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How to Clean a Black Shirt With a White Collar

Tiffany Silverberg

One of the most stressful aspects of laundry can be the bleeding of colors that can occur between fabrics. The most effective, simplest way of preventing this is separating colors from whites. However, this isn't possible when a piece of clothing contains both a light and dark element, such as a black shirt with a white collar. In this case, careful laundering is necessary to ensure the color stays off the white portion of the item.

  1. Pour a pea-sized drop of liquid detergent on any stains on the collar. Rub the detergent into the stain.

  2. Place the item in the washing machine.

  3. Check your oxygen bleach package to ensure it is safe to use on all fabrics. Pour oxygen bleach into the washing machine, according to manufacturer's instructions.

  4. Add laundry detergent according to instructions on the package.

  5. Turn on the washing machine. Use the hottest setting tolerable for the dark-colored shirt. Fill the machine with plenty of water. Too little water will cause stains and particles to resettle in fabric, rather than washing away.

  6. Check the garment for residual stains. Retreat the stain and rewash until the item is clean.