Removing Excess Bluing

Occasionally, we are contacted by a customer who has experienced an accidental spill of bluing on fabric or has used a little more bluing in their wash than directed. This may cause light blue tinting or blue spots.

Let us assure you that our bluing is not a dye, and it is removable from all washable fabric.

PDF Download — Removing of Excess Bluing

Mrs. Stewart’s Bluing (MSB) is a very concentrated product, and care should always be taken to use only from a few drops up to 1/4 teaspoonful, depending on wash load size. Always dilute the bluing in a quart or more of water before adding to the washer so as not to splash full-strength bluing on fabric or the sides of the washtub to be picked up by a piece of clothing as it is tossed into the tub.  To many people, it seems impossible that such a small amount can whiten as dramatically as it does, and the common tendency is to use more bluing than is needed. Instructions for Use of Mrs. Stewart's Bluing

 

blue drop pic (emphasized message)Instructions for Removal of Excess Bluing
To eliminate the excess bluing from your clothing, the following procedure is recommended:
  1. Put the clothing in a container that can be covered tightly. A 5-gallon bucket with a tight lid is best.  A plastic bag with a twist tie will also work — put the bag into another container in case of leakage.
  2. Use a solution of 1/2 cup household ammonia to 1 quart cold water.  make enough of this strength solution to submerge your clothing — your clothing should be floating in the solution.
  3. Make the container as airtight as possible to keep the ammonia in solution and to keep the fumes contained.  Ammonia evaporates very quickly.  It needs to stay in solution for it to work to remove the excess bluing in the clothing.  The fumes can be irritable so work in a ventilated space if possible.
  4. The soak time could be from 24 hours up to a couple of weeks.  This depends on fabric weight, the strength of the bluing spot, and what has already been done to remove the bluing. Even water hardness can play a factor.
  5. If the bluing is fading, this is an indication that the procedure is working. Keep soaking. Be patient.
  6. If the bluing is gone, wash clothing in a regular wash cycle with non-bleach detergent only.
If, during the soaking process, the fading of the bluing stops, please Contact Us. Together, we will get the bluing out to your satisfaction.

 

In addition to the procedure above, you may find the following points helpful:

  • DO NOT USE BLEACH to remove bluing! Do not use blean-containing stain-removal products to remove bluing, including oxygen bleach or bleach "safe for colors" (or OxiClean). Bleach will set the bluing in more permanently. If you have already attempted to remove the excess bluing with bleach, begin by removing all bleach from the item(s).  Bleach and ammonia are not compatible chemicals and can be dangerous when combined. Then, use a solution of 1 cup of household ammonia to every quart of cold water. Soak your items in this stronger solution, covered tightly until the bluing is removed.  If you have previously attempted to remove the bluing with bleach, please know that your soak time in the ammonia solution will be significantly longer. Again, if the bluing is fading, the process is working.  Patience is your best friend.

  • The ammonia will not harm fabric that is washable, and it is the only remedy we know of that will definitely remove ALL traces of bluing.

  • If you’ve spilled bluing on something that cannot be soaked airtight in household ammonia (shoes, carpet, dry-clean only fabric), please Contact Us.

  • If you have over-blued your white pet, visit our Whiten Hair & Pets page, or Contact Us. Please be assured that bluing will not harm your pet. We will help you remove the excess bluing from the white hair.

  • Bluing is not recommended for use in whirlpools, spas, and jacuzzis. The blue particles tend to cling to the bubbles, travel to the sides of the tub, and produce a blue ring around the tub. If this has happened, full-strength ammonia may remove the excess bluing, provided the bluing has not been absorbed deep into the pool lining material.

We are available to you by email and phone for any questions and concerns during this process.

Disclaimer:
MSB is manufactured and tested as a laundry whitener only.  All other uses are "at your own risk".  While we advertise MSB for some other uses, we try to remain clear that these other uses come to us from loyal customers and we pass the information on as a public service.