A moment of carelessness with bleach can ruin even our favourite garment. Just one drop is enough to leave a light stain almost instantly, whether on a T-shirt, jeans, shirt or even on the sofas and upholstery in your home.
Bleach acts so quickly that we often don’t have time to react. However, there are some home remedies that can help reduce the damage or even reverse it. And if none of that works, there is a definitive solution that requires only one ingredient: aniline.
Home remedies to reduce or hide stains
Before resorting to dyeing, you can try some ingredients that you probably already have at home:
- Baking soda: make a paste with baking soda and a little water, apply it to the stain and leave it to work for a few minutes. Then rinse with cold water.
- White vinegar: mix equal parts vinegar and water, and soak the garment in this solution for a few minutes. This helps neutralise the effect of bleach.
- White chalk: rub white chalk on the stain. This can help absorb excess bleach and immediately conceal the contrast.
While these methods may work for minor or recent cases, when the stain has completely discoloured the fabric, the most effective solution is to re-dye it.
The most effective solution: dye with aniline
Aniline is a textile dye that comes in powder form and is easily available at haberdashery shops or specialised stores. It is inexpensive, goes a long way and is available in a wide variety of colours.
Step by step guide to restoring the colour of your garment
- Get the right colour aniline dye: look for a shade as close as possible to the original colour of the garment. If you are unsure, take the garment to the shop for advice.
- Prepare the base mixture: in a small container, mix one tablespoon of powdered aniline dye with one tablespoon of fine salt (this helps set the colour). Add a splash of hot water to dissolve well and form a liquid mixture.
- Apply to the stain: using a fine brush or cotton bud, apply the mixture directly to the stained area. Do this carefully so that the colour does not spread to other areas.
- Leave to dry between coats: wait for it to dry thoroughly before applying a second coat. This will allow you to control the intensity of the colour and adjust it to match the rest of the fabric.
- Soak the garment (optional): if the garment has several stains or you want the colour to be even, you can dye the entire garment. To do this, prepare a larger amount of aniline with salt and hot water in a bucket and soak the garment for 24 hours.
- Rinse with cold water: once the soaking time has elapsed, rinse the garment thoroughly until the water runs completely clear. This is key to preventing the colour from bleeding in subsequent washes.
- Air dry, out of direct sunlight: hang the garment in a shaded place to dry naturally. Direct sunlight could alter the newly applied colour.
