How can I get the color back in a pair of pants?
by
Fran Barrett
+7
My pants were in a load of laundry that had red (ie :iron) mud on them I treated the whole load with iron remover, which worked great on the white socks, but took the color out of a pair of tan pants, leaving them a horrible yellow-orange. What can i do to get the color back? Replace the iron with red GA clay mud?
Old color
New and undesirable color
9 answers
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You sound like you are having my luck lately. I say wear them to work in the yard and hope your neighbors don't see you! HA!
Jeanette S
on Jun 27, 2014
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RIT dye always works....but you'd need to go darker then the original color. RIT dye is at every grocery store, usually in the cleaning supplies aisles
Rustic & Refined
on Jun 27, 2014
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Rit dye is the way to go
LaJean Dowty
on Jun 27, 2014
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Rit dye, tried and true. A word of warning, stay within the same color family or know what is in your fabric, elastics, thread, and top stitching. Polyester/synthetic does not take dye the same as natural fibers. Most ready to wear is sewn with poly covered cotton and the numbers (1892) are also likely to be a blend and will not take color well if at all. If you were to dye them black or navy for example the stitching will likely be lighter to match the original color of the pants.
Opal
on Jun 27, 2014
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Thank you all! I guess I'll go with the Rit, or just relegate them to yard work. Thanks @Opal for the extra info about polyester!
Fran Barrett
on Jun 28, 2014
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Did you consider bleaching them? Use a large bucket, like a 5 gallon one and keep stirring. Try diluting the bleach with water, say 1 cup of bleach per 5 gallon bucket. Good luck. But as Opal says about polyester or non-natural fabrics, this too may not work.
Marge
on Jun 28, 2014
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Helpful hint when using RIT dye. Use the hottest water possible, then rinse in cold salt water. Let them drip dry, and them iron them with plenty of steam. The salt water rinse and the steam from the iron will help set the dye. After that, wash them only in cold water if possible.
PAULA LOVELL
on Jun 28, 2014
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I know this is a moot point but I swear by using these little sheets called "color catchers" Clorox makes them and I've seen other brands. I use them in every load of laundry I do because they also "catch" dirt. It's actually amazing to see what they look like when the laundry is done. They've saved me so many times. So when I " accidentally" throw my husband's white undershirt in with the dark color load it actually comes out white lol. They are well worth the 4.00 a box. I cut them in half and just throw them in the laundry. But I leaned the hard way as well! Basically these little sheets just absorb all the dirt, clothing dyes, and even lint when I use them in the towel loads. They are amazing and I don't do laundry without them anymore. Like I said, I know it's after the fact but it's something to try for the future?
Jessica Serrano-Gregg
on Sep 03, 2016
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Good point Jess. Fran use this next time you wash this pair to collect any dye that has not set and wash separately to be safe. Excess dye should attach to this sheet. Safe bet for laundry or anytime you dye something.
Opal
on Sep 04, 2016
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