Soaking new bath towels/rugs in a vinegar solution to set color?

[CathyA]

Has anyone tried this? supposedly it sets the color so it doesn't constantly bleed out.
I've read that you have to soak them overnight in a white vinegar solution.
Does this really work?

[redfox]

It depends upon the type of dye used. Vinegar is cheap; nothing ventured, nothing gained. Just don't count on it & wash your whites with them!

[CathyA]

Thanks Redfox. I wouldn't put any other clothes in with new colored things. But......I have discovered the "Color Catcher" sheets that work great in absorbing colors that might bleed a bit. I use them when some older colored things might bleed just a little, if I'm washing other lighter things with it......but never whites.

[nswef]

I've nor used the vinegar, but did buy some raspberry colored wash cloths ( they make me smile every day!) that I wanted to wash with the whites- first I did them with the darks, for about 3 or 4 washes, then with whites I didn't worry if they turned pink...they didn't! Now they just go in with the whites and some bleach. No problem.

[redfox]

The way dye works is that it's a chemical interaction, bonding with the fibers. Once dye has bonded with all the fibers, the excess dye washes away, and it's impossible to calculate the precise amount of dye needed to bond with the fiber, as it happens at the molecular level. Over time, all the excess is gone. Different fibers react with dyes depending upon type. Also, a chemical binding agent, called a mordant, is often used. Vinegar is a mordant for certain dye/fiber combos; as I recall, with only plant fibers, not animal fibers. I am not an expert by any means!