Help! Blue embroidery bled onto white shirt - YouLookFab Forum

Category

General

Help! Blue embroidery bled onto white shirt

krishnidoux

Veteran

I am seeking for your advice on what to do when you splurge on a Bugatchi white shirt at Nordstrom for your hubbie (over CAN $100), wash it carefully ...
1) with other delicate whites
2) in a brand new washing machine
3) at gentle cycle
4) in cold water
5) using bleach-freeTide for cold water, and nothing else
6) then line dry it
... only to discover that the collar and cuff's blue embroidery has bled onto the white, ruining the item, and bringing the CPW to over $100.
Any ideas? Has this ever happened to you?
Thank you so much in advance.

General

26 replies

Latest reply was from Joyce B

Anonymous

If I couldn't remove it by hand soaking, I would return. Others will likely have washing ideas, but that's not something I'd like to contend with every time. If you were starting over, I'd say dry clean, but I'd be mad if I followed wash instructions and it still bled.

Marilyn

Veteran

Not a clothing item but I did have this happen with an expensive duvet cover. The red floral pattern bled all over the cream background. I threw it back into the wash and to my surprise it came out perfect. Because there was no heat to set the colour you might want to give it a try. If that doesn't work I'd ask for a refund.

Diana

Veteran

I've had this happen (with a handknit piece, actually) and was never able to get the color transfer to reverse. I think it depends in large part on the white fabric, as some undyed/white items are very very prone to taking on dye and others are far less so. One thing you can try is soaking in a lot of cool water with color catcher sheets. Don't use any detergent as although that might help the bleeding color come out, it will probably also cause the original blue to bleed more.

https://www.amazon.com/Shout-C.....F8&am

I'd return it if that doesn't work.

krishnidoux

Veteran

These are very good tips.
Delurked, yes, if I manage to save this shirt, I will have to dry clean it in the future, this is a good tip. However it frustrates me that it didn't mention "dry-clean only" on the tag - I wouldn't have bought it. Men's shirts are washed everytime, so that's a lot of trips to the dry cleaner...
Marylin, I would not have thought of washing it again. I will give it a try before my trip back to Nordstrom.
Diana, good thinking about not using any detergent the second time around!
I bought it back in January, and hubbie waited a long time before wearing it. So I lost the receipt, of course. But I hope N will acknowledge they are the ones selling this brand here, and they'll recognize their shirt (it was on a promotional rack at the front of the men's section too).

JAileen

Veteran

The color catcher sheets really work. I buy everything from Nordstrom online so I can always look up my purchase.

Anonymous

Did you buy it with your Nordstrom card? They can find on the computer without a receipt it if you tell them the month. I would try to return, explaining how carefully you washed it. You may get a gift card rather than a refund after the 90 day return limit.
Would a Tide stain remover pen help?

Anonymous

This is a manufacturer's defect issue for me so I would expect Nordstrom to be even nicer and more accommodating than they usually are if you decide to return it, which I would. Even if you get it out it could happen again.

JuniperGreen

Veteran

Chiming in to contact Nordstrom! Give their customer service a call - all of my experiences with them have been fantastic. I once discovered a hole in a pair of jeans (not a pre-distressed pair!) on my first wear after I'd taken the tags off and they accepted the return no questions asked.

Christina F.

Veteran

I used some kind of powder in my laundry to help with some items that bled, but I can't remember the name of it. It wasn't Shout, but rather one of those multipurpose type products. I'll look for it at home later unless anyone on here knows what I mean - a quick Google wasn't helping me.

Greyscale

Veteran

Christina, was it oxiclean? (Peroxide whitening powder.) I use it on whites. It might get the transferred color out but it might have a bad effect on the embroidery color itself.

Christina F.

Veteran

Yes, that might be it. I did have some success, but the items weren't embroidered. I managed to save 3 out of 4 items that had bled in the wash. Don't know if the fact that there wasn't colored embroidery makes a difference.

krishnidoux

Veteran

Oh, thanks! My next move: call Nordstrom.

Anonymous

I'm so sorry to hear of your misfortune with the embroidery. The Diane Gilman embroidered items I ordered from HSN have all been colorfast, with absolutely no bleeding.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

This is so upsetting. I am definitely in favour of calling Nordstrom. Their customer service is the best. Crossing fingers for you!

lozz_oz

Veteran

I had this happen once - aargh!
Supposedly red and blue dyes are the most unstable and most susceptible to 'bleeding'
The suggested remedy (from a dye company I think) - which sounds drastic, but was successful - was to boil the kettle and pour the water over the effected areas.

krishnidoux

Veteran

lozz, that's good to know. I wouldn't have thought a $100+ men's shirt'embroidery would be so cheap as to be unstable like this.
BC, I'm glad to hear you didn't experience any issues with your purchase. This teaches me a lesson though: from now on I will always ask what is the policy if the item bleeds, and I will always wash it soon after buying it so it's still within the 60 or 90 days.
Juniper, this is good to know. Thanks!
Joy, no, I am not rich enough to get to the point of having a Nordstrom card. Here in my city in Canada Nordstrom opened a couple of years ago and is by far the most expensive department store with items over 1k. I go there during sales season generally. This shirt wasn't on sale though.

Anonymous

Krishnidoux, I'm just so sorry to hear of your experience. Yes, I think I'll ask about the policy on bleeding the next time I think about ordering, too. It doesn't hurt to know the store's policies.

fashioncloth

Member

You followed wash instructions and embroidery shirt are hand wash . i have hand embroidered top i have use hand wash it is no harm for cloths.

Anonymous

I put mine in the washing machine inside out, on gentle cycle, cold water. It doesn't harm anything. If if were something besides embroidered denim or twill, then I would perhaps resort to hand washing; but even then, I would probably just stick the item in a large zip-up pillow case and stick it in the washing machine.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

So what happened?

Had I seen this thread earlier, I would've recommended a stain remover formulated for this (we have them in teeny bottles, different colors for each), then boiling water to set the color where it's supposed to be, thoroughly rinsing, letting it dry, and then one more run with oxyclean for good measure.

Or a trip to Nordstroms. Even with other cards, they should be able to look up the purchase, especially if you look at your bank statements and can show them the transaction date and time. If they refuse, don't be afraid to try again. Most of their customer service is ridiculously helpful, but every once in a blue moon, I've gotten someone who didn't want to do x, and then later found someone else who did that and went beyond store policies.

krishnidoux

Veteran

I am very ashamed to say that I neetly folded the shirt in my drawer with the best of intentions of returning it... and then life happened. My fault entirely. I am going to try to clean it again with your suggestions.

Anonymous

If you manage to get that color out, please let us know. I would suggest that product that you can use to wash different colors together in one load. I can't remember the name of it--color catcher or something. My MIL used to use it. But since you've already washed it and the damage is done, I'm not sure what to suggest. Maybe take it to the dry cleaner and ask?

krishnidoux

Veteran

Oh, BC, what a good idea! That's what I will start with.

Joyce B

Veteran

Maybe you already took care of the problem but I saw this Carbona Color Run product and thought of you. If you did not dry the shirt in the dryer the colors are not set so it should work.
Don't let it go for too long so that the offending stains do not set themselves.
Carbona is a very good brand that I highly recommend. I wish I had affiliation but I don't

This post has 2 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Anonymous

Thanks for the product recommendation. I may buy that just to keep on hand. You never know when you're going to "run" into a problem (pun intended).

Joyce B

Veteran

You are very welcome, BC. I hope you will not need it but it's always good to have it.