Color Catcher Warning..when washing fabrics
 

Please be careful with the Color Catchers. I agree they do an amazing job but can cost you alot of money. There was a thread on here a few months ago about them getting into the pump of the front loading washers. I know that even with regular washers little kids socks can do that so on the rare occasion that I used one after that I'd pin it to a piece of fabric and it still did the job. Well, it was too late.

Not too long after that I started having problems with my washer and after tons of trouble shooting I had to call the repair man (thank goodness I had the warranty). He fixed it, it was clogged and showed me what was in it and told me I might want to go thru it because there were a few coins in it. I asked him about the color catchers and he agreed about them being a problem. After he left I went thru the fuzz as he called it, in the middle was 2 Color Catchers, there really wasn't too much "fuzz". Now I don't use them too often, as a matter of fact, I've only used a partial box but from now on I'll pin it to a piece of fabric and make sure I remove it when I'm done. This would have cost me plenty if it hadn't been for my warranty.

Thanks for the heads up. I have a front loader and I use a color catcher with every finished quilt I wash. I always made sure I find the used sheet after the cycle is done. I think they are less expensive than the fabric I would ruin with dye running.

Thanks for the information. I have used them for some time and never thought of the problem, like you I will pin mine on something from now on.

Thank you for the heads up. I have been using these for years now with no trouble but have only one year on washer warranty left. On my blog, I have written about why I take my quilts to the laundry mat to wash in the jumbo washers - and your post is another good reason to take my quilts to the laundry mat.

I have always put mine in a mesh laundry bag before tossing in the washer. Thanks for posting this.

Thanks for taking the time to post this! Very good to know.

oh, that's good idea

Put them in a nylon bag for intimate underwear.

another reason to NOT buy a front loader! BUT if you have one, then by all means pin or baste the color catchers onto the fabric....and remember, you can tear the CC's into 1/4's and pin to several pieces

oohhh...another good idea...I did that when I washed several FQ's in the lingerie bag!

I love my front loader and there are so many reasons to buy them instead of the top loading ones. I'm surprised though because my daughter does the kids laundry at my house and with those little socks, I would have figured one of those would have been in there. I've had the washer since 12/09 and I could tell right away the water/electric bill went down. It's a great machine and I think Color Catchers do save us a lot of money but now I know I have to be smarter when I use them. I'm glad that you all appreciated my post; I couldn't NOT tell you. That would have been wrong of me to keep it to myself if I can save even one person money and the headaches of a broken washer then I'm happy.

I have been told that a white washcloth will do the same thing a color catcher does. I have not tried it yet so can not say it works....

I trust all of you that are using Color Catchers so devotedly with every wash are finding that they DO come out colored with loose dyes. Because if they don't, if they remain white, there was no need to use them in the first place. Fabric does not mysteriously regain the ability to run once it stops.

By the time my fabrics go into a quilt, they have stopped running...otherwise they don't go into the quilt. It's that simple. http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/s...basic/wink.gif

I love my front loader and will never go back to a top loader. The front loader uses a lot less water, rinses clothes cleaner, and uses less electricity. I have had my machine for 6 years and have used color catchers for about 3 years with no trouble. I usually only use them when I wash fabric before making the quilt not after the quilt is made.

mesh bag is a great idea!

Thanks for the post and the suggestions from other members on alternatives to pinning.

Another front loader devotee here. We bought our first one in 1998 and would probably still have it had it not been for our March floods in 2010. Of course, we bought another front loader.

Good thinking! I will take your advice on that!! Thanks.

Thanks for the advice I use them often

Front loaders also beat clothes with their action and wear them out faster. Would not have one if you gave it to me!

Thanks. My brother has a front loader and since its brand new I sure don't want to mess it up. So pin it to something from now on.. Although I don't think I will pin it to my quilt or clothes. I will keep a wash cloth .. I can just see the pin catching on something else and tearing my quilt.

top loaders also have the problem of a sock or small items getting caught in the pump. Ask me how I know!!!

thanks for telling me I have a front load washer and I love it, I will pin the catchers to the fabric....

Thanks for sharing!

i don't know if this was mentioned or not but you can buy, from the dollar store, those mesh laundry/lingerie bags and put your color catchers in them so they do not get caught in your washer. i use these mesh bags to put in small items that i wash and do not want to lose. you can also make them as they are very simple to create.

i wonder if pinning something that is not flat to the fabric would pull a small hole in the fabric during the agitation and spin cycles.

https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/im...Rjwwcptjsg6OnM

p.s. ooh i see it has been mentioned. these little mesh bags work wonders for not losing things.:thumbup:

This was one of my first thoughts --- to use a mesh bag. Thanks to you both.

I LOVE MY FRONT LOADERS! They do not beat your clothes to death and I have not had to replace any clothing related to that and/or those annoying fuzzy balls you get on your clothes due to the beating of a regular washing machine. Tks. G

NEGATIVE! They do not beat; they rotate the clothes back and forth. Please see any manufacturers instruction sheet and read their action base. Tks. G

This is a good idea as I always have a mesh bag for my "delicates". I just bought some color catchers when I was in Phoenix but I have never used them before. This board is a wealth of knowledge.

I agree. With just coming out of winter months and I use a lot of sweaters I didn't think about it until now but my sweaters look alot better than normal; no pills or anything. Even the baby clothes have held up very well. I will never go back to a top loading/agitator washing maching again

I hate front loading washers. i have no idea why they keep selling like hot cakes. i hear nothing but problems.
so far my old top loading washer hasn't eaten socks or color catchers. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Tks for the info. I have actually used Color Catchers in a quilt so I always look for them after I wash a load of fabrics. Depending on the colors I am washing, the catchers come out so pretty. The pin idea is a great one & I'll do that from now on. My washer is not a front load but why take a chance on a high repair bill.

I have never used this type of color catcher. I use the dye grabber that you get at Joann's, it is fabric and you can use it up to 30 times. It looks like a wash cloth and is about the same size.

I put these into a lingerie bag. This keeps it from going anywhere and I don't care if this bag gets nasty with color.

Also make sure that your dryer vents are cleaned regularly. I had to have mine cleaned and it was a big ball of threads/strings. Cleaner said that I was very lucky I did not have a fire. Now I plan on cleaning every Mother's Day. That way I can always know when needs cleaned.

Thanks for the warning. I never thought of pinning it to a piece of cloth but will now....

thank you for all the info, i was going to try these, now i will put in the lingerie bag, i have several of those

Thanks for the good information. I was wondering that after we use them the first time on a piece of material, do we need to keep on using them on the same material ever time it's washed? Or does one time do the trick?

Interesting thread... Good idea to put small items in a mesh bag. DD complains that she's lost a sock or two; I wonder if they've been eaten by the washer? (she wears the ones that don't show in sneakers)

Earlier today I was trying to figure out how long I've had my front loader (Whirlpool Duet). Older DD was in high school when we bought it; she's been out of college for 5 years - so it's at least 10 years old. Never had a problem! Love it - can do larger loads, uses less water and is gentle on clothes. When I do prewash fabrics - which is rare - I don't end up with a ball of strings and tangles.

I, also, love my front loader. I had top loaders for years and went to a front loader, and you couldn't pay me to go back to a top loader. I've never had a problem with my front loader!!! It saves me quite a bit of money on my water and electric bill!

My husband is a Sear's appliance repairman and he works on all types of washers. I asked him his preference. He said the front loaders pumps DO get clogged more often and a lot easier than the top loaders. He prefers the top loading machines. However, he said that clothes come out clean no matter which type you use, but the front loaders do tend to have that awful smell after a while. He said its really six of one, half a dozen of the other! Lol He doesn't get more calls from one vs. the other. Just thought I'd pass along a professional's opinion! : )

I guess I am a lucky person. I have used color catchers since they've been on and market (at least 10 yrs.) and have never had a problem. I'm knocking on wood. As to the cost, I find that I can use them 3-4 times before disposing of them, unless they get really bad before that.