I noticed that my towels were discolored. What should I do? – Blackening Edition –

We have received your concerns about discoloration of your laundry.
Next, we will answer your questions about dark spots.

My towels are turning black! Why?

I've heard from many sources that towels gradually become darker after repeated washing.There are several causes of dark spotsIt seemed

The solutions vary depending on the cause, so we'll introduce some typical examples.

① Accumulation of fine particles

If you use a towel for a long time,Fine dirt particles such as "pigments" and "dust" that come off clothes that have been washed together(Fine particles) are absorbed into the towel along with the washing water.Gradual accumulationAnd so,Dark spots occurTo do.

Towels absorb many times more water than clothes.In addition toThe fabric is structured like a filter.For,It catches dirt in the water during washing.Hm.

Near a busy road,Dusty placeEven if you dry it outdoors, it will be more likely to attract fine particles floating in the air.

The darkening in this case occurs due to the adsorption of dirt in the water and fine particles in the air, and tends to occur all over the towel.

↳ How to solve and prevent dark spots caused by particulate dirt

If the cause is dye leaching from other clothingDissolve the powdered oxygen bleach in water.It can be removed by soaking it in water..

But,When fine dirt particles are mixed inIn order to remove dirt from deep within the fibers, you must repeatedly rub and scrub the towel vigorously in water.It doesn't fall off easily.

The best prevention is to prevent dirt from accumulating..

洗濯はWash thoroughly with plenty of water and rinse thoroughly.This prevents dirt from accumulating.

↳ An unexpected cause! Charcoal body soap

Binchotan and bamboo charcoal are similar to fine particles, so body soap and shampooIf it gets on your laundry and mixes with the washing water, it can cause stains.You may.

② Mold growth

Just like yellowing, the center of a bath towel or the top and bottom edges of a face towel can be affected.Frequently used areas appear slightly darkenedThis is what happens whenMold grows on the fabric of the towelBecause I do.

The pile surface dries relatively quickly, so mold is less likely to develop.The fabric takes a long time to dry and is prone to stains.Because,In warm seasons, mold can grow quickly if you are not careful.I will do it.

Mold has strong roots in the fibers,Once it occurs, it will not disappear even if sterilized..

↳ How to solve and prevent dark spots caused by mold

If it is early stage,Soak in water or hot water with an appropriate amount of powdered oxygen bleach dissolved in it, or boil it with baking soda.In some cases it may be possible to remove it, but usually it can only be removed with chlorine bleach.

If you have plain white towels, you can restore them to their pure white state with chlorine bleach.However, if the item is colored or patterned, unfortunately there is nothing you can do. Please consider it time to replace it.

Wash or dry immediately after useThat is the point.

Mold cannot grow without the nutrients of dirt and moisture.Do not leave it dirty or damp.Let's keep this in mind.

3. Repeated use of fabric softener

Repeated use of fabric softenerThe whole towel becomes dark somehow.You may.

This is not due to the fabric softener itself discoloring,Fabric softener makes towels more likely to attract microscopic dirt and pigments.Because.

Fabric softeners have a positive electrical charge, so they tend to attract fine dirt and pigments that have a negative electrical charge. This is explained in the section on accumulation of fine dirt particles.Darkening due to accumulation of fine particlesIs more likely to occur.

Also, although it does not cause blackening, it has the property of strongly attracting the pigments contained in tea, coffee, etc., making tea and coffee stains difficult to remove.

Furthermore, repeated use of fabric softenerNot only will it turn black, but it will also stop absorbing water..

↳ How to prevent darkening caused by fabric softener

Fabric softeners are used to restore the slipperiness of fabrics..

It depends on the material of the laundry and how you wash it, but recent fabric softenersOnce used, the ingredients remain for 2-3 washes.So you don't necessarily need to use it every time.When you start to feel the hardness of the material,When you feel that the smoothness is disappearing, first try it once.Let's make use of it.

In the article "Powder? Liquid? Delicate laundry? How to choose laundry detergent and how to use bleach and fabric softener properly,"How to use fabric softener correctlyWe are introducing the following. Please take a look.

④ Use water-saving washing machines

For water-saving washing machines such as drum washing machinesEven a slight change in conditions can easily cause both cleaning and rinsing to be insufficient, resulting in incomplete removal of dirt.Laundry tends to get darkIt is said that.

Even if you sayThe main cause is not the washing machine itself, but relying too much on the capabilities of the washing machine and detergent.What is it?

Trying to wash too much at onceIf you overstuff your laundry or use the wrong amount of detergent or fabric softener,Naturally, the efficiency of the washing decreases.The dirt that comes off will no longer come off..

In particularFor drum-type washing machinesMany models do not allow you to change conditions such as the amount of water or number of rinses, so you may need to adjust the settings depending on the type of laundry or how dirty it is.It is important to carefully adjust the amount of laundry you wash at one time and select a cycle that suits the type of laundry and how dirty it is..

↳ How to prevent blackening with water-saving washing machines

Water-saving washing machines are prone to stains if they are not washed under the best conditions.Because there is a tendencyLoad a small amount of laundry and choose a cycle that will wash as thoroughly as possible.That is the point.

It's a trick, but especiallyWhen washing towels, soak them in water first to make them heavier before putting them in the washing machine.(=Trick your washing machine) is also recommended.

The attractive claims for washing machines and detergents are basically based on the "best conditions",In some cases things don't go as expectedThere is also a thing.

For example, the maximum capacity of a washing machine is a theoretical limit, and in reality manufacturers recommend washing at around 70% of the maximum capacity, and "one rinse" actually means "one rinse is OK if the clothes are only slightly dirty."

Don't be fooled by the claims of "water saving" or "energy saving", but check the condition of the dirt and the type of washing machine you are using.It is ideal to determine the amount of laundry that can be washed efficiently and to have a certain degree of understanding of the performance of the washing machine and detergent.is not it.

It is important to wash clothes according to the situation each time..

Bonus: Laundry turns brown after hanging out to dry! Why?

This doesn't happen much with towels,Discoloration that sometimes occurs on synthetic fiber clothing and synthetic resin parts.

Nitrogen oxide gas produced when something is burnedis contained in synthetic resins, etc.When reacted with antioxidants, brown or yellow discoloration occurs.I will

Cotton towels do not contain antioxidantsHowever, from the surrounding synthetic resins,Adsorbs evaporated acid inhibitorsYou may.

In particular, if the material contains moisture, it is more likely to adsorb gases, for example.If wet towels are left in synthetic resin laundry baskets or laundry bags for a long time, they will absorb the antioxidants released from the baskets and nitrogen oxide gas in the air, causing discoloration.There is something that happened.

We often hear stories of people washing their canvas sneakers and the rubber or glue turning brown, or of their clothes discoloring after eating hot pot or grilling meat indoors, but these are based on the same principle.