Bleeding Rick Rack - HELP!
 

I was soaking some finished pieces in luke warm water to remove the blue Mark B Gone and EEEEK! I saw that the red rick rack bled onto the white cotton. Questions:

1. One went through the dryer and I wonder if it's lost.

2. The rest are still soaking in a bucket - what to do with them?

Arghhhhh. I am sick.:(

Synthrapol in hot water should take the bleeds out. Was this old rick rack? Because I think most of the new stuff is polyester and dye-stable. Going through the dryer does not typically permanently set dye bleeds, as most dyes require some chemical component in addition to heat in order to become permanent. Going through the dryer can set stains, though!

Edit: For what is soaking in the bucket, the best thing you can do immediately is to let them soak in a ***lot*** of water in order to dilute any dye bleeds. If you have a top-loading washing machine, that would probably hold a lot more water than a bucket. Fill the tub with water, then turn the machine off while the stuff is soaking. You can also drain off the water and refill the tub to keep the dye very diluted. Once you get some Synthrapol, drain off the existing water, refill with very hot water and add the Synthrapol. Stop the machine and hand agitate with a wooden pole or something similar; keep draining off water and adding more hot water and Synthrapol until the water is clear. Advance the machine to rinse. Spinning is no problem; you just want to avoid machine agitation with most top-loading machines (unless you have a top-loader with no central agitator).

What type did you use?? I have used a lot of rick rack in my quilts and never had a bleeder. Maybe I need to start testing that too. I always have a color catchers even when just soaking.

Update: there is no synthrapol available locally but I picked up some Carbona color catchers. The bucket of water was RED so I dumped it, squeezed out what water I could and just put it in the washer on delicate cycle - warm wash, cold rinse with two Carbona sheets.

Unfortunately, I do not have a top loader. I am ashamed to say this (keeping in mind others who have no washer at all and the 18 months I spent doing laundry in public laundries), but it is an older washer that came with the house and I am looking forward to the day it falls apart so I can get a top loader. But I suspect I will probably give up the ghost before it does.

The rick rack was purchased from a wholesaler so I have no idea what the brand is. It could be old as dirt for all I know.

I found a product called ZOUT (not Shout). I had a terry cloth like one piece outfit. It had red on the toes which had bled on the ankles (the person purchased it this way-no duplicate so we didn't return). We found ZOUT (in laundry section), sprayed it on the red bleed. Then washed it and all the red came out. Try this to get the red out, try vinegar or salt water to set the dye.

JoAnn's has color catchers...just bought a couple last week. I have had luck with them in the past...hope they work for you.

I use a lot of ric rac on the spool of 25 yards or more....I sure hope that this isn't an issue for me, too.

Susie, if I were you, I'd do a test soak to see. I also have some really lovely rick rack that is red with little blue, green and yellow bits woven in. Guess what? That bleeds too. *sigh* Off to see if I can order some synthrapol online.

I started soaking trims to shrink them, too.

Even the ones that are not 100% cptton.