Does anyone know what causes those "blue stains" on laundry when they are washed and dried? I don't know if they are coming from the washer or the dryer. I have ran things through the wash for the first time and get blue spots on them and then viola!, they are stained for life and ruined. I heard it can be caused by fabric softener or dryer sheets, but I don't know if that's the case. Can anyone help me?
When I wash several differ color tops, I use shout color catcher in washing machine, with good results. Put shout it out on stain first then put shout color catcher in washer, let washer fill up and then put clothes in washer. (10/02/2006)
by Sue
I hear it is from using too much detergent, I have this happen all the time but since I have been using less detergent I have not had it happen at all! (10/02/2006)
I have that happen a lot, I asked my in laws, who own a dry cleaner, they said I am using too much detergent. I have been using less and have not had the blue spots return. (10/02/2006)
By Linda
This had me curious and I found this on the cleaning 101 website.
http://www.cleaning101.com/laundry/fact/laundrytable1.cfm#4
Causes:
Failure of a blue coloring in detergent, laundry aid or fabric softener to dissolve or disperse.
Solutions:
If caused by a detergent or powdered laundry aid, add 1 cup (240 ml) of white vinegar to 1 quart (.95L) of water. Use a plastic container. Soak item for one hour; rinse.
If caused by fabric softener, rub stains with bar soap, wash.
Preventive Measures:
Add product first, then clothes and start washer.
Dilute fabric softener before adding to wash or rinse cycle, or to dispenser.
(10/06/2006)
By Mary
I've had this a few times. I happened to be using Liquid Tide at the time. Also we have very hard water. I tried vinegar to get them out, but no luck. I don't use fabric softener so my only thought is that it had to do with the reaction of the Tide to our hard water. I've been using powdered detergent from Costco and have had no problems. (10/16/2006)
By Robin
Well I have to say, I have read all of the comments written here, I have the same problem, and I'm all the way in Perth Western Australia. and have come to the conclusion, that for me its NOT the dryer, I don't use one, Its NOT the fabric softener, I dont use that either, so I'm down to trying less powder in the machine, wish me luck!- Carol (10/28/2006)
I read some info on this site and I can't believe it worked! I have ruined many articles of clothing or so I thought. The blue spots are from too much laundry detergent so I cut it in half. I haven't been getting spots anymore. Then I proceeded to soak some of the clothes I had previously ruined in a cup of vinegar to a half gallon of water and they came clean! I couldn't believe it but am so happy to know you can find answers on these types of websites. (11/01/2006)
By Jill
If you have found that softener is causing your blue spot problem, switch to white vinegar. One cup at rinse cycle or just put in your rinse dispenser, & your clothes come out nice & soft. Plus your towels will be more absorbent after your shower or bath !
I also put 1 cup of vinegar in my wash cycle w/very little detergent. You really only need about a third of the "recommended" amount anyway. They just want you to use more to buy more! Then about every 10 washes I use only Borax, or something like it, & the vinegar, to get all the built up soap residue out.
Good luck all! (12/04/2006)
By Nanci-San Diego
*POSSIBLE EXPLANATION* I have been finding blue spots randomly all over anything white that comes out of the laundry. Straight away i assumed that it was my washing machine which worried me as it was practically new. I had a peek on this forum and noticed that everyone seemed to have one thing in common - that they used "Tide." As they do not produce Tide in the UK, where I live, I checked out who the manufacturer was and it appears to be a company called Proctor & Gamble (P&G).
Karen (02/12/2007)
By Karen
This is not our washers or dryers! It is something new they are adding to the detergents. It may be that bleach alternative chemical they use now. It happened first with Cheer, I switched to Tide, happened again, switched to a cheap store brand and it happened again! But, I found something that took my blue stains out, long after they showed up too.
By Lyn Croasmun
I have found it to be the liquid fabric softener. I have a front loading washer & when I would use the liquid softener in the dispenser it would leave blue stains. I had the repair man out for the washer & he said it was the liquid. I didn't believe him until I quit using it & the stains quit showing up! I was using blue liquid downy. (03/03/2007)
By Stacy
I am so glad that I am not the only one that has experienced blue stains. I thought at first just like everyone else it was the fabric softener so of course I stopped using it and the stains still appeared. What I have found that takes it out is the detergent by Ivory for babies. I actually called Downy and that is what they recommended. (04/25/2007)
By 4tothesand
I asked a friend about it, she said she uses Gain, I tried it several weeks ago, I love it, the clothes are clean, they smell great and NO BLUE SPOTS. I not going back to Tide. (06/10/2007)
In most cases the blue stains on whites in laundry is caused by oxidized copper sloughing from the copper pipes in your home. The increased copper release can be caused by several things: increased water flow, water temperature changes, water chemistry changes, etc. One way to help avoid the staining on whites is to add some sequestering agent with the wash; such as Oxyclean, or clear vinegar might help. Most of the time the blue stains are not caused by colored detergents or other additives. (08/17/2007)
By Dave
I believe it is Tide. I had the same problem for a very long time, I changed to Gain about 3 months ago and have not had one stain since. (08/17/2007)
By Sellington
I just had this happen to a new cream colored sweater. I have not had this happen for about 10 years. My sister says it happens to her all the time, and she thought it was the fabric softener for sure.
I know she was disappointed because it always seemed to ruin new clothes. I noticed this happens a lot with NEW clothes...even in this thread. Ever wonder why manufacturer's put dark colored tags on light colored clothes? I think the blue stains come from the tags on new clothes. (01/23/2008)
By Sandi
Okay, here's another idea. Do any of you use powdered mineral make-up? I just washed a load (didn't dry it yet) and found more spots on a white sweater and entwined with two of the spots were tiny, little pieces of black "bristle" (like the little pieces of "bristle" my make-up brush that came with my powdered mineral make-up often leaves on my face when I apply the make-up). I pulled these little pieces of bristles (1/16-1/4") right out of the blue spots! One spot was even the same length and shape as the bristle that came from it. This would explain why the spots are almost always on my clothes and almost always on the fronts of my clothes! (04/19/2008)
By Jan
I seriously don't think it has anything to do with the kind of washer you use. My washer and dryer are both a good 15 years old. I've had this problem on and off for several years using mainly Purex with bleach alternative. We recently switched to the concentrated Purex and its really awful. My white towels, socks and lights are the worst. I'm convinced its the newer super-concentrated blue detergents. I'm going to use vinegar in my f.s. dispenser when I put the detergent in I'm going to mix it into the water with my hand thoroughly. That stuff just lays there in the water when you put it in. (05/11/2008)
By Jana H.
I got a white logo golf shirt in a place that I'll never be going to again - a valued memento! The first time I washed it - YES in Tide 2x - the dreaded blue botches were present before it was dried. There was no softener, just Tide 2x. I tried all the tricks on this blog, Yahoo answers, etc., with little luck. Oxy-clean paste and soaking had a small effect. Getting more desperate - Clorox bleach pen (carefully rinsing after each application) reduced but didn't eliminate the blotches. I noticed that the Clorox-bleached areas were yellowish and seemed to have a substance in the fabric even though not blue any more.
CONCLUSION: There is something in the new clothes, like sizing, and Tide is using a bluing that permanently colors it.
SOLUTION: How much do you want these items white again? I put the damp shirt on a hanger, took it out to the wash line and sprayed it all over with good-ol' bleach from a spray bottle (carefully avoiding the precious logo). After five minutes I used a garden hose with a pressure nozzle to wash it out again. Spraying full force from the inside actually dislodged the sizing, which had turned purple from the bleach even in areas without the Tide blotches. After three repetitions the blue and the purple spots were gone so I put the wet shirt into the washer for a rinse and spin. Now that I understand what's going on, I think it might have worked even better if I'd pressure washed some of the sizing out before bleaching.
PREVENTION: Never use a P&G product again if I can help it. They've been pestered about this for years and won't even admit it happens, when they could be helping people get their clothes back to being wearable. Wash new clothes with dye-free products for a while. Mix blue products into the water before adding clothes. (05/17/2008)
By Mika
Is it possible that some chemical from an individuals body is interacting with either the chemicals in the detergent and or the water that is causing the stains? Like for example some mineral or vitamin or medication (like an antibiotic) that might be excreted by the skin, then absorbed into your clothes fabric? Isn't that the most likely scenario?
That some chemical from your body, gets into the clothing fibers and interacts differently and only occasionally with some other chemical; and in only certain circumstances, such as...temperature of the wash, certain acidity of the water that day, or copper piping, and some ubiquitous or common chemical in a detergent.
We need a chemist or a biologist, or maybe a doctor, or someone familiar with skin chemistry to make a guess at this. This seems exactly like the kind of problem that lags on and on, until someone puts the pieces together. (07/26/2008)
By adrianw
I sent an email to SC Johnson & Company because they make a product called "Color Catcher". The light pink tee shirt that I had purchased was made in Guatemala was 100% cotton, carried the White Stag Brand and was sold at Wal-Mart. There were no special care instructions with it. As you will see, SC Johnson mentions "imported 100% cotton".
Apparently this has been going on for some time because why would a manufacturer like SC Johnson create this product? They realized that there was a problem and therefore would be a demand for it.
Here is SC Johnson's answer:
Thank you for asking about Shout® Color Catcher. Our product has been around since 2002 to absorb and trap loose dyes in the wash.
Many garments today are "non-colorfast", with label clues like: wash in cold water, wash separately, wash with deep color dyes, imported 100% cottons or silks. We recommend you carefully read label directions before laundering any items, and especially those labeled as above.
For more information on our product, we invite you to visit www.shoutitout.com. Please let us know if we can help you in any other way.
Regards, Carolyn
Consumer Relationship Center
SC Johnson, A Family Company
Toll Free Number: 1-800-558-5252
www.scjbrands.com
(07/26/2008)
By Betty from WCH OHIO
Almost everyone except one entry is on the wrong track. Blue-green stains are cause by water that has too low a ph factor. Do a lot of you have well water? I'll bet that is true. I do and I have been getting blue-green stains not only in my white clothes wash but on my shower walls. Unfortunately the only real answer is to get ph correction in your system. (09/19/2008)
By Bob A
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