How to Make Pink Clothes White Again Without Bleach

Can You Fix White Clothes Turned Pink Without Bleach?

Although chlorine bleach is an effective whitener, it isn’t suitable for all materials.

In fact, in its neat form, it can dissolve fibres and leave holes in your clothing. And even when diluted, it isn’t always safe to use, so be sure to check your garment’s care tag.

If you spot the “do not bleach” symbol – a triangle with a cross through it – you’ll need to use a gentler stain remover.

Due to its highly caustic nature, bleach can also cause skin irritation, so isn’t ideal for clothing.

Luckily, there are plenty of alternatives you can try – explore the different methods below.  

How Do You Get Pink Clothes White Again?

The best way to strip pink colour run out of white clothing is to soak the affected items to lift out the dye. There are multiple products you can use to do this and we’ll cover five of the best.

1. Oxygen bleach

The first option is oxygen bleach – a natural alternative to chlorine bleach.

Made from a blend of sodium percarbonate and hydrogen peroxide, when exposed to water it releases oxygen. This in turn helps to draw out stains trapped in fabric, including accidental pink dye transfer.

Popular products include OxiClean Stain Remover and Vanish Oxi Action Laundry Whitener.

Just add one scoop of either powder into a sink or bucket filled with warm water and stir until dissolved. Leave to cool, then place the stained garment into the solution and leave to soak.

Check the item’s progress every 30 minutes until you can no longer see the pink tinge.

90 minutes is typically long enough, although you can leave it submerged for up to 4 hours if needed. Then rinse the garment thoroughly in cold water and launder as usual with detergent.

2. White vinegar

Another method you can try is a diluted white vinegar solution, which is safe to use on most fabrics.

Mix 1-2 cups of distilled white vinegar into a sink or bucket of warm water, depending on the level of staining.

Soak the item in the mixture for 30 minutes, then rinse with cold water and check to see if the pink tinge has gone.

If your white garment still looks discoloured, repeat the process using a fresh batch of the solution. Then wash in the machine as normal.

3. Bicarbonate of soda

Alternatively, you could swap out the vinegar for a cup of bicarbonate of soda.

Make sure the water is hot to start with and stir in the bicarb with a wooden spoon until it has dissolved.

Add the pink stained item into the solution and soak for 60 minutes.

When time’s up, remove the item, lay it out on your draining board and scrub gently with a soft bristle brush. This agitation will help to work out any remaining dye stuck in the fibres.

Next, rinse the item thoroughly in cold water, then wash it on a regular laundry cycle with detergent.

Tip: Worried about leftover bicarb making your clothes feel crispy? Run an extra rinse cycle or add 1 cup of white vinegar to the fabric softener compartment to help break down the residue.

4. Biological laundry detergent

Don’t have any of the above products to hand? A stain-busting laundry detergent like Persil’s Biological Laundry Washing Liquid Detergent is often enough to tackle pink transfer stains.

The best way to use it is to add 2 teaspoons to a bowl of warm water to create a soapy mix.

Submerge the garment for an hour, then transfer it straight to the washing machine without rinsing.

Add another dose of detergent to the machine for extra cleaning power. Then wash the item on a standard cycle of at least 40°C (or the highest temperature it can withstand).

5. RIT Colour Remover

If the pink tinge is particularly stubborn and the above methods fail, a commercial colour remover is definitely worth a try.

One option is RIT Colour Remover, which is designed to strip dyes out of fabric. But it can also be used to restore stained whites to their former glory. You’ll need a stainless steel pot or pan large enough to hold your garment.

Fill the pot with water, bring it to the boil on your hob, then lower the heat and pour in the colour remover sachet.

Stir with a wooden spoon until fully dissolved, then add in your stained clothing and leave to simmer for 10 minutes.

After that time, lift it out of the solution using a pair of tongs and the pink marks should be gone. If not, submerge it for another 10 minutes.

Rinse thoroughly in lukewarm running water, then launder with your usual detergent.

Otherwise, you could try Dr. Beckmann’s Colour Safe Colour Run Remover. For this method, you’ll need a large plastic container with a lid that can be filled with enough water to cover the affected item.

Dissolve one sachet of the colour run remover in the warm water, then add your item and ensure it is fully underwater.

Put the lid on the container and leave it to soak for 4 hours to start with. If the item is still stained after that time, submerge it overnight. Rinse well and then launder as normal.

Additional Tips for Whitening Clothes Without Bleach

• As soon as you spot the pink tinge, rinse the garment in cold water to stop it setting in.
• When washing your item in the machine (after the soaking treatment), add ½ cup of bicarbonate of soda or 1 scoop of Vanish to the drum. This will give your detergent an extra boost to help remove any traces of dye.
• Add 1 cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle in place of fabric softener to help brighten your whites. This will also aid the breakdown of any leftover stain removal products.
• Finally, be sure to air dry your garment, rather than tumble drying. You can use an airer or ideally, an outdoor washing line to utilise the sun’s naturally brightening UV rays. But don’t use the dryer until you’re 100% sure the pink stains have gone – this is best checked once it is fully dry. If any dye remains, the heat could set it in permanently!