Laundry is definitely part of busy family life, no matter what time of year it is. We’ve partnered with Tide to share tips on how to wash dark clothes so you can make sure your family is always looking their best!
If your family has a lot of clothing that is black or other dark colors, you probably want them to keep those colors! The last thing you want is a favorite black shirt to suddenly have that dingy gray look! We’ve got a few easy things to do that will help you protect your darks!
HOW TO WASH DARK CLOTHES
HOW TO WASH DARK CLOTHES
There are a few things to know about how to wash colored clothes to keep them looking their best. From the best temperature to wash dark clothes to the best detergent for dark clothes, once you’ve got these simple tricks in your back pocket, you’ll have the best color for as long as possible!
SORTING BEFORE WASHING DARK CLOTHES
Before you get started on a load of darks, you will want to sort them out from all of the other laundry. If you’re like me, you’ve had a pair of dark jeans end up in the wash with some of your favorite lighter colored t-shirts. Those dyes can easily bleed on the lighter colors!
So read all of the labels on the laundry and then sort them. I usually keep all of the dark colors and blacks together, but I do wash the jeans separately because denim is a less delicate fabric. Plus, if you have delicates, you’re probably going to want to wash them on a different cycle from your jeans!
WASHING DARK & BLACK CLOTHES INSIDE OUT
If your kids are like my kids, most of their laundry ends up turned inside out in the dirty clothes basket! Well, this is actually one of the best ways to keep your darks from fading!
When you turn your darks inside out, it keeps the outside less exposed to the water, agitation of the machine, and the detergent. Don’t worry! They still get completely clean!
BEST TEMPERATURE TO WASH DARK CLOTHES
When washing black clothes and dark colored clothes, I always use the cold water setting on my washing machine. Using hot water can help the dyes in the dark fabrics run. I’ve also shrunk some clothes in the past so I generally avoid hot water anyway.
Using cold water uses less energy too, so it’s a win in many ways!
BEST DETERGENT FOR DARK CLOTHES
One of the easiest ways to protect your dark clothes and your favorite black clothes is to find a detergent that is made for them!
My current favorite is the new Studio by Tide Darks & Colors. It packs my favorite cleaning power of Tide into a formula that helps fight fading, stretching, and discoloration! There’s also Studio by Tide Delicates that helps protects delicate fabrics from damage that causes piling!
I love that it’s designed to offer a gentle clean for denim, cotton, and fleece fabrics. It’s a simple way to keep our favorite clothes looking newer, longer! It also works with both HE and standard machines so we can all use it to keep our laundry looking great!
All you have to do is put your load of darks in the machine, measure out the Tide detergent, and start the load! It’s that easy to protect your dark clothing while getting the clean you want for you and your family!
From now through 6/29, you can get a $2 off print-at-home coupon from brandSAVER! If the laundry has to be done, I love saving money on the laundry detergent! I usually pick up ours when I’m at Target, but sometimes I snag it on m weekly grocery shopping trips too!
DRYING DARK CLOTHES
Heat can cause dark clothes and black clothes to fade faster so skip it if you can! Also, if you missed any stains, the heat can set them in! If you’re going to dry your darks in the dryer, use a low heat setting and only dry them for as long as absolutely necessary.
If you can hang them to dry, that works well. Just keep them out of direct sunlight. If you’ve ever left something dark in the sun for too long, you know what happens! While that’s a fun science experiment to do with the kids, it’s not one I want to do with our laundry!
It’s easy to lengthen the life of your dark clothes with this simple laundry routine. I know that some of my favorite shirts are black so knowing how to keep them looking great is important to me!
If you haven’t tried Studio by Tide Darks & Colors, be sure to get your print-at-home coupon and save $2!
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