What caused these tiny white spots on my cotton sweater?

[crossedlines]

Sweater was hanging in the wardrobe and I took it out to find this! It’s thin 100% cotton, not washed recently (but was fine after the last wash) No other garments hanging either side and touching it are affected.

You washed a tissue or something that sheds with it.

No, it’s nothing that brushes off. And it was fine after the last wash. This has definitely happened while it was in the wardrobe.

Spray bleach backfire from when you last wore it.

Yes looks like bleach spots. Do you use a spray ?

@pastabestit does look like that doesn’t it? Except I was nowhere near bleach! It’s quite a smart sweater. Last time I wore it was a few weeks ago, it was fine when I took it off and I hung it up as it didn’t need a wash, I’d just worn it for a couple of hours in the evening.

is it all over or just in one place? This happened to one of mine when I washed it with vanish oxi white

Mould?

@rosieblthe spots are pretty evenly spread all over
@Horrorscopewouldn’t mould affect other garments that were hanging with it and touching? The wardrobe is dry and the sweater was dry when I hung it up. It was absolutely fine when I put it away and then a few weeks later I take it out and it’s like this. And no other clothes around it are affected. I’ve never seen anything like this before!

Yeah, admittedly it was a VERY long shot (the mould suggestion) as I’m as baffled as you are.

What event did you wear it to? Anything where anything was sprayed? Bubbles popped? Airfreshener sprayed in the toilets? Perfume?

Did you use an oxy wash booster or a stain spray? That can bleach fabrics also. The only way to save it is to dye it black or something very deep.

Puzzling - can you post a picture of whole thing, front and back. Or describe if spots are evenly spread over the front, arms and back.

Can you do a small patch test with a little water and see if they come out?

Was the top hung up in the usual way, so only an edge of an arm showed between all the other clothes. Or perhaps your wardrobe rails are front to back. I’m thinking some kind of spray - hairspray, perfume, deodorant, room spray and this caught the full force because the wardrobe door was open?

I thought I had suddenly developed raging dandruff the other day, until I realised it was the ‘snow’ coming off my Christmas tree onto my black cardigan!

@Imgoingtobefreesome interesting ideas.. it’s literally all over, not an area which could be explained by having been caught by a deodorant or room spray etc. Just very tiny spots all over. The only way I can describe it, it’s as if the fabric has developed some fault. Mad I know! I’m going to wash it today, it’s hand wash only, exactly as I’ve done in the past and see what happens. I’m even bypassing your suggestion of a patch test because tbh, it’s unwearable like this so I’ve nothing to lose, I’ll need to throw it away if I can’t get rid of the spots. They really do feel as if the fabric has actually become discoloured (rather than it being a substance on the fabric IYSWIM)
Will report back later!

Textile scientist here.

The fabric won’t have developed a fault. That is colour damage. Bleach or something has affected it.

Interesting! I washed it (on a very gentle machine hand wash cycle) It’s almost dry and the marks are barely visible. On the left of the photo you can see some tiny spots but they’re pale and more pink (more like marks usually are if you accidently get bleach spots)
i’m wondering what will happen when it’s fully dry and I hang it back in the wardrobe… will the spots turn white?
@ArseInTheCoOpWindowas a textile scientist what’s your prediction?

😁l have no idea!

The marks may get more noticeable when it fully dries.

Pale pink suggests this is some sort of bleach. But I’m stumped! It looks
like what is called discharge printing. This is when the colour on something is bleached out to create a pattern.

What does the back of it look like?

The back looks like the photo I just posted. It’s quite thin, fine cotton. I agree, it’s very strange! I’ve had the pinkish bleach spots on garments in the past but never seen this before. I can’t believe the difference after a short, cool washing cycle. But I won’t get too excited - who knows if the dozens of white spots will reappear!

I mean the inside.

i meant the inside too! It’s like the last photo. There’s not much difference in the appearance of tbe outside or inside, I think because it’s such fine fabric. Same with the first picture - the white spots were visible both sides. It feels dry to the touch now and no change…. Yet!

I give up!

If it was the same inside and outside then it’s definitely something that’s caused the colour to go or soaked through.

But l have no idea! Something that’s caused the colour to disappear but not permanently is beyond my brain!

What were you wearing underneath it?

A vest top, one I’d worn plenty of other times

What about soap residue that you hadn't noticed before? It's caused by using too much detergent apparently.

Looks not unlike this

(see number 4 in this list) https://inthewash.co.uk/laundry-and-ironing/what-causes-spots-on-clothes-after-washing/

and here

https://spincyclelaundrychicago.com/how-to-remove-white-residue-from-clothes-after-washing/

I have lots of black joggers. Some of them have developed what looks like a small rust stain after washing. It’s not removed by any sort of stain remover and is here to stay! What on earth could that be?