Bleach is made of a strong chemical that damages clothes by oxidizing their dye particles, making them appear colorless or yellowish, depending on the fabric they are made from; you could think of it as some factory reset.
You can repair the damage made on the clothes, but not just with traditional cleaning methods.
Can You Remove Bleach Stains Out of Clothes?
Despite popular belief, bleach does not permanently stain clothes; instead, it deeply removes stains, and with the help of sodium hypochlorite, it sends them back to their original form before dyes and colors were applied. Unfortunately, when bleach reverses a piece of fabric to its original color, it’s permanent. But all hope is not lost. You can still restore your favorite dress.
How To Get Bleach Stains Out Of Clothes
However, if you dislike the damage made to the cloth, you can neutralize it with various homemade remedies. Here we have compiled a list of easy ways to get bleach stains out of clothes.
For most of these methods, you’d need fabric dye, the color of your stained dress, to restore the parts stained by bleach. Let’s get right to it!
1. Use Clean Alcohol
A bottle of clear alcohol such as vodka and gin can help remove bleach stains from your cloth. Here is a step-by-step guide to using clean alcohol to remove bleach stains from clothes below:
Step 1: Soak a cotton ball or white piece of cloth in the clear alcohol of your choice.
Step 2: Gently rub the soaked cotton ball or white piece of cloth over the affected and any surrounding fabric from the outside towards the middle. The unbleached dye will be transferred back into the affected area by the alcohol. Keep transferring the dye until you’re satisfied.
Step 3: Allow the cloth to air dry.
Step 4: When dried, wash as usual.
2. Use Rubbing Alcohol
If you have rubbing alcohol at home, you can also use that. Follow these simple steps below to use rubbing alcohol to take bleach stains out of clothes:
Step 1: Soak a cotton ball or cloth in the rubbing alcohol.
Step 2: Gently rub the soaked cotton ball over the affected area from the outside toward the middle.
Step 3: Leave to dry and wash as usual.
3. Use Laundry Marker
If the affected cloth is black or any color with a matching laundry marker, then you can use a laundry marker to fill up the affected area with the following steps:
Step 1: Lay the garment flat and put a piece of cardboard inside the garment, underneath the stain.
Step 2: Slowly and carefully start coloring in the affected with the marker.
Step 3: Allow the marker stains to dry, then wash.
4. Use Distilled White Vinegar
Distilled white vinegar is an excellent cleaner for removing bleach residue, and it is the best way to repair white clothes that have turned yellow.
To remove bleach stains from clothes with vinegar, follow these steps:
Step 1: Mix one tablespoon of distilled white vinegar with two cups of cool water
Step 2: Bolt the affected area with a cotton ball or clean white cloth soaked in this vinegar solution. White vinegar should lift the bleach, making the stain much less noticeable. Keep bolting until the smell fades.
Step 3: Use a dry clean cloth to soak up the moisture.
Step 4: Rinse the cloth once the vinegar dries and wash as usual.
Note: It is advisable to use a white cloth to soak up the moisture.
5. Use Fabric Dye
If you have a large affected area, the best way to get the bleach stain out of the cloth will be to use a fabric dye to cover up the affected areas.
You can use the fabric dye to recreate your piece of cloth creatively. Read the instructions on using the dye on the dye’s package since some dyes have a specific usage method. So, unless the dye package instructs otherwise, you can use the following steps below:
Step 1: Protect your workspace with newspaper, so you don’t accidentally color the surrounding.
Step 2: Mix one teaspoon of dye powder, one teaspoon of salt, and two tablespoons of water in a disposable plastic cup.
Step 3: Use a toothbrush or small paintbrush to apply the mixture to the affected area. You can also sock in the whole cloth if you do it hard.
Step 4: Allow the cloth to dry and then rinse and wash.
6. Use Lemon juice
This method is one of the easiest, although it isn’t always guaranteed to work. It works better if the bleaching accident is still recent.
Step 1: All you have to do in this method is add ¼ cup of lemon juice to a large bowl with a gallon of boiling water.
Step 2: Sock the affected cloth in the mixture and allow 1-2 hours before rinsing and sun drying.
Note: This method works best on white clothes.
7. Use Dish soap
This is another cheap and effective way to get a bleach stain out of clothes. The bleach must be applied immediately to the cloth to use this method. With an available dish soap, follow the steps below;
Step 1: Fill a bowl with warm water and a few drops of dish soap.
Step 2: Use a clean white cloth or cotton ball to apply the solution to the affected area and then bolt gently
Step 3: Empty the bowl and refill with fresh, cold water.
Step 4: With another clean cloth, rinse the affected area gently.
Step 5: Lay dry towels over the affected area to absorb the excess moisture.
Step 6: Leave to dry and wash as usual.
8. Use Diluted Sodium Thiosulfate
Diluted sodium thiosulfate is a chemical you can purchase in chemical department stores. In using this method, disposable items are needed, and it isn’t good to use any of the used items again unless for the same experiment. Don’t forget to wear a glove.
Step 1: Mix one tablespoon of sodium thiosulfate with one cup of water.
Step 2: Dip a clean white cloth or a cotton ball in the solution.
Step 3: Blot the stain until the fabric absorbs the diluted sodium thiosulfate. Do not rub.
Step 4: Rinse the cloth and wash as usual.
9. Add more bleach
This might sound funny, as you won’t technically call this a method of removing the bleach stain. If the affected cloth’s color is beyond retainable and the affected area’s colors seem pleasing, you can go ahead in bleaching the whole cloth. You can also try to be creative as you do so.
10. Redesigning the whole cloth
If you feel creative and up to the task, you can try sowing in patches to cover up the affected area while being creative. You could also try to reinvent a new cloth-like an apron from the damaged clothes—recycling at its best.