Bleach is a powerful cleaning product that helps keep your home disinfected and removes tough stains from your white clothes. But, every time you use it, you run the risk of staining any fabric it comes in contact with, like clothes, towels, and carpeting. Accidents happen! The question is, can you get bleach out of clothes? Unfortunately, there is no way to completely remove a bleach stain from black or dark clothes or clothing of any color. That said, there are steps you can take to minimize the effects. Time is of the essence: You need to take immediate action to help prevent major damage.
How to Remove Bleach Stains From Clothes
Getting a bleach stain on a piece of clothing you really like is frustrating. However, there are steps you can take to mitigate the impact. But these tips will only work if you use them immediately after your clothing comes into contact with the bleach. Here’s how to get bleach out of clothes as best as possible.
Step 1. Grab some paper towels and try to absorb as much bleach as you can from your clothing. It’s important not to rub the bleach or make any circles or any kind of other motion that could end up spreading the bleach to other parts of the fabric. Just press down on the paper towels, blotting the point of impact.
Step 2. Rinse the piece of clothing with cold water, directly on the bleach-stained area only. Be targeted and make sure not to get other parts of the item wet. Note: Using warm or hot water could make the stain worse.
Step 3. Apply some baking soda directly to the stain, forming a dense paste that will help absorb any remaining bleach from the fabric. Let this paste sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 4. Rinse the baking soda with cold water and scrub it gently as necessary.
Step 5. If you’re satisfied, let the piece of clothing air dry.
Step 6. Alternatively, if you’d like to keep trying, you can give vinegar a shot. Mix vinegar and water in equal parts to create a solution. Apply this directly to the stain and let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, rinse the area using cold water.
Although you may not be able to completely remove the bleach stain, these steps should work to neutralize the bleach and reduce the damage. Once your clothing is completely dry, you can try to restore the color using our tips below.
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How to Remove Bleach From Colored Clothes
The steps for removing bleach from colored clothes are the same as the ones listed above, where we walked you through how to remove bleach stains from clothes. As we mentioned earlier, there’s no way to fully remove the bleach stain, but you can reduce the effects.
How to Remove Bleach Stains From Black and Dark Clothes
If you’re wondering how to remove bleach stains from black clothes, the tips you can try are the same as the steps we shared earlier for removing bleach from clothes and colored clothes. As we mentioned above, you won’t be able to fully remove the bleach stain, but you can minimize the impact.
How to Restore the Color in Your Bleach-Stained Clothes
Black clothes, dark clothes, and colored clothing can be brought to life if the stains are small and the colors are not uncommon. Here are a few different tips you can try.
Rubbing Alcohol: After you’ve followed the steps above and the piece of clothing is completely dry, you can use rubbing alcohol to transfer the color from a part of the fabric that hasn’t been damaged to the bleach-stained area. All you need to do is soak a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol, place the cotton ball on an undamaged, colored area of the fabric, rubbing it in to absorb the color, then tap the now colored cotton ball on the bleach-stained part of the clothing to transfer the color.
Fabric Dye: Another option is to use a fabric dye that’s the same color as the garment. For best results, it’s recommended to dye the entire piece of clothing.
Dye Pens: If the bleach stains are minimal, you can use a dye pen that matches the color of your clothing to fill in and hide the bleached spot.
How to Remove Bleach Stains From Carpets and Upholstery
Bleach acts fast. The moment bleach comes into contact with your carpet or upholstery, bleach stains are inevitable, but you can hide some of the damage if you take immediate action.
Here’s what to do:
Step 1. Soak the bleach with paper towels.
Step 2. Apply a mix of dish soap and water to the stained area. Allow this solution to sit for about five minutes.
Step 3. Wipe the dish soap solution with a damp paper towel.
Step 4. Remove any excess liquid with paper towels until the area is dry.
Once the carpet or upholstery is dry, you can use a dye marker that matches the color of your carpet or furniture.
How to Prevent Bleach Stains in the Future
Bleach should be handled carefully to avoid accidentally damaging your favorite items. Here are some ways you can prevent future bleach stains.
- Use natural bleach alternatives like lemon juice, white vinegar, and even baking soda as natural cleaners. (Note: Vinegar should not be used in your laundry as the acidity can damage the inside of your washing machine.)
- Wear older clothes that no longer hold any sentimental or monetary value that you don’t mind getting stained when you are cleaning with bleach.
- Separate your colored clothes from your whites when running a load of white clothes with bleach to avoid any damage.
- Follow your bleach manufacturer’s instructions on how to handle bleach.
