Bleach is one of the most useful cleaning products for removing stains and bacteria from clothes and from your household. However, bleach stains can be quite difficult to remove from your favorite dark clothes, if not impossible.
In this article, we will show you how to remove bleach stains from black clothing and help prevent them in the future.
There may be affiliate links in this article. You can read more about this in my disclosure.
What is bleach made of?
Bleach is a chemical that removes color from fabrics and strips bacteria from surfaces. It’s made of a mix of peroxides and hydroxides, which are strong oxidizing agents and disinfectants.
Because of this, it is often used to clean surfaces around your home.
Beware when using it to clean your home, if it is not diluted with water it can end up damaging your surfaces. Not only that, but we’ve all heard the story of somebody getting a splash of bleach on their favorite black top and subsequently having to throw it out.
Once the color comes out of a piece of clothing, it’s permanent, however, if you follow our guide, you may just be able to save it in time.
Are bleach stains permanent?
Bleach stains are permanent, however if you act fast you can intervene before the stain appears. When a bleach stain occurs, you need to use a bleach stain removal solution that’s safe for black clothes, and you need to use it FAST.
Keep reading for our top methods for stain removal.
What happens when bleach gets on black clothes?
By breaking down the bonds between molecules in the fabric, your favorite black t shirt loses its color and becomes transparent or stained. Don’t panic, this guide will give you some solutions to your problem.
Is it possible to get bleach out of black clothes?
Yes, it is possible to get bleach out of black clothes. As long as you act quickly and take the proper steps for removal, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to salvage your wardrobe.
The key here is not letting them sit too long before removing the bleach from your clothing. Try and dilute the bleach by rinsing it with water before it discolors the fabric, or use one of the following methods.
How to get bleach out of black clothes
The most important element is time! As soon as you notice you’ve splashed bleach on your clothing, act fact!
You need to neutralize the bleach to avoid discoloration. If you’re already too late, there are options to either cover up the stain or reduce its visibility.
What do you need to remove bleach out of black clothes?
In order to get the bleach out of your black clothes, you’ll need the following supplies:
- Rubber gloves (optional)
- Baking soda
- Dish soap (or laundry detergent)
- Rubbing Alcohol
- Fabric Dye
- Fresh Coffee Grounds
- Fabric Marker
How to neutralize bleach with baking soda
The chemical reaction between baking soda and bleach causes them to neutralize each other.
When using baking soda to neutralize bleach on black clothes:
- Use one cup of water mixed with 1/2 cup of baking soda.
- Pour it over the dark-colored garment that has been stained by the bleach solution.
- Let the mixture sit until it is completely dry before washing as usual in warm or hot water with detergent.
How to neutralize bleach stains with dish soap
To use dish soap to remove a bleach stain on your black clothing items:
- Pour some water into the sink and add some dishwashing liquid. Make sure that the water level is not too high (don’t let it spill over).
- Submerge your stained item into the soapy mixture until all of the fabric has been submerged in the water/dishwashing liquid mixture.
- Let it soak for about 30 minutes—this will give you enough time to wash any dishes!
- Your clothing item may need more than one soak; just keep repeating this process until no more residue can be seen on any part of your fabric
How to neutralize bleach with rubbing alcohol.
Yes, rubbing alcohol is a good option for removing bleach stains from your black clothing. The cleaning process is simple:
- Soak the affected area in a liquid solution of one part rubbing alcohol and one part water
- Wash as normal.
It’s important to note that you should only use pure, undiluted rubbing alcohol (this means no perfumes or additives) because any other chemicals may make matters worse by discoloring your fabric or weakening its fibers.
Also, don’t use this method if the fabric is dry-clean only—it can do more harm than good!
[amazon box=”B07NFSFBXQ” template=”vertical”]How to use fabric dye to remove bleach stains
If after neutralizing the bleach, you find a slight discoloration still, the best way forward is to dye the affected area, so it blends in with the rest of the garment:
- Dip a cotton swab into the fabric dye and then apply it to the bleach stain.
- Let it dry completely. This may take up to a few hours depending on how much product you used and how porous your clothing is (cotton will dry faster than polyester).
- Wash the clothes as normal when they’re dry; this will usually mean running them through at least two cycles with detergent and water.
- If there are still some bleach stains left over after that point, repeat steps again until they’re gone!
How to remove bleach stains with coffee
Coffee is an excellent stain remover, and it will help to remove bleach stains from your clothes. However, in order to be effective, you should use fresh coffee grounds.
Coffee grounds are acidic, which means that they can help neutralize the alkalinity of bleach. This will reduce the damage done by the bleaching agent and make it easier for you to get rid of any remaining stains on your clothing.
- Simply wet a clean white cloth with water
- Wring it out until it’s not dripping anymore but still damp enough to show up on paper
- Apply some coffee grounds onto the cloth and rub gently over any colored blemishes on your black garments until they disappear completely.
How to Get Bleach Stains Out Clothes with Fabric Marker?
You can use a fabric marker to remove bleach stains. Ideally you want to get your hands on a permanent fabric marker.
This will last longer after a few washes. If you don’t have one at home, a sharpie pen will do the trick.
Find one the same color as your garment, and color in the stain. Make sure you color around the edges, to make it blend it better.
You can repeat the process a few times to build the color up and cover the stain as best as possible.
[amazon box=”B09T1Q7T1W” template=”vertical”]How to Remove Large Bleach Stains on Dark Clothes?
You can follow the same process as mentioned above for large bleach stains.
First step is to neutralize the bleach to avoid further staining, but if it’s too late and the color has already been stripped, dying the entire garment could be a good option.
As the stain is larger, a sharpie wouldn’t do the trick. Try buying some clothes dye and submerging the garment in it.
Follow the quantities and instructions on the pack to dye the entire garment, let it dry and wash normally. You may need to repeat this process a few times.
How to avoid getting bleach on your clothes
There are a few things you can do to avoid getting bleach on your clothes.
Use a measuring cup to measure out the exact amount of bleach you want to use. A funnel is also useful for this purpose, as it ensures that no extra liquid will spill over as you pour it from one container into another.
Make sure that the bleach is diluted before using it around the house; otherwise, it may cause damage or discoloration.
Don’t put too much in there—stopping at “just enough” will help keep everything sanitary without causing any staining issues.
People often use bleach in the washing machine to brighten clothes. However, it’s important not to wash clothes with bleaches too often because they can become damaged over time from excessive exposure.
If used improperly or incorrectly diluted, this will be ineffective against stain removal, and even make things worse!
Conclusion
The bottom line is to act fast and to neutralize the bleach before it discolors your clothing. If you cannot act fast enough and a stain appears, it is permanent.
In which case, covering it up with dye or marker is the only way forward.
Thank you so much for reading! I hope this guide will help you remove bleach stains on black clothes.
Farah Zeb is a mother of five, including two children with special needs. She shares practical parenting tips and resources to help other families navigate daily challenges and create supportive, nurturing environments.
