# Bleach and clothing **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 23, 2008, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bleach-and-clothing/474151 "2008-11-23T21:46:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JennaJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5e9695/32.png) [@JennaJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JennaJay)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2008, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bleach-and-clothing/474151/1 "2008-11-23T21:46:26Z")
My flatmate and I were recently cleaning our apartment and both accidently managed to splash bleach onto the black tops we were wearing. Now I know that cleaning should ideally be done in old clothes but we are both quite fond of these tops, which now have odd shaped pink marks on them. On the plus, the entire apartment is sparkly and clean. My question is, can anything be done to reverse the effects of bleach on our clothes and return them to their former glorious black? Any ideas would be appreciated!! ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2008, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bleach-and-clothing/474151/2 "2008-11-23T21:48:04Z")
All you can try is to dye them black. It might not work, though. Sorry. Bleach damage is pretty much irreversible. ---
**Author:** ![Genericuser234](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5daacb/32.png) [@Genericuser234](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Genericuser234)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bleach-and-clothing/474151/3 "2008-11-24T00:02:34Z")
You could always just add more bleach to give it a retro Acidwash look? ---
**Author:** ![wunderkammer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ed8c4c/32.png) [@wunderkammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wunderkammer)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bleach-and-clothing/474151/4 "2008-11-24T00:40:13Z")
In the past, I’ve used Sharpie\* on _tiny_ bleach spots, but with that you run the risk of getting a slightly different shade of black. With larger blobs, this might not look so good, but it would probably bump the shirts up from painting clothes to perfectly good slumming-around-the-house-wear. \*or actual laundry marker. Whatever you do, don’t use something that you’re not sure is colorfast, or your laundry will not be happy. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bleach-and-clothing/474151/5 "2008-11-24T01:23:22Z")
Bleach permanently fades out the dye. You have to dye the material again. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bleach-and-clothing/474151/6 "2008-11-24T02:53:45Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > Bleach permanently fades out the dye. You have to dye the material again. I’ve had good luck coloring in small spots with a black [sharpie](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharpie_(marker)). The outfit will never be the same again, but it will pass casual muster. ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bleach-and-clothing/474151/7 "2008-11-24T03:49:46Z")
Sharpies are handy for little scratches and scuffs on black shoes, too. I love Sharpies. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bleach-and-clothing/474151/8 "2008-11-24T04:36:13Z")
Fourth’ing sharpies. I’ve used them on small spots as well as long lines when I’ve leaned on a counter that was just bleached. As others have said, if the clothes arn’t compleatly black the sharpie will show, but in my case I was just trying to make sure I could still wear the sweatshirts to work (which is generally where I am when it happens) and didn’t have to toss them. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bleach-and-clothing/474151/9 "2008-11-24T12:02:48Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > I’ve had good luck coloring in small spots with a black [sharpie](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharpie_(marker)). The outfit will never be the same again, but it will pass casual muster. I meant any dye and a Sharpie is a dye. You can’t wash it out of your material.