LAUNDRY · COLORS
Laundry Color Bleed Checker
New dark jeans with a white shirt? Enter each item’s color, fabric, label and a quick rub test to see which ones to wash alone and how to split the loads.
Check what to wash together
Example
New dark jeans you have not rub-tested and a white T-shirt: the tool keeps the white shirt apart and asks you to rub-test the jeans first. If the damp rub leaves color on the cloth, the jeans are washed alone.
How it works
Each item is marked wash alone if color came off in the rub test or the label says to wash it separately; check first if it is dark or denim and not yet tested, or if nothing is known; and no warning signs otherwise. Missing information is never treated as safe.
Whites are kept apart from colors, items that may bleed are kept apart from everything, and untested darks are kept apart from lighter colors. Warm water makes dye come out more easily, so colors are best washed cold. You cannot tell by eye whether a dye will bleed; the care label comes first.
Frequently asked questions
How do I do the rub test?
Wet an inside seam with a few drops of water and rub it with a dry white cloth. If color comes off, wash that item alone.
How long should I wash new clothes separately?
Whirlpool suggests washing new clothes on their own for the first few washes, since new clothes bleed dye more readily.
Does a clean rub test mean it will never bleed?
No. It is a quick home check, not a guarantee. Follow the care label.
More tools
Sources and last updated
- Whirlpool, Laundry sorting guide: separate whites from darks, and wash new clothes on their own for the first few cycles (checked 2026-10-27).
- Whirlpool, How to wash colored clothes: use cold water, and wash an item that bled separately in cold water (checked 2026-10-27).
- LG Electronics Korea, checking clothes for bleeding before washing (in Korean): the damp rub test and labels that say to wash separately (checked 2026-10-23).
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