Q. I have used Rit color remover to lighten the rose color in my cotton
blend valances. It did lighten the color, but I would like to remove more color in order to turn them off-white or cream-colored. Do you have a bleach solution you would recommend for a washer, and could you tell me how long to keep the valances in the solution? Would you use regular bleach or perhaps Oxymagic multi-purpose stain remover powder?

A. Based on your description of the results after the Rit treatment, I would probably recommend another Rit treatment over the use of a bleach solution. If the curtains are a cotton blend, the dyes are definitely more stable/harder to remove than if they were all cotton. If you try the Oxymagic, it isn't strong enough to "bleach" out any more color. If you try a bleach solution, it is difficult to predict the final outcome as the remaining dye(s) may not come out uniformly and/or you could get a blotchy appearance if the curtains get tangled.

If I were to try a bleach solution, it probably would be like our recommended presoak procedure:
• Create a solution of ¼ cup of Clorox® Regular-Bleach per gallon of cool water, and soak the item for 5-10 minutes.
• Follow up with a regular wash of detergent and 3/4 cup Clorox® Regular-Bleach.

You could also estimate the bleaching effect by doing our Bleachability Test: Add 2 tspn Clorox® Regular-Bleach to 1/4 cup water; apply a drop on a hidden area like inside seam or hemline; wait 1 minute, and then blot with towel. Any color change will show you the amount of change you should expect if you proceed with the bleach usage.

Q. Last winter we had a leak in our ceiling and the water damaged a needle point I had hanging on the wall. The water left a stain, and I was wondering how I might remove it without damaging the needlepoint further?

A. It's a little difficult to recommend a path forward without some more detailed information like the background fiber/color as well as the needlepoint fiber/color. In addition, what is the water stain covering?

Some yarns/colors are very sensitive to any cleaning product so recommending any bleach, which probably would lighten the water stain, may also lighten/destroy the needlepoint color. You could try doing the quick Bleachability Test:

• Add 2 tspn Clorox® Regular-Bleach to 1/4 cup water
• Apply a drop on a hidden area like an inside seam or hemline for each color/area
• Wait 1 minute, then blot with towel

No color change will mean that it’s probably safe to use bleach on the item.

Any color change could also show you the amount of change in color that will occur if you proceed with the bleach usage. A similar approach could be used to evaluate any other product you might consider using, like laundry or dishwasher detergent (make sure they are colorless to avoid leaving any color behind) or a color safe, oxygen bleach (like our Clorox2® Stain Fighter and Color Booster – use the Free and Clear version). You probably will want to use a Q-tip to dab a diluted solution on the problem area. This should be followed by several clear water rinses, using the Q-Tips.

Q. About 2 months ago, I bought some black bedding and some black jeans. I always make sure I wash the black items together. However, I suspect that recently these items have bled in the wash and some of the dye is still in my machine’s drum. Since I bought the black items, ALL my clothes have changed color: some have gone a bit dull, all grey items and denim have got a really murky green color to them and all the whites look a bit grey. Do you know what I can do to return my clothes to their former glory?

A. It's great that you recognize the need to wash those black items separately to keep the dye transfer under control.

I think I have some good news and some not so good news for you. After a couple of months, the large dye transfer occasions should be behind you, but dealing with the described fall-out is going to be more difficult.
Question: do you use Clorox® Regular-Bleach on your whites? This could serve two purposes for you. First, if you’re experiencing some "carryover" or residual water in your washer (which passes black dye onto the next load), then doing a white load with Clorox® Regular-Bleach after the black clothes should destroy any leftover black dye and start removing the dullness from your whites.

The other colored clothes are much more difficult. If this was the first time they had been "contaminated," then I would have suggested just rewashing in the hottest water recommended on the care label with detergent and an oxygen bleach like our Clorox2® Stain Fighter and Color Booster. Unfortunately, after drying, any discoloration is usually set and the new color is pretty permanent. You can try rewashing as I’ve described, or even a short presoak in the oxygen bleach before the wash. Check the garments/colors for bleachability before starting, though: apply a drop of Clorox2® Stain Fighter and Color Booster to each color on a hidden area; wait a couple of minutes; then rinse and air dry. No color change means it should be OK to use the product on those colors.

Q. I have some bubble gum stuck on wool gabardine pants! Can you please tell me the best way to get it out?

A. Given that the pants are a wool blend, your best bet probably is to take them to a dry cleaners. They have the solvents you would need to deal with the problem and should have the experience to successfully remove the gum.

However, you can try to remove it by:
1. Carefully scraping away the excess
2. Freezing the remaining gum with an ice cube
3. Scraping away any residual material
4. Applying a dry cleaning solvent to entice the gum to release the fibers
5. Applying either liquid laundry or dishwasher detergent, then rubbing it into remaining gum
6. Washing as usual. Be careful, as any gum removed may redeposit onto other clothes.

Hello everyone,

Wanted to direct your attention momentarily to the toolbar on left of the blog – I’ve added a new video to my “Live from the Laundry Room” series! The new video is titled “Debunking Bleach Myths.”

As a scientist who has worked for 30 years with Clorox, I’ve encountered more questions than I can count about bleach and how it works. The video highlights some of the most common misconceptions people have about bleach. Did you know bleach actually breaks down to just salt and water? For information about this and other myths, be sure take a look at the new video! I think you’ll be surprised by some of the facts.

And don’t forget to check out the other videos to brush up on laundry basics like bleach usage and stain removal!

Q. I saw a show on HGTV where they used bleach to make a design on denim. On the show, they used a solution of equal parts water and bleach, sprayed it over a metal trivet, removed the trivet and then stopped the bleaching action. However, they didn't say how to stop the bleaching action. How can I use this method without ruining or weakening the material?

A. I haven't seen the HGTV show that you mentioned, so I am not familiar with the process they used/recommended.

Here's part of a response that I wrote for using liquid bleach to make "designer jeans," which should be similar to the process you are attempting:

If you want to lighten certain areas only, then use Clorox® Bleach Pen Gel. The fine-point tip and scrubber tip offer two different applicators for designs and coverage.
• Put some newspapers on the floor and start drawing your favorite designs.
• Let them dry 20-30 minutes, then use a wet paper towel to remove any excess bleach gel.
• Rinse the bleached areas well in the sink to remove any excess bleach. (If you want to stop the reaction, you could add a diluted hydrogen peroxide solution to the area before rinsing. The reaction forms oxygen and should negate both products. Do a couple of rinses to be sure it's stopped.)
• Dry and repeat on the backside of the jeans.

I would be also be careful using a metal trivet, as these can react with the bleach and deposit some unwanted colors.

Q. How can I remove ink from a ball point pen from my worsted wool garment?

A. For ink stains, I prefer using solvent(s) and applying from the back of the stain to keep from forcing the ink further into the fibers as it dissolves. Here are some step-by-step instructions:
• If the stain is small, try use a Q-Tip and something like Goo Gone or a tar remover for automobiles. Dab gently with the tip, then use a clean one to try and transfer the dissolved ink so it doesn’t spread.
• If the stain is large, try the same approach using a couple of old towels. One is used for applying and one is used for transferring. Keep changing the transfer towel surface so you don’t end up reapplying the removed ink to another part of the garment.
If all else fails, take it to a dry cleaner and see what they can do for you. Wool tends to be tricky sometimes.

Q. My dog jumped on the bed leaving a large spot with red clay dirt stains on the sheets. Help!

A. Red clay is a nasty stain to remove. I assume it is dried out by now, so here’s your best shot:

Your best bet would be an extended presoak (1 hour to overnight) in a good powder detergent followed by a hot water wash with detergent and 3/4 cup Clorox® Regular-Bleach. The powder detergent has ingredients called builders, which help extract fine particulate materials like clay. The red clay may not be totally removed with this or any approach. I know this since they use red clay to dye tourist t-shirts in Hawaii, which with repeated washing still have the red/rust color.

Q. Could you tell me if the Clorox2® Stain Fighter and Color Booster disinfects as well as regular Clorox?

A. Great question and one I hear a lot. For your white and bleachable light colors, it's pretty straight-forward. To best disinfect clothes, simply wash in hot water using detergent and ¾ of a cup of Clorox® Regular-Bleach.

Unfortunately, there currently is NOT a product for disinfecting colored clothes. Our Clorox2® Stain Fighter and Color Booster, which is safe to use with colored items, contains hydrogen peroxide as its active ingredient. It is a much weaker bleach than the sodium hypochlorite found in Clorox® Regular-Bleach and is not capable of meeting EPA disinfecting requirements.
As I have written previously, the best way to reduce germ counts in (colored) laundry are:

• Use the hottest wash water recommended on the care label; Consider doing more than one wash on these items to further reduce the bacteria count.
• Consider washing the items of concern separately so that the germs are NOT spread to more items; transfer can occur in the washer and when transferring/handling from the washer to dryer.
• Use the hottest dryer setting recommended on the care label and dry the items separately to maximize germ reduction. While the dryer isn't capable of completely killing, it will help lower the germ count.
• Also, check the items for Bleachability. It's surprising how many things labeled as Do Not Bleach are actually OK to use liquid bleach. Do the quick Bleachability/colorfast test on a hidden part of the colored item (2 tspn. liquid Clorox® Regular-Bleach in 1/4 cup water; apply a drop on a hidden color section area like inside seam, hemline or cuff; wait 1 minute and then blot with towel); no color change means it is safe to use liquid bleach on the item. If bleachfast, consider a quick bleach soak (1/4 cup Clorox® Regular-Bleach in gallon of warm water for 5-10 minutes) before washing in the hottest water recommended on the care label.
• Finally, to prevent further germ spread, I would do a white load using detergent and 3/4 cup Clorox® Regular-Bleach after these items had been washed. Kind of like a mouthwash for your washer.

Q. How can I remove dark red nail polish color from my jeans and pink shirt?

A. Nail polish is tricky to remove once it has dried on clothes. If it is dry, you will need to try the same thing you use to remove it from your nails – nail polish remover. This is what I would try:
• We want to re-dissolve the nail polish, but first test any nail polish remover on the item to be sure it won't remove color. Place a drop on a hidden area like inside seam, then wait 1 minute, and blot with a towel. If after drying there is no color change, etc., this means it should be safe to use the product on the item.
• Use an absorbent pad with either nail polish remover or acetone (except on acetate fabrics) and dab onto the nail polish. I like to do this from the backside of the stain to encourage it to release from the fabric. You will need to place another dry pad on the opposite side, under the stain. As the polish slowly dissolves into the dry pad, you will need to replace it with a fresh pad to prevent the polish from re-depositing back onto the original fabric.
• Keep changing the saturated original and dry pads until no more colored polish is seen.
• Now apply liquid detergent, rub into the original spot, wait 3-5 minutes and then wash in the hottest water recommended on the care label.
• Don't forget to thoroughly wash your hands after using the nail polish remover/acetone to remove the chemicals from your skin.
• Check for success after washing as you may need more than one application of this approach.
• Do NOT dry the item in your dryer as this will set the stain further making any removal much more difficult/impossible.