Laundry Colors and Colorfast Clothing

• preventing fading of colored towels and quilts
  Add 2/3 cup (150ml) of vinegar to the laundry to prevent fading. Handmade quilts can be soaked in lots of cold water using 1 cup (225ml) of vinegar on the first time of washing. 

• Laundry Brighten
  Pour one-half cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide solution into the washer to help brighten whites (pour into water, not directly on clothes)    

• preventing colors from running
  Use white vinegar if washing something that will bleed. Pour some white vinegar in the washing machine, fill with cold water, and then add soap and clothes. 

• Colors
  1 gallon (3.75) warm water
  1 cup (225 ml) vinegar
  
  Any colored clothing item that has become dulled can be brightened by soaking it in 1 gallon (3.75 liters) warm water and 1 cup (225 ml) vinegar. Follow this with a clear water rinse. 

• Color-fast laundry
  1 cup (250ml) vinegar
  1/2 cup (150g) salt
  Color-safe detergent
  
  If you love the color of your new cotton sheets or towels and don't want to see them eventually fade, a little vinegar and salt can help retain their brightness. Before putting your new items to use, fill your washing machine with cold water, add the vinegar, salt, and detergent, and wait a few minutes to let the salt dissolve. Wash your brights with similarly colored items in small loads and the colors will be set for future washings. Double the amount of vinegar and salt if colors are particularly vibrant. 

• laundry detergent booster
  1/2 cup (110g) baking soda
  
  Do you want whiter whites, brighter brights, and all of the wonderful benefits that laundry detergents usually promise? Well, if you've purchased brand that isn't living up to your expectations, baking soda can save the day. Add 1/2 cup (110g) to the wash cycle and your clothes really will come out a little perkier. If your clothes aren't particularly soiled, you may even be able to use less detergent with the baking soda boost because baking soda maintains a neutral pH level in the water, enabling the detergent to perform at its absolute best. Tip: Baking soda works best with liquid detergents as opposed to powdered. 

• Yellowed Linens brightener
  1 gallon (4 liters) water 1/4 cup (55g) baking soda 1 tablespoon (18g) salt Whitening yellowed linens with a commercial bleach solution can seriously weaken the fabric fibers. Instead, try this gentle, easy method for brightening them: Bring the water to a gentle boil in a large pot. Add the baking soda and salt and stir until dissolved. Add your yellowed linens and boil gently for an hour, making sure the fabric is completely submerged. Drain and rinse the linens thoroughly in cool water. For best results, allow to air dry in direct sunlight. You can double or triple the formula for larger items.