Hello friends! Today we’re discussing the sad topic of fabric bleed. It’s happened to the best of us and I’m sharing my tips on how to prevent it and how to fix it if it happens to you!
Watch my video on how I fixed my Winterberry quilt and restored it back to white!
Let’s start off by talking about how we can prevent this travesty from happening.
Prevention Tips:
Tip #1: Pre-wash your fabrics. If you have a questionable fabric on hand (reds, browns, navy’s I’m talking to you) you may want to pre-wash it. This will release any residual dye that might otherwise be absorbed into your finished quilt, and possibly save you a lot of heartache in the end. Keep in mind that pre-washing will also cause your fabric to shrink a bit, so you’ll also want to pre-wash the other fabrics you’re planning to use in your project, I just wouldn’t pre-wash them together if you get my drift.
Now I have to confess that I NEVER pre-wash my fabric for quilting because I prefer how it feels straight off of the bolt. It’s nice and smooth and I just feel like it’s easier to get crisp accurate cuts. I guess I just like living on the edge. So I mean, you do you.
Tip #2: Purchase quality materials. While I normally purchase quilting fabric, I decided to save a few bucks on my Winterberry quilt. I needed some solid fabric and so I purchased a fairly inexpensive solid red from a big box store, which shall remain unnamed. I saved about $10-$15. I do NOT recommend this, I would gladly have paid a few more dollars so that my quilt remained beautiful and white. Instead I ended up crying over my bathtub one night as I watched the hot pink water swirl all around my beloved quilt.
So take it from me, buy decent quality fabrics. I’ve never had a quilt bleed like this before, and I always do high contrast quilts typically with a white background. So, learn from my mistakes and save yourself and your quilt.
Tip #3: Wash your quilts in cool water and always include a color catcher if they are high contrast like mine. This method has worked for me for years and I’ve literally never had a quilt bleed before! But then again, I always purchase better quality quilting fabric, except this time….sigh…, and obviously the bleed that came out of this lower quality fabric was just too much for my poor little color catcher to handle.
Now let’s talk about how to fix fabric that has bled.
I’m in the “no quilt left behind” camp. So when I pulled my red and white Winterberry quilt out of the wash and saw all of the horrific hot pink splotches all over my white fabric, I did what any normal person would do and I cried. After that I got mad. And after that I got determined. And let’s just say I wasn’t about to give up on her! I immediately did some research and found a method that I think worked quite well.
I recommend doing this process in your bath tub. You’re going to need a LOT of water, and your washing machine just can’t handle that. So forgo your spa time and give up your tub, your quilt needs it more than you do!
- Step 1: Fill a bathtub with HOT water. Normally I avoid hot water on my quilts, however in this case we actually WANT the fabric dye to release from the quilt.
- Step 2: Dissolve about 1 cup of Dawn Dish Soap. I prefer ultra pure, but I was out, so I just used the regular kind.
- Step 3: Completely submerge your quilt and swish it around. A LOT.
- Step 4: Let your quilt soak for 10-12 hours, or overnight.
- Step 5: Rinse and repeat steps 1-4 until the water runs clear. Mine took about 5 soak cycles.
- Step 6: Use Synthrapol if the dawn isn’t doing the trick!
- Step 7: Wash in cool water on gentle cycle and tumble dry low.
Unfortunately I was so distraught that I didn’t take a picture of my quilt at the start of this process. But just imagine a bunch of horrible hot pink splotches all over my lovely white. Here’s a picture of my quilt after the first soak, as you can see the white fabric is very pink, but the first soak did get rid of the hot pink splotches, so that gave me hope.
I mean just look at all of the dye that came out in during the first soak. I can’t even believe it!
I mean seriously.
That water is so pink, I just can’t even.
But with each soak it got lighter and lighter and so did my white background fabric. Interestingly enough, the white faux fur I used on the backing didn’t take the dye at all. It stayed super white throughout this process.
Just keep at it, remember all of that hard work you put into your quilt. Don’t let all of that go to waste, get in there and do your part to save her! After all she deserves to shine!
And here is my quilt after about five soaking cycles. I kept at it until my water ran clear and then did a couple more for good measure. I also did two rinses that were just plain water to help get some of the soap out before putting it back into my machine.
Here’s an up close picture, you can see the pink splotches are mostly gone, and the background fabric is back to a nice creamy white.
And that’s it friends! Just a little bit of time, about three days, and some hard work swishing and swirling my quilt in the bathtub, and thankfully that pesky pink was gone! I was so happy to see that the dawn really did the trick. My quilt does have a very slight pink tint to the white if you look very close, but it is 1000 times better than when I started!
And I’m so happy that all of that hard work I put into my quilt wasn’t wasted on cheap fabric. Now, I know I’ve really harped on the “cheap” fabric bit, but I do want to say that I have heard of higher quality fabrics bleeding as well. I’ve never had that happen with my fabrics, but I still think that a little prevention will go a long way to keeping your quilts happy and the right color. And by right color, I mean white. Because that’s pretty much what I use for all of my backgrounds, and I want my whites to stay that way.
So those are my tips for preventing and fixing fabric bleed. I hope they’ve helped you out, and remember, don’t give up on your quilt! Just a little bit of love can salvage even the pinkest of bleeds!
I purchased a dress from India that bled under the arm pits (I did wash with vinegar before wearing it)
Is your method safe to do on this dress, I am concerned about the hot water re: shrinking.
Please advice.
Where can I purchase Synthrapol?
It depends on the fabric, I used this on 100% quilting cotton, and I’m not sure what fabric your dress is. If it’s something more delicate you may want to use cold water or check online to see what would be a better option.
Do I need to add more hot water as the water cools?
I didn’t add hot water as it cooled, we just swapped out the water the next day.
I had a quilt that I made for my niece’s wedding bleed (gorgeous pink stars on a white background). High quality fabric so I didn’t expect it. Your trick saved the day! I was so thankful. Thank you so much for sharing it!
This is the same method I use on my high contrast and bright colors! After a similar experience, I have chosen to do the bathtub soak with Dawn (2-4 times) before the quilt ever goes into the washer. I start with medium hot water that will cover the quilt by at least 2 inches, so usually 6-8 inches deep. Soak for 1 hour, swish, lift and move a lot, A LOT, then drain. Repeat 2-4-+ times until the water is clear, then load in a basket and carry to the washer. Wash with warm water, 4-6 color catchers and sometimes Synthropol. This is a real workout 🏋️And it it works!
I’ve gone balls to the wall following these directions. I’m so scared!!!! The whole thing is dark pink now after the first two rounds of hot water!!!
Hi Stacie,
I’m not sure what you are working on, but I’m assuming you had a red fabric bleed as I did? The water should be pink, but your project should start to lighten.
I was seriously doubtful about this (hot water?) but tried it out of desperation. The tub had not even finished filling and the pink had already left the white square in my son’s quilt. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I was skeptical at first too, but it worked! And I’m so glad it worked for you too!
Your post on how to fix fabric that bled saved my quilt. I spent a year making blocks for a farmers quilt. I finished it with a red polka dot border and a red backing. Like always, I washed it in cold water with white vinegar to keep it from bleeding. The pink splotches were everywhere and I wanted to cry and scream at the same time. This had never happened before. My beautiful quilt was ruined. I put it away because I didn’t want to look at it. I asked other quilters and got a few ideas. Then I googled it and discovered your post. Before I put it in the tub I spread it on the bathroom floor and sprayed the blotches with Spray and Wash. I followed your instructions and my quilt is beautiful again. Thank you so much.
Will this work on a table runner that was put through the dryer before the colour bleed was noticed?
It is really best to catch it BEFORE you dry it, but I suppose if the bleed is already there, it can’t hurt to try?
I have a quilt that bled in the dryer. I did not wash. I just stuck it in the dryer to get the household animal hair
off of it. The terrible thing about this quilt is that it was made incorporating a wedding dress and the cummerbund
with a lavish sequin arrangement that the bride wanted on this quilt. I am beside myself as to how to get the
bleeding out of it. Do you have any advice besides giving it a tub bath? I think it would compromise the cummerbund
and get it all out of sorts as it is pleated silk. The quilt was made to display on a wall as it has been autographed by all of the wedding guests.
HELP!!
Yikes, I’m not sure about that more delicate fabric. I would maybe check with a dry-cleaner to see what they recommend? The bath tub – dawn works great on materials that can be washed, but it sounds like you have dry-clean only fabric in it so I would probably not suggest soaking it in water.
Hi! I live in New Zealand and Dawn Dish Soap is not readily available. Thoughts on trying with other dishwashing liquids?
Hmm, I am not sure as I’ve only tested the Dawn dish soap. Maybe do a small sample swatch using a gentle dish soap you have available to see if the fabric bleeds? You can also order the synthrapol https://amzn.to/3zgI4aA instead and try that if you can’t get Dawn. But I would hate to mislead you with another soap that I haven’t tried, then have it ruin your project!
Water is now clear but still pink on two fabrics. I’m trying a second soak now. This is a lap quilt I have pics but not sure how to add.
Should I just continue with the soaks? Is 10 hours sufficient or 12 needed. Since water is clear and it is still pink I’m not sure what to do.
I’m using the same Dawn that you used. I’ve ordered the Synthrapol but it isn’t due for a week or so. Should I just let quilt air dry and wait for that??
We soaked mine for almost 3 days, overnight each time until the water was clear.
Thank you for this very thorough explanation on treating dye bleeds. It is very helpful.
Thank you so much!!!! It worked!!! On my wedding present quilted wall hanging !!
Oh goodness, I’m so glad it was able to be fixed!
This works! I received two Ralph Lauren American flag quilts where the red dye had bled hot pink into the white stripes. I read your blog and tried this and all that remains of the hot pink staining is a slight yellow that is barely detectable. I’m so pleased with the results! Thank you so much for sharing this valuable information.
I sell my quilts. At a craft show last weekend it rained. A small quilt with the college fabric which I thought was quilt shop quality fabric the red bleed through in one spot to the white back. Not thinking I must have put it on top of a dry queen size queen. I packed that one up for the week because it was not wet. This weekend when I took it out, it has a damaged area, about 2″ square, that is pink. I am assuming from the college quilt.
I don’t want wash either one entirely because it is for sale and I like them to look new. Can you recommend a spot washing technique?
Hi Cara,
Here’s a great video on spot washing! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VYtARoG-V8