Does Napisan Remove Colour Run?

The dreaded colour run fiasco will happen to us all eventually. The stray sock, the scarf that got left behind, the t-shirt you thought would be fine to wash—they’ll all worm their way into the washing machine one day when we’re least expecting it, and ruin some laundry!

And if it has happened, or when it does happen to you, you’ll need to know how to deal with the problem immediately. Time really is of the essence when it comes to colour run! 

One of the simplest ways to deal with colour run on white coloured laundry is to use Napisan. Yep, it’s the same powdery product that removes germs and makes laundry hygienic. 

So, how does Napisan remove colour run from clothes? Keep on reading to find out.

How to Use Napisan to Remove Colour Run

The simplest way to treat a colour run problem is to pre-treat the marks before any formal washing takes place.

You will need: 

• Napisan
• Gloves
• Hot water
• Bowl/bucket
• Running water 
• Washing machine (optional)

Steps to follow:

1. Pop some protective gloves on before you start. 
2. Dilute some Napisan powder in some hot water. Then dip a cloth into the water and do a patch test on your stained item. Pick a discrete patch of material and check the results (a bleaching effect might occur on some materials and colours). Continue with this method if all works out well. 
3. Pour about five litres of hot water into a large bowl. 
4. Add two tablespoons of Napisan to the water. 
5. Pop your affected item into the water – it’s better to do one item at a time. 
6. Leave the item submerged in the water for about two hours. 
7. Go back and check on the item.
8. If the colour run has been lifted you can rinse the item under some tap water. 
9. Launder the item as you would normally. 
10. If the item is still soiled by colour run, leave it in the water for another hour or two. 
11. You can add an additional tablespoon of Napisan to the water for extremely difficult colour runs. 
12. You should then rinse the item and pop it into the washing machine/launder as usual. 
13. For further results you could add Napisan to the drawer of your washing machine to wash your clothes as well. 

Note: The method above works well on white coloured clothes. However, the method may not have the desired effect when treating coloured clothes (even though users say you can wash coloured items with Napisan, this treatment isn’t quite the same as washing), it may even have the opposite effect. Use with caution. 

 

Additional Products That Can Treat Colour Run

If you’re still on the fence about using Napisan, you can use other products to treat colour run related problems. Items that can help you include:

• Dylon S.O.S Colour Run can help to restore your damaged clothes to their former glory! You can either use these sachets in the washing machine or you can use them to hand wash your affected item. Results can usually be seen after a few hours of working with the product. 
• Dr Beckmann Colour Run Remover is also great at removing colour run from clothes. It’s very simple to work with and results are exceptional, if you follow the guidance on the box.
• HG Colour Remover for Run White Laundry can be used exclusively to remove colour run from white clothes. In addition to this, it can also be used to clean damaged delicate materials too, like wool. 

For more advice on how to remove colour run from white clothes in particular, check out our guide. 

 

How to Stop Colour Run from Happening in the Future

When a stray sock gets mixed up in the wrong wash a small catastrophe tends to happen. 

Dye from the sock seems to miraculously spread itself over all the items in the drum, and in the end, you end up with a clean but tainted pile of laundry! 

So, instead of facing this nightmare, follow these steps to keep your laundry safe from colour runs:

• Separate your laundry into piles – coloured clothes and white clothes is usually the easiest way to do this. 
• Check your laundry before you pop it into the machine – keep a look out for a problematic item of clothing. 
• If a colour run has taken place, find and remove the source of the problem and wash the laundry again. Act fast! 
• Never tumble dry clothes that have been plagued by colour run – heat will make the dye set quicker! 
• Try to remove the colour run from your laundry as soon as possible, this will give your clothes the best chance of surviving the ordeal.  
• Always read clothing care labels before washing items – you might be told to wash an item in a particle way and you’ll be able to avoid a colour run mishap. 
• Add a colour catcher to your wash to catch any dye runs, so they don’t ruin your laundry! 
• If a colour run episode has occurred, you should clean out your washing machine before using it again. Some dye might be left behind in the machine and you don’t want it to damage more of your laundry.