# Shirt turned color in wash... help?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shirt-turned-color-in-wash-help/240632>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [April 18, 2004, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shirt-turned-color-in-wash-help/240632 "2004-04-18T04:00:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Kweli\_That\_Anti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba9def/32.png) [@Kweli\_That\_Anti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kweli_That_Anti)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2004, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shirt-turned-color-in-wash-help/240632/1 "2004-04-18T04:00:05Z")

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I bought a white **Marithe + Francois Girbaud** tee shirt the other day. It has a red neck as well as red lettering. The first time it was washed, it seems to have been washed in water that was a little too warm… and now the color around the red neck is no longer white but a slight pink. Is there anything I can do about this? I washed it once more by hand in cold water and it seems to have turned whiter, but I’m not sure. Is there a definite way?

Thank you.

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**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2004, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shirt-turned-color-in-wash-help/240632/2 "2004-04-18T04:18:59Z")

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You could try using a color-safe bleach, but I wouldn’t count on it. If it were me, I’d return it. There’s no excuse for quality clothing to have the dyes run like that. Good luck.

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**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2004, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shirt-turned-color-in-wash-help/240632/3 "2004-04-18T04:19:17Z")

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There are washing products especially for this problem.

Run down to the grocery store and browse the laundry detergent aisle. You will find at least a couple.

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**Author:** ![AntaresJB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@AntaresJB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AntaresJB)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2004, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shirt-turned-color-in-wash-help/240632/4 "2004-04-18T06:19:56Z")

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Clorox recently came out with the [Bleach Pen](http://www.cloroxbleachpen.com) thing which you can use to bleach just the spots that are pink. Theoretically. Never used it, but it makes sense, I suppose.