Help Please in removing colours that bled into a blk & white top
 

Could someone tell me the name of the stuff that I can use to remove colour that has bled into a black & white sweater (on the white part) from a brownish garment. The white now looks like I washed it in dirty water. I did wash them in cold water but the other garment still bled. All I can remember about this stuff is that (I think) it starts with an S or an R. I know I have seen it in my LQS but can't for the life of me remember what it is called.
They are closed today or I would call them.

I believe the products are called - Synthrapol (sp) and Retayne. I have never used these, but someone with more information should be along soon.

If you have a Metro store, check in the laundry aisle for a product called Dr. Beckman's Colour Run Repair and Dr. Beckman's Dirt and Colour Collector. I couldn't find the products some of the U.S. board members mentioned but these two products are available in Ontario Metro stores.

I used the Colour Run Repair on a crib quilt where deep red ran into lighter areas. I've used the Dirt and Colour Collector sheets when I've washed deep colours and they really work! If you find them, be sure to safety pin the sheet to one of the items you are washing. Apparently they can get sucked into the washer's drain and plug it if they are not pinned to something. If you can't find these products, send me a PM and we can arrange for me to buy them and mail them to you.

Retayne is good for cottons. I hope that you started to soak the "dirty white" sweater in cool water immediately so that the colour doesn't set. It might depend on the fabric content. Good luck.

Synthrapol is the one that removes unset dyes. Do NOT use Retayne; it will permanently set a bleed.

Synthrapol is commonly available in quilt stores that cater to dyers. It is also widely available online, including Amazon and Dharma Trading.

I have used Carbonate on an embroidered piece where the red bled onto the cross-stitch Aida cloth and it removed the red almost instantly. Bought this at Wal-Mart in the laundry aisle.
Pat

Someone recently posted about ruining a quilt by using Carbona on it, trying to get rid of a bleed; not sure that is the same thing as Carbonate. She posted photos and basically said the Carbona faded the fabrics and acted almost as an acid on some portions of the quilt.

I personally would stick with Synthrapol.

That was me, Prism99, with the Carbona... I will not and cannot recommend it to anyone. Beware!!!

NEXT time throw in a shout color catcher

you could try spraying the white (dingy) areas with shout or spray & wash- then wash it separately- which should remove what has caused the dinginess- or oxyclean laundry treatment.
retayne sets dyes- synthropol suspends fugitive dyes into the water & keeps them from getting on other fabrics- too late for either-
i would use a stain remover & maybe toss in a color catcher. I've used shout many times to (clean/brighten up) clothing items that have had something bleed on them (like turning hubbys socks pink when they went in with a red top i though would not run because it had been washed many times...spraying the socks with shout & rewashing made them white again.