Dye Transfer and How To Avoid It

Baby Talk
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Anyone know of ways to avoid accidental dye transfer from clothing and blankets?
Of course, my plan is to go for light colored items and prewash everything.

I bought a 20 pack of headbands that are made of nylon, exactly like what pantyhose and tights are made of. (Some of them may be too dark to be safe to use.) Should all if them be seperated by colors and washed by hand before being used on a reborn?

Would adding some vinegar to the washing liquid help make them more colorfast the way it helps with tie-dyed cotton materials? Or would it not make much of a difference since they are synthetic?

Has anyone had a stained reborn as a result of not washing colored tights first?

Thanks.

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I once bought a long-sleeved dark blue (almost black) onesie. I just washed it by hand with my usual detergent (Tide Pod) and then hung it up to air dry. My baby wore it for multiple days afterwards and it never stained him.

I’d be careful about using vinegar though. In my experience using it without dilution can cause clothes to have a bleaching effect or just perpetual greasy-looking stains.

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I would try rinsing out the color in hot water. Once it stops coloring the water, I think it’s safe. In general though, I totally avoid denim or anything with super cheap dyes that bleed. I always wash and see what happens to the clothes in hot water before trying them on my reborns!

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All I can offer what works for me: I wash everything I buy for my reborns before they even get near the babies. :grin:. I just throw it in with the regular laundry and wash it the way I always do. I don’t put any dark clothes on my dolls, washed or not. I use white or light colored receiving blankets with them and when I hold them, I make sure to lay the blanket on me and then the doll-even if I’m wearing light colored clothing myself. I haven’t had a problem with any of dolls so far. I hope this helps.

Edited to add: I wash EVERYTHING that will be used with my reborns, including shoes/booties, hats, mittens, socks,and headbands. My opinion is that these dolls are too expensive to take a chance with. (I put these small things in a pillowcase tied at the top and put it in the washer and dryer that way, so nothing gets lost.)

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All I use for my keeper is dark colors. I prefer dark colors and works well with his paler skin tone. Never has a problem. But I do wash everything 3 times, and use color catchers in the laundry. I also keep white tights and long sleeve onesie under the clothes especially now that it’s colder

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I wash things first. A trick I learned from my mom is to put all new items of the same color together, or even just the item on its own, and add one clean light colored piece of cloth, like an old dish cloth and wash it in the machine. If that cloth doesn’t come out stained, it’s probably good to go.
I also put white thighs and long sleeve shirts or onesies underneath the dark colors, just to be safe. Though that won’t work with hats.

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@Ladybuggirl Glad you reminded me, although I don’t have extra pillowcases, I do have these zippered mesh lingerie bags for small laundry that I nearly forgot about. These will be perfect for the task!

@SouthernLullabies and @EnchantedOrphanage I love the idea of the white long sleeved onesies and white tights combo, and was planning on sending my Mom’s reborns to her in their “protective gear” but couldn’t end up finding the tights in the right size. Ended up just doing hospital theme instead with them wearing long sleeved onesies, white socks, and classic pastel candy striped hats and swaddled in plain white receiving blankets.
Told my parents multiple times that the babies are “allergic” to dark colors. No need to worry that I didn’t get the tights because months later they are still wearing their hospital clothes! lol