Half a cup of salt in the first wash of new dark clothes
Less colour bleeding for the next few washes.
Why it works
Salt raises the ionic strength of the water, which reduces how much loose dye lifts off the fibre. It does not fix dye permanently, so the effect fades after a few washes.
Did it work for you?
One tap, one report per person. Reports are how we find out which fixes don't hold up.
Related fixes
Home & living›Laundry
Turn zippers and prints inside out before machine washing
The fabric takes the friction instead of the print or the coating.
Free · 1 min—
Home & living›Laundry
Leave a hand's width between each item on the drying rack
Airflow between garments matters more than airflow around the rack.
Free · 2 min—
Home & living›Laundry
Newspaper under the drying rack plus a fan beats any heater
Indoor drying in monsoon without the damp smell.
Free · 5 min$14/yr
Home & living›Repairs
Test a dead outlet with a lamp before assuming the wiring failed
Rules out the cheap, common cause before paying for a diagnosis of the rare one.
Free · 2 min—
Home & living›Storage & space
Store off-season items in rolling bins under the bed
Turns dead space nobody uses into a full extra shelf.
$15 · 10 min—
Home & living›Storage & space
Vacuum-seal out-of-season clothes before they go on a shelf
Roughly a third of the shelf space, and moth-proof for the season.
$10 · 10 min—