Bleach turned white shirt's collar BRIGHT pink!!!

[JemimaBee]

Since my favourite white shirt's collar was getting yellow, I decided to bleach it to restore the original whiteness. As soon as I soaked the shirt into the water+bleach solution, the collar turned BRIGHT pink!! The shirt has been soaking for 2 hours and the pink does not look any less intense.

I read online it may be because of some chemicals in the sunscreen I use? Has anyone any clue about how to get rid of the pink? There must be something I can do.

That's my favourite shirt, I can't bin it

PLEASE HELP!!!!!

Hi, while I still am a mum, im also a grandmother. I have lots of tricks and tips I’ve learnt over the years and am the ‘go to person’ for stains, repairs and suchlike so joined your group. Regarding the pink stains left on white shirts due to sunscreen...this is caused by a reaction to the sunscreen when bleach is introduced. The polyester content in the fibre seems to contribute. As pure cotton does not react the same ...
Solution: a straightforward mix of washing powder or gel with ‘Vanish crystal white oxi action’ double the amount you would normally use and let it soak for 1 to 2 hours and bingo 👌 pristine white school shirts

Hi folks, just some added knowledge: apparently this is caused by a chemical in some sunblocks, particularly sprays, that reacts with iron particles in water to produce a browny yellow stain. It’s essentially a rust stain!

I came back from holiday with one of my white vest (that I bought two weeks ago) covered in yellow patches. Didn’t realise what it was and dumped it in fabric bleach which turned the whole thing deep deep pink!

Tried soaking for two hours in bicarbonate of soda but only lightened a few of the patches. Then read somewhere online that they are rust stains. Googled rust stain removal and found that white vinegar and other light acids should do the trick. Diluted 1-2 tablespoons of vitamin c powder in about two litres of water and dumped the vest in. 20 mins of soaking later and it’s bright white again!!

Neutralised it with baking soda and then rinsed well and soaked in diluted fabric softener.

I’m sure distilled white vinegar will do the same, I just happened to have powdered vitamin c at home.

Hope this helps others!

What I did was hang the pink stained garment in the sun all day - and amazingly the pink faded away after a couple of hours. The UV light reacted with the bleached suncreen stain which had turned pink and it completely vanished....amazing. Try it .

@ JemimaBee Soak overnight in oxi magic and wash as normal. Works everytime.

Interesting! This happened when we moved over to vinegar as fabric softener, to underwear only. All my white bras are now shocking pink! I'll try soaking in soda crystals. The pink certainly doesn't wash out.

Just reporting back - soda crystals did nothing and I shall have to resort to Milton if I want a white bra again.

I’ve just followed this thread, for some white school polo shorts had gone a deep hot pink under the collar where I’d sprayed bleach.

Tried loads of bicarbonate of soda, no change despite a very satisfying fizzy reaction.

Hung them outside in the sun (whilst still wet with the bicarbonate of soda solution ).

After half an hour the pink has completely disappeared in 90% of it (some small patches still to go) and it’s gone back to the slightly yellowish colour it was before the bleaching. I can’t believe it.

It is about 23 degrees right now with direct sunlight hitting the stains.

Yes bright sunshine is the answer. When I was last on holiday in a med country the cleaners were pegging out laundry (not ours, they were very sanguine about overlapping, fortunately so were we) and the white items had patches of bright pink. I asked about it in my very dodgy Spanish and she said it would go in the sun. She was absolutely correct any everything was brilliant white when dry.

Just did a quick Google of my issue.....I should have know MN would be the top result.

My beautiful white top was ruined 2 days ago by P20 suncream. (It's been so long since I needed it I'd forgotten it does this.)
So I washed the top and have left it 48 hours to fade in the sun. No luck. So into a bucket of bleach and water....BOOM.....it's half crimson.

Quick Google and here I am!!

I will leave a while. Then wash and then stick back in the sun. I have nothing to lose and none of my usual powders here.

Hi there.
No worries! The stains usually come off after the first wash. If not - hang then dry in very bright sun. As a very last resort - soak your item in vodka for a while.

I read your post and decided to use soda crystals in hot water. It did the trick and got the pink out of my favourite white sweater! Thank you!