Name: Melissa
Message: Is Rit brand color remover safe for use on silk? I have some white silk garments that have been stained by dye from darker items. The label says to hand-wash cold, though I usually use the machine (cold, delicate cycle).

As you may already know, chlorine bleach is death to silk, as well as to other animal fibers and synthetics. However, Rit Color Remover is much more suitable for silk.

Rit color remover is sodium hydrosulfite. It has been used extensively on silk by dye artists as a discharge agent, to remove dye in decorative patterns. Hydrogen peroxide is another discharge agent that is safe for use on silk, though it may be less effective.

If some light markings are left on the silk even after you do everything you can to remove them, as does sometimes happen, you might consider dyeing it. Dyeing a solid shade does not cover up marks, because, since dye is transparent, the markings end up darker as well, unless you select a very dark color for dyeing. Dyeing using the technique of low water immersion dyeing easily produces richly colored complex patterns which will cover nearly everything.