Is Dawn detergent as good as synthrapol?
12-20-2013, 05:14 AM
#41
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,325
This is very interesting reading. Color bleeding is a major problem, it is one thing if it were only once, but some fabrics bleed and bleed. I normally snip off a color I suspect will bleed and put in a glass of warm water and see what happens, if nothing I do not wash it, but if it does bleed even a little I wash. Thanks for posting this.
12-20-2013, 05:35 AM
#42
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Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 357
I don't know about quilts but it is great for washing dogs, as it is a degreaser. If you live in an area where fleas are an issue, it takes the coating off of fleas, and they drown, otherwise, they can live through bath time. Just a tip.
12-20-2013, 05:43 AM
#43
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Corpus Christi, Tx.
Posts: 16,105
The other Dawns have fragrance and conditioners. If I'm at the kitchen sink and have a quick urge to wash my hair, I use Dawn and grab paper towels.
I took a fabric dying class thru my guild and was told to use "Blue Dawn" to set the dyes. Only blue dawn not any other color. Why? It supposedly has something different in it. I never checked the labels. The hand dyed fabrics did not run when I used it but I don't know if it was better than Synthropol. Definitely cheaper.
12-20-2013, 07:10 AM
#45
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Mississauga, ON Canada
Posts: 535
Thanks for sharing this! I'm just going to have to give it a shot.
12-20-2013, 07:43 AM
#46
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Littlefield, TX, USA
Posts: 1,077
I use Blue Dawn for lots of things...it's used to take oil sludge off birds & wildlife... as far as taking a lot of rinsing...a tiny bit (couple drops) is enough to clean my hands after working with greasy meats. I have also used it at our store (used furniture and quilting/embroidery)..we took a half filled bottle, added water to dilute (filled the bottle)...and we use it to clean upholstery (about 2 tablespoons of the diluted mixture to a half gallon of water...work up a foam in a sponge), greasy kitchen tools, etc. I use it on fabrics I'm not sure are colorfast...it does help. At home...it gets those pesky oil spots out of my cotton t-shirts...and spray and wash does not do that.
I also have synthropol (sic)...and use it sometimes...at home (I hand wash at the store).
I also have synthropol (sic)...and use it sometimes...at home (I hand wash at the store).
12-20-2013, 08:30 AM
#47
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,585
i had some red fabric I was using for borders on a quilt. I tested it by cutting a scrap of it and placing it into a glass of hot tap water -- almost instantly the water turned pink. I then began looking for a product to "set" the dyes, but I had no luck finding anything at all locally. What I did find is from Rit Dye dye fixative (no, I don't own stock or have any financial interest of any kind in Rit Dye), but I found that the dye fixative, used according to the instructions immediately set the dye in the red, so there was no further problem with "bleeding". I use it on any vibrant color, like reds, oranges, blues, purple, etc. I would rather spend a little time using this product that I know works than risk a bleeding border or other fabric! That's why I ALWAYS prewash, and I ALWAYS set the dyes. As much work as we put into a quilt, I would rather be safe than sorry! LOL
Jeanette Frantz
Jeanette Frantz
12-20-2013, 12:11 PM
#48
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Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Concord, NC
Posts: 29
If you would like some eye opening info about ingredients in soaps and fabric softeners, read "GULP" by Mary Roach.
It seems we all have the best stain fighter in our mouths. Did that pique your interest?
I do not like Dawn for dish washing as it seems to suck al the oil from my skin, but it is good for soaking greasy dishes. And I do use It in the laundry room for "ring around the collar" and other oily stains. I have also been known to wash a cat with it!!!
It seems we all have the best stain fighter in our mouths. Did that pique your interest?
I do not like Dawn for dish washing as it seems to suck al the oil from my skin, but it is good for soaking greasy dishes. And I do use It in the laundry room for "ring around the collar" and other oily stains. I have also been known to wash a cat with it!!!
12-20-2013, 08:24 PM
#49
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Lumby, British Columbia
Posts: 2,769
MacThayer, I think your test run confirms information on the web. However, I want to clarify that neither Synthrapol nor Dawn will set dyes. All they do is suspend unset dye particles in water so they are rinsed away instead of settling into fabric fibers.
Most fabric that "bleeds" has had dyes correctly set by the manufacturer but have not been rinsed sufficiently. Fibers can absorb only a limited amount of dye particles. Excess dye particles that are not rinsed away by the manufacturer end up in color catchers (such as those in your test run). Most of these excess dye particles come out in the first wash, and subsequent washes have color catchers that come out pretty clean.
When the manufacturer does not actually set the dye properly, the end result is a "bleeder" fabric that never stops bleeding. It's not just a problem of excess dye particles (more dye particles than the fibers can absorb) not being rinsed away; it's a problem of all dye particles not being permanently set into the fibers. Synthrapol and Dawn will prevent these loose dye particles from settling into other fabrics, but they will not stop the fabric from bleeding in future washes.
Hope this explanation is clearer than mud!
Most fabric that "bleeds" has had dyes correctly set by the manufacturer but have not been rinsed sufficiently. Fibers can absorb only a limited amount of dye particles. Excess dye particles that are not rinsed away by the manufacturer end up in color catchers (such as those in your test run). Most of these excess dye particles come out in the first wash, and subsequent washes have color catchers that come out pretty clean.
When the manufacturer does not actually set the dye properly, the end result is a "bleeder" fabric that never stops bleeding. It's not just a problem of excess dye particles (more dye particles than the fibers can absorb) not being rinsed away; it's a problem of all dye particles not being permanently set into the fibers. Synthrapol and Dawn will prevent these loose dye particles from settling into other fabrics, but they will not stop the fabric from bleeding in future washes.
Hope this explanation is clearer than mud!
Thank you my day this clarifies the matter. Do you have a scientific background?
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