Name: Heather
Message: Hi,

I purchased 2 large-check, red gingham table clothes at a thrift store (new, unused and unreturnable). The care label only informs: wash in cool water with like colors, use no bleach, tumble dry cool, made in India. I suspect it is cotton. My problem is that it won't stop bleeding. I've tried: washing in cold and hot water, soaking in hot water with vinegar, soaking in hot water with salt and it still keeps on bleeding. I've successfully taken the excess dye out of the white squares by repeatedly washing them with Shout Color Catchers, I then dried them on hot and ironed them on the highest setting.  Thinking I had fixed the problem, I put one on my patio table only to have it bleed again when it accidentally got rained on. After internet research, (without knowing what it was dyed with) I'm more confused than ever. Please tell me what to do or what product to buy.

The product you need to use is a cationic dye fixative, such as Retayne or a similar brand. These fixatives are attracted to the molecules of dye that are sitting loosely ion the fibers in your tablecloth (assuming that they are the usual sorts of dyes; there are a few dyes for which nothing will work). The particles of the dye fixatives cling to both the dye and the fiber in the cloth, keeping them from bleeding out.

The FAQ page you should read about these fixatives is "Commercial Dye Fixatives".

Before using Retayne or another cationic dye fixative, you should repeat the treatment which removed the visible dye (don't bother with the ironing, which will not set dye, but wash them with the Color Catchers as before). After you use the dye fixative, wash the cloths in cool water, to avoid stripping out the fixative, which can be happen if you wash it in hot water.

You can buy these dye fixatives by mail-order from any good dye supplier. You will probably not be able to find them in any stores in your area, though a good quilting supply shop should carry them. If you don't have a good quilting supply shop in your area, mail-order Retayne, Dharma Dye Fixative, or Jacquard iDye Fixative from Dharma Trading Company in California, or Retayne from PRO Chemical & Dye in Massachussetts, or Raycafix from G&S Dye in Toronto or Fixatol P from Fibrecrafts in the UK (or see the advertisement at left for mail-ordering Retayne from Joann.com Fabrics).

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