What should I do if a coloured garment stains a white or light garment in the wash?

Colour transfer (dye bleed from one garment onto another in the same wash) is one of the most distressing fabric accidents — but it is often fixable if treated quickly.

Act immediately — before the garment dries:

1. Re-wash the stained white garment immediately in cold water alone (no soap) — this alone removes a large percentage of transferred dye
2. If colour remains: soak in oxygen bleach solution (OxiClean or similar — NOT chlorine bleach) for 1–4 hours
3. For cotton: a mixture of 1 part hydrogen peroxide (3%) and 2 parts water applied to the stained area and left for 30 minutes can lift remaining dye
4. Commercial colour run removers (Dr. Beckmann Colour Run Remover or similar) are effective — follow product instructions

If the garment is already dry: The transferred dye has set and is much harder to remove. Professional dry cleaning with colour-specific treatment is the best option.