Name: Anne
Message: How do we set a color in a store bought fabric that continues to bleed in the wash? This is a red tablecloth.

Your tablecloth is defective and should be returned to the manufacturer for a refund.

If you are not willing to do this, the first thing to do is wash the tablecloth several times, in water that is as hot as it can tolerate. You may be able to remove a great deal of the excess dye this way. Hot water will always make dye wash out more than cool water can. Then, when you launder the tablecloth in the future, wash only in cold water to reduce additional bleeding.

Having done that, if the tablecloth still bleeds, you will need to obtain a commercial product that is marketed solely for the purpose of setting dye. The most popular brand name of dye fixative is Retayne. Often you can find Retayne being sold at your local quilting supplies store. If not, or if you do not have such a store nearby, you should purchase Retayne or a similar product by mail-order; I have a listing of different companies that sell dye supplies online.

It will do no good at all to attempt to set the dye in your tablecloth with a home product such as salt or vinegar. Only Retayne or its equivalents, such as Dharma Dye Fixative or Aljo Pro-fix PCD, can help in this sort of situation.

See "How can I set the dye in the clothes I just bought?", in the FAQ section of my website.