Name: Annie

Message: I need to know how to remove red dye from white clothes. My white clothes have red spots on them from being placed on top of wet red clothes. I have tried washing them twice with Clorox Stain Out and some of the red came out but not all.

Use hot water to wash, the hotter the better. That will probably do the job, because dye that is only looosely attached to fabric, as in this case, is much less inclined to stick to the fabric when it's hot. If that doesn't quite do it, try soaking in hot water.

If soaking in hot water is not enough, then try using Rit Color Remover. You can purchase this next to the displays of Rit all-purpose dye which are found in many grocery stores and pharmacies. (Click on the picture of the box of Rit Color Remover, to the left, to buy through Amazon.) A large washing machine load may require several boxes of this product to be used at once.

Rit Color Remover works in a different manner than Clorox Stain Out and may give you better results. No guarantees, though, unfortunately. It has worked well for me in a similar situation. It is less damaging to the fabric than chlorine bleach.

The red clothing which ran can be rendered more safe for the laundry in the future by the use of a product called Retayne, which can be purchased from many dye suppliers (see my list of other dye suppliers around the world). I'd still be wary about placing them next to whites when damp, however.

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[Updated June 8, 2008.]