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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Clean dye residue out of washing machine?

5 replies

RoseRoseDaisy · 15/02/2021 23:53

Sorry in advance for the long post.
So I washed a new-to-me purple gilet in our washing machine last night. Following instructions "warm wash with like colours'. I used persil bio (probably baaaaad idea). When I took out the gilet the rubber door seal of the washing machine had been dyed purple (as had the lovely fleece lining and toggle button loops of the gilet).
To try and remove the dye I ran a 60 degree wash with Napisan (oxygen laundry bleach) and included a colour catcher to monitor the colour run. The colour catcher came out bright purple and the rubber seal was still purple.
Then today I ran a hot cycle with Dettol washing machine cleaner, which didn't seem to help.
Then I did a 50/50 bleach solution and wiped some of the seal with a cloth - i couldn't see any colour coming off so I gave it a once over and gave up. Bleach triggers asthma for me so had to keep it quick.
I ran a rinse and then washed some dishcloths, with a colour catcher to monitor colour in the machine. After the wash, the seal looks less brightly purple but the colour catcher has come out brown.... (not from the dishcloths, they weren't dirty and don't colour-run).
I need to do our laundry but don't want to dye it all brown with the colour residue in the machine.
On Google I found advice to use a cup of bleach in a hot wash. I'm reluctant due to bleach fumes / asthma. Would also worry about the machine.
Please does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can remove the colour residue from the washing machine?

OP posts:
minchinfin · 15/02/2021 23:57

Squirt of bleach on a wipe, wipe round the seals. Do a wash with a squirt of bleach in the drum (via the detergent tray). Another rinse with pure water. Do towels or something as first wash just in case.

I do this all the time after using Dylon home dyes.

HardAsSnails · 16/02/2021 00:02

I've done a lot of machine dyeing and just run a maintenance/boil wash next. The seals stay dye tinged for a while after but it's never caused a problem (whites have stayed white etc).

RoseRoseDaisy · 16/02/2021 00:50

Thank you both, 2 things to try tomorrow. @minchinfin - a squirt of bleach sounds more reasonable than a cup! @HardAsSnails will give the 90 degree wash a go.

OP posts:
minchinfin · 16/02/2021 09:45

Yes I forgot to say, I do the washes at 90 too.

The only way to uncolour the seals is the squirt of neat bleach on a cloth or some kitchen roll and wipe round.

If you use kitchen roll it can go straight in the bin after and I don't think you get much in the way of fumes with a squirt of thick bleach.

Cup sounds way too much! It does foam up when you do the 90 wash so only use a small amount!

abstractzebra · 16/02/2021 12:00

I've dyed some towels before and followed the instructions to do an empty wash afterwards but there was dye residue in the seal.
I just left it and continued to wash as normal and it just faded away.

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