Keeping blacks black

[Serendipity]

Originally Posted by Van

So it would act as a doughnut and a gel at the same time ! Brilliant ! Think of the money it'll save!

What do you think a R04 "gelly doughnut" would taste like ?

Uh, R04? Don't think that'd taste half as good as R42 Raspberry-flavored one.

"Gelly" huh? Excellent.

[cdub260]

Originally Posted by Nikgwolf

Thanks for everyone's advice....but seriously, nobody's tried throwing a few Sharpies into the wash?

Nik

What? And ruin a perfectly good sharpie? Never! Well, at least not on purpose.

I've put sharpies through the wash which I'd left in my pants pocket. The only result was a ruined sharpie.

[Nikgwolf]

Aww shucks. So much for the sharpie idea. Anyhoo, I remember seeing a comercial for detergent a few years ago that was designed for black clothes only. I assume that it included some black dye. Do they still sell such a thing? Has anyone used it?

Nik

[Radiant]

Xerox/Copier toner does not work, just so you know.

[lieperjp]

Originally Posted by Nikgwolf

Aww shucks. So much for the sharpie idea. Anyhoo, I remember seeing a comercial for detergent a few years ago that was designed for black clothes only. I assume that it included some black dye. Do they still sell such a thing? Has anyone used it?

Nik

Ha... My friend just let a black mini sharpie slip into the wash. After the washing machine the clothes looked fine, but it was in the dryer where the marker exploded. It took him about half an hour to clean out the dryer with one of those Mr. Clean Magic Erasers and about 20 minutes on each piece of clothing (most of his shirts were in the wash) to get the stains out with a combination of Tide-2-Go, Oxi-Clean Pen, and Shout.

But that's not so bad. When I worked at the Dry Cleaners, each and every pocket needed to be checked because dry cleaning solvent melts plastic, so if a pen slipped in - 20 very expensive pairs of pants ruined.

You can pick up clothing dye at your local Wal-Mart and Target, look in the aisle where the Fabric Softener and detergents are. Or try a local Craft store.

[cdub260]

Originally Posted by lieperjp

Ha... My friend just let a black mini sharpie slip into the wash. After the washing machine the clothes looked fine, but it was in the dryer where the marker exploded. It took him about half an hour to clean out the dryer with one of those Mr. Clean Magic Erasers and about 20 minutes on each piece of clothing (most of his shirts were in the wash) to get the stains out with a combination of Tide-2-Go, Oxi-Clean Pen, and Shout.

So basically, what you're saying is I was lucky the sharpie fell out of my pocket in the washer and never made the trip to the dryer. Is that about right?

[icewolf08]

You know you are a techie when: your laundry sorting consists of a load of blacks and a load of everything else.

Seriously, the best thing to do is wash blacks with only blacks. Also, I know that Woolite makes a detergent specifically for blacks, and I am sure there must be others.

[howlingwolf487]

I wash my blacks with Woolite...or whatever they make that is specifically for really dark colors. As far as I can tell, it works fine. I'm back at college now, so I will find out if it still works well.

[philhaney]

Originally Posted by Wolf

why use a blue and a black dye combined, why not just the black dye?

Originally Posted by Footer4321

Its an odd thing, you actually get a truer black with 3-4 parts black to 1 part navy blue. Its just how rit dye is. This I learned from my prop master in college, and she dyed a lot of stuff, so I just took it as truth. Done it myself a few times to dye muslin black and its the only way to get something really black. However, dying things that are white black is not the most fun thing in the world.

Originally Posted by Van

'Tis true! I always choose black paints that have a bit of blue in them when I need a perceived dark black color. Oddly enough If you deck bleach on a piar of black 501's the bleached area turns a redish color before it goes to a light brown , then your wife yells at you.

When making blacks (curtains) they get them black by super-saturating the fabric with blue or red dye. You can tell which method was used by looking at your curtains as they fade. They will either turn an odd shade of pink or blue.

I would imagine they used red dye on your 501 jeans.

As far as keeping your blacks (clothes) black:

- Wash them with other blacks ONLY in cold water.

- Line dry them, or dry them on the lowest heat setting possible.

[Serendipity]

Originally Posted by icewolf08

You know you are a techie when: your laundry sorting consists of a load of blacks and a load of everything else.

And you do black loads twice as often!