I just wrote about this the other day under the "Worst Advice You Ever Got" heading. It's been my experience that if it bleeds now, it will always bleed. The red fabric I wrote about was washed so many times, I lost count and, no matter what I did, or used it bled every time I washed it. The worst part was that it was quilt shop fabric..... not cheap by any stretch of the imagination. Thankfully, I didn't listen to the woman at the LQS who told me all I had to do was use a Color Catcher. I finally threw it out. So my advice is that if the water isn't clear after the fabric has been washed a time or two... don't use it, it's just not worth the risk.