Pollytink

Anyone know how these work? i.e. when you have a color catcher in a load and there are other lighter items along with the one you think might bleed, why does only the color catcher pick up the dye and not the other lighter fabrics? Something to do with the washing soda?

Onebyone

I only use it one time. I don't see why reuse. It's like reusing disposable dishes, cups, and flatware.

Jeanne S

I only use them once. Like a dryer sheet, I just discard after the one use. Guess I am not that frugal......

KenmoreGal2

From what I read, the washing soda has soda ash which grabs color when it's been impregnated into cloth. Some sort of chemical reaction I think.

I found more on the web earlier, but of course can't find it now. I did find this though

"washing soda (also known as soda ash) is used in the tie-dying process to keep the various dyes from bleeding onto one another. It’s well-known among professional textile artists that washing soda and absorbant fabric captures stray dye particles."

SewExtremeSeams

So I might be the rebel in the group but when I first bring fabrics home I throw them all in the wash, 3 color catchers and then dry in the dryer. I have yet to have any coloration show up on the light fabrics in the bunch. Just my 2 cents worth. I have been doing this for several years.

Reusing them has never occurred to me either. I would certain experiment with small pieces of fabric before I reused a color catcher with a finished quilt.

P.S. wasn't there a thread posted recently about using Dawn dish detergent in your wash to set color? It seems like the article said it works the same as Ratayne.

suern3

Me too, Jeanne!

katier825

I generally reuse if they come out white or very light, and put in a fresh one as well. I have only had a few times that they were really loaded with color. Last time I used 3 in with some blues and they all came out dark. I also use them with clothing, so I do reuse to save money.

Prism99

Dawn is supposed to work in a similar manner to Synthrapol. Both work to keep loose dye particles suspended in water so they don't settle back into fabrics. In this way they prevent bleeds from settling into other fabrics. Retayne, in contrast, works to permanently set dye in fabric -- a different job.

sewbeadit

ONce, I had no clue you could or should reuse them, interesting.

Mdegenhart

I don't understand. Just because the fabrics they were washed with the first time didn't bleed it doesn't mean that the active ingredient in the color catcher wasn't washed out. I wouldn't trust that they would work again. It doesn't make any difference how much color they absorbed or didn't.