its own color along with the transfer. Test any bleach or color remover on a hidden spot first, and only go ahead if the fabric holds its shade.
When to call a professional
Hand it to a dry cleaner when the label calls for professional care only, or when the fabric is too precious to risk on a home product. Bring it in while the stain is still fresh, and say that a bleeding item caused it so they know what they're treating.
Questions
Does color bleed come out of clothes?
Often, yes, if you act before the item dries. Rewash it right away with detergent and oxygen bleach, then follow the steps above. Removal isn't always successful, and it can leave a permanent discoloration.
Can stain removers cause color bleeding, and how do I remove excess dye from new clothes?
They can, if the product or the fabric isn't colorfast, so test a hidden spot first on dark clothing. Excess dye from new clothes is handled the same way: rewash the item right away and follow the steps above.
Can I remove dye transfer without bleach?
Yes. The oxygen-bleach wash is the chlorine-free route for colored items, and a packaged color remover is the option for white items. Chlorine bleach is only for bleach-safe whites, so skip it on anything else.
Does vinegar remove color bleed?
Not reliably. Not reliably; vinegar can change the color of some dyes, so it's a risky choice on colored items. If you do try it, use white vinegar only, because colored vinegar can leave its own stain.
Will color bleed come out after the item has been dried?
It can, but it's harder, and it may be permanent. Repeat the color remover or oxygen-bleach soak and rewash, following the set-in section above.
Does blue jean dye come out of white clothes?
It can, if you rewash it before it dries. Use the steps above, and check the card on colors and denim for the specifics. Leather seats that picked up jean dye are a different job, covered in the Leather, Shoes & Sneakers guide.
Which bleach is safe for white clothes?
Chlorine bleach is the option for bleach-safe whites such as cotton, polyester, nylon, acrylic and rayon. Use it at 1/4 cup per gallon of cold tap water for up to 5 minutes, and never on wool, silk, mohair, leather or spandex. Oxygen bleach is the choice when you're not sure the item can take chlorine.
Related
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.