Name: Kelly
Message: I have been trying to figure out why RED dyed items are always most suspetible to bleeding than any other color. I have searched and searched and cannot come up with any sort of concerte answer that the common person can understand :) can you help me? 

It's actually just a coincidence. Red dyes in general are not more prone to bleeding than similar dyes of other colors. The problem is that red-dyed commercial garments are often dyed with a kind of dye called direct dye. Direct dye, whatever its color, tends to bleed in every wash, unless the clothing has been treated with a special cationic dye fixative. Using only cool water for washing will help, because higher temperatures decrease the ability of direct dye to remain associated with fabric.

Some retailers are careful to specify that their manufacturers must use colorfast dyes in their products, or at least use the right fixative to improve colorfastness. Others are less reliable and do not deserve our business. You should return garments for a refund if they cannot be safely washed when you follow the instructions on the care label.

If you are dyeing at home, you can avoid the problem of bleeding dyes by using a higher quality of dye. Avoid direct dye, as well as all-purpose dye, which contains direct dye. Instead, use a fiber reactive dye such as Procion MX dye, and carefully follow a recipe intended for the dye you use, including washing out excess dye before wear. Do not try to dye a garment that contains polyester.  Be careful to match the type of dye that you use to the fiber content of whatever you are dyeing.

If you have purchased a commercially red-dyed garment that seems likely to bleed, you can reduce the bleeding by using Retayne or another brand of cationic dye fixative, such as Dharma Dye Fixative. Do not attempt to use vinegar or salt, as neither will help.

If the amount of dye bleeding is not too bad, you may want to try a product that attracts the negative ions of commercial dye in the laundry, such as the Shout Color Catcher.

(Please help support this web site. Thank you.)