Color Catchers
 

I made a crib quilt I made for DGD and there's quite a bit of red in it. I asked my DD to give it to me when it was time to be washed so that I could try to use a product that would prevent the red from running. Well, I washed it yesterday with normal laundry detergent and OXYPRO and some of the red did bleed into other areas - not a huge amount but nevertheless ...

I live in southwestern Ontario and I haven't been able to find Color Catchers in the laundry section of my grocery store (Zehrs). Can anyone tell me the name of a grocery chain that does carry it? Thanks!!

I usually buy them at my local Walmart. Here's a link where you can order them online.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Shout-Colo...24-ct/11046026

I have washed all sorts of colors together and I usually toss in two or three if they is great contrast in the colors I am washing. I am always amazed as to how they do not run. The color catcher pieces are always full of dye. Hope it works for you.

In England they sell in almost every shop only they do have a mixture of names so look for anything that says it catches colour prevents bleeds etc if it is not a colour catcher I always use more than 1 as I feel they are not as strong.

Michelle, I was buying from Amazon or having my sister send them.

I got mine at wal mart but there was a post on how you could make your own.
I have never done that - I wonder how well they work.

Color Catchers work great but beware. There was a post on here about someone spending a fortune on repair bills because they got hung up on the washers drain. I started pinning them to a washcloth but it was already too late. My washer quit draining and I had to call the repair man. When he got there; sure enough, there were 2 of them clogging it up. I was lucky because I had a warranty so it didn't cost me anything. Either pin them to a washcloth or put them in a mesh laundry bag so that you know they aren't getting stuck somewhere they shouldn't. Its funny I have little tiny socks from my granddaughter and they never get stuck. I guess it's because the CC are so thin and small. Keep on using them but just becareful. I know Walmarts has them plus in the part that has bathroom/laundry things (not the detergent isle) they have a different product that is supposed to do the same thing. You could probably order them on line as well. All the chains here carry them.

I live in SW ontario as well and I've only found them across the river. I have to go to walmart or Meijer in Michigan to get them. Good luck finding these

If you can't get color catchers, can you get Synthropol? Its actually better than color catchers. You add the liquid to the wash and it suspends any unset dye so it won't set on the other fabrics. Personally, I trust Sythropol more than color catchers.

:D Another SW Ontarian reporting here! :D

Look for Dr. Beckmann Colour & Dirt Collectors .... virtually the same as the Shout Color Catchers that our USA neighbours have. They work and I was surprised at fabrics that bled ... and after more than one washing! Now, I use them in ALL pre-wash of fabrics to know how stable the colours are and as a quality control check for me.

They also have a line of products for other washing needs ... including to deal with Colour Bleeds. Here's an earlier thread .............

http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...s-t185615.html

IF I notice the sheet change colours ... then I will re-wash the fabric, til another sheet comes out clear. And/Or treat with Retayne.

Synthropol does the same job as the Colour Collectors/Catchers ... only that you have no visible proof to "know" what really happened. That's why I prefer the CCs, so I can see and have confirmation, that all is good.

As to where to buy, I get them at Metro. And if by chance you are near a Longos, they have them too. I seldom shop at Zehrs or the Loblaws group of stores, so don't know what your chances are there.

Yes! I am SOLD on their value during the pre-wash process ... so I don't have to fret later!

Good Luck!

Just want to say "Me too". Metro in Eastern Ontario carries Dr Beckmann's colour catchers. Seems the original can't be imported into Canada due to the chemicals used, so you are unlikely to find them anywhere.

I also agree with the poster who said be careful - my first colour catcher disappeared completely - I assume down the drain. Now I always pin them to the fabric that is likely to bleed. Haven't lost one since :)

:D Me three!! :D

... After thinking I was developing alzheimers a few times, and thanks to KristaKz sharing she thought she was going bonkers wiht me ... I started pinning them to an old washcloth!

Easy to find when I open the washing machine ... and know the results! :)

BTW ...... if your Metro does not have them, be sure to ASK!! Sometimes it's a matter that they have not stocked them, and just need to know customers want them. If not in the store, they can get them for you ...

Thanks for the hint. I will remember this when I use them.

Thank you everyone! Now I know that there's an alternative product and that if I do find Color Catchers, I need to pin it/them to something bigger. If I had found Color Catchers when I was looking, I would never have asked and then I'd be either wondering how they were disappearing in the washer or paying for a service call/repair on the washer. When it comes to being generous with advice (and praise) this board rocks :thumbup:

Ditto for me. Synthropol would be my choice as well. Like Lori says, is suspends the dye in water instead of allowing it to bond with the fabrics. Color catchers can be made by soaking pieces of absorbent fabric in soda ash which will attract dyes to bond with those pieces of fabric hopefully, instead of your quilt.

You are very welcome. The way I see it no matter where I'm at and if I know something that may help someone I should speak up. I know that I'd never know if my info helped them or if they used it but I know that at least I tried to make sure the bad things didn't happen to someone and the good things did help them. Color Catchers do work so taking a little precaution with them makes for a happier outcome. Sometimes you don't even notice that they'd be missing until it was too late and the repair man points them out to you. Good luck with your search for them or something that works as well.

BTW ... I pin the Dr. Beckmann's too.
Besides, I don't like having to play hide and seek when I open the washer!!! :D

Hope you have luck when you head out to your Metro!

Try going to the manager and ask if they can order them to have in stock. I know a lot the stores will do this for their customers

early morning here and I am giggling because I am 'picturing' QuiltE playing hide-and-seek .....giggggle

in the old days we used a piece of unbleached muslin (about fat-quarter size) in the wash to catch any loose color.
It worked well and would get an ugly shade of gray.

For 25 years I had a hand dyed rag rug business. The Shout color catchers saved my bacon many times. I could never buy enough of them. Interesting about not being able to be imported to Canada because of the chemicals. I thought it was a secret formula. I thought they were made in Ireland. What ever it was, it worked very well. I had one designer who wanted a whole new rug because of bleeding. So I had him send back the original rug and I washed it with 12 color catchers at a laundromat. I don't think I ever lost a color catcher, but all 12 of them were weird colors. The rug came out fine and I finally told him about the color catchers.

you might want to try this site to make your own color catchers. I haven't made my own yet, but purchased pot ash from pool store to try.

http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/...-catchers.html

There is a product made by CARBONA called color & dirt grabber, reusable x30 washings. It looks like a washcloth and so far has worked great for me. Sometimes I use 2. They are sold at our Walmart stores here in southwest Ohio. Look in the laundry detergent aisles of the stores. Good luck and hope you can find them.

http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/...-catchers.html Here is a link for making your own. One thing I found out about fabric bleeding; it is sometimes caused by drying it not by washing it. That surprised me. Good luck. Perhaps you can find one of those plastic balls you put certain detergents in to put the color catcher in. Seems to me it would save a lot of repair bills.

I live in British Columbia and have not been able to find color catchers either. They was someone who posted a link for making your own. You might want to check older threads.

I live in British Columbia and have not been able to find color catchers either. I guess we will have to try making our own or ordering online.

Oh brother looks like I posted twice!

Look for the competitive brand that I mentioned in an earlier post.
Or .... fill your suitcase when you come back from Phoenix.

There was a thread on this wonderful Board on how to make your own color catchers. Has anyone tried that? Do they work? This might be an idea for those who can't buy locally.

If you shop on Amazon they have them. That is where I bought mine.

But they won't deliver to Canada unfortunately ( I tried), which is where the original poster is located. Gets us back around to the import restrictions ....

I buy Color Catchers at Walmart

If you can't find them, you can make your own. I have not tried this, just ran across it.

http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/...-catchers.html

I know I am late but if you go to Pinterest.com there is a recipe for how to make your own. I know how Canada can be as they don't always have the same products in your Wal mart that we do.