Originally Posted by
Geri B
So, actually, there is no permanent fix for bleeders.....that's a dirty shame....the cost of these fabrics......and some are not practical for use...something very wrong with that picture.....
There are two types of bleeders. The one in the original post sounds like the type in which the dye was not permanently set by the manufacturer. That is the kind that will bleed forever. Retayne will set the dye, but only as long as the fabric is not washed in hot water.
The other type of bleeder is one in which the manufacturer has not adequately rinsed out excess dye. Fibers can absorb only so much dye. Typically fabric is dyed with much more dye than the fabric can aborb; rinsing removes the excess dye particles. When the manufacturer doesn't do this adequately, a lot of loose dye comes out in the first wash. This is the type that sheds less and less dye with each washing.
It's good to remember also that not all fabrics *pick up* loose dye particles easily. It's possible to have a bleeder fabric in a quilt and still not get dye stains in the other fabrics.
Vinegar and salt work to set many types of organic dye, but generally have no effect on the newer chemical dyes used by modern manufacturers. They don't do any harm, but they don't necessarily do any good. If I were more of a scientist, I would probably take samples from all my stash fabrics and wash one set with vinegar/salt and the other with regular detergent to prove this.