Removing Dye Bleeds Without Using Washing Machine

Lisa Myers
by Lisa Myers
It is so maddening when dye from one article of clothing bleeds onto something else in the laundry load.
This is my second time of using this method, and it has worked great both times. The first time was when we bought an Amish-made throw-pillow case that was very cheap because of some pink dye that had bled onto the white of the case.
The obvious blue dye.
Place an old rag-towel on the counter. Make sure it's one that it doesn't matter if dye gets on it.


Wet the stained item by hand then gently wring it partially out.


Place it flat on the towel.
I love these things!!! A 24-count box runs in the ballpark of $4.
Take one of the color catcher sheets and wet it, also wringing it out only slightly.
Place the color catcher on the stained area of the item.
Place a heavy item on top. I'm using a stone crock here, but you could also use an unplugged iron, but the heavier the weight, the better the stain will come out. Check it in about an hour. You will more than likely need to wet the color catcher again.
Completely gone in under just under 2 hours for this particular item.
Frequently asked questions
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  • Shelli Shelli on Jul 13, 2019

    Will the color catcher remove an old mold strain? I found a bag of my grandma's doilies in my mom's basement and a few of them have mold in them. I wanted them, but not all of the stains came out.

  • Sheila Cowgar Sheila Cowgar on Jun 03, 2020

    Will color catcher work on a old coffee stain in carpet? Thanks

  • Kathleen Oakley Kathleen Oakley on Aug 22, 2023

    How about ink from a pen ?

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