Time is the most valuable commodity. It’s no wonder that products that promise to save time and money are such great hits.
One laundry product that swears to do just that is Shout Color Catchers. According to their website, the product keeps clothes looking bright and vibrant. During washing, Shout Color Catchers trap loose dyes. Thus, it protects clothes from color bleeding and preserves vibrancy.
A product that allows you to wash mixed colors in one laundry cycle, minus the chance of color bleeding? Sounds too good to be true. But let’s dig into how color catchers work.
How Do Color Catcher Sheets Work?
Color catchers have been around for quite some time. They were invented in 1993 by Patrick McNamee, now head of research and development in a laundry products company.
The sheets contain positively charged compounds. The compounds are attracted to negatively charged particles such as dye. To put it simply, the absorbent fibers of the catcher sheet acts like a magnet. It traps loose pigment in the wash water onto the sheet. Doing so protects the garments from dye transfer or discoloration.
Color Catcher Sheets: Benefits and Usage Instructions
Color sheets, such as Shout Color Catcher, promise that you no longer need to separate white and dark clothes and run several wash loads. Here are some benefits and usage instructions if you plan to use Shout Color Catcher in your next laundry:
Benefits:
- Dyes no longer bleed onto other clothes. The sheets absorb and lock loose pigment from non-colorfast clothing.
- The color catcher maintains color’s original colors.
- It’s efficient to use, especially when in a hurry or have a small laundry load. By using color sheets, you can run your white and dark clothes in one wash. You also reduce the chance of color transfer.
- Your whites will remain white. Gone are the days when your whites turn pink because of a lone red sock that found its way in the white laundry pile.
- It’s safe to use at all water temperatures.
Usage instructions:
- For top-load washing machine: If you are washing a small load, place one color catcher sheet at the bottom of the washing machine tub. Add detergent and fill in with your laundry load. For larger loads or those with non-colorfast garments, you can use two or more sheets.
- For front-load washing machine: Place the laundry sheet in a mesh laundry bag. Place the bag at the back part of the washer. Add detergent and fill your laundry load.
- Wash in a normal cycle using the water temperature you prefer.
- Dispose of the color sheet after one usage.
Can You Really Get Away Washing Colors With Whites?
Color catchers all seem gimmicky to me before. I still believe that sorting your laundry is one of the best ways to go if you want to prolong your clothes’ usage. A couple of minutes spent on sorting laundry is all worth it.
Not everyone has the luxury to sort clothes every laundry day. It is also possible that they need to wash the laundry immediately but still have a small load. Using color sheets diminishes these common dilemmas during laundry.
To get better results
Here are a few tips to maximize the use of color catcher sheets and achieve more promising results:
- If you are not washing extra-soiled or stained clothes, use cold water during the cycle.
- Sort your laundry simply. You can opt to wash whites and light-colored clothes together. But, wash dark and heavy fabrics separately. That way, dye from dark clothes doesn’t mess with your whites as they can be pesky to remove.
- If you have new clothes, wash them separately after a few washes first. Doing so avoids dye bleeding. You can then use color sheets the first time you wash them together with other garments.
- Use color sheets on clothes with bold contrasting straps. By doing this, you prevent dye from bleeding.
In Conclusion
Perhaps the novelty of using color catcher sheets in your laundry is the satisfaction you can get seeing how the color catchers collect dye and dirt after washing. While color sheets can help you when pressed for time, it’s still best to sort your laundry before washing. However, if you want to try it out, just remember to follow our tips by bookmarking this page.
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