How do we get dye residue out of washer?

[bean29]

DD shares an apartment with 3 other girls. One of her roommates used the washing machine to dye some clothes. There was black dye residue in fabric softner dispenser when she went to do her laundry. She tried wiping dye off dispenser, used some bleach on it & ran several loads thru machine (empty). Any suggestions on cleaning machine up?

Thanks

[Opti]

Nov 29, 2017 0:22:29 GMT -5 bean29 said:

DD shares an apartment with 3 other girls. One of her roommates used the washing machine to dye some clothes. There was black dye residue in fabric softner dispenser when she went to do her laundry. She tried wiping dye off dispenser, used some bleach on it & ran several loads thru machine (empty). Any suggestions on cleaning machine up?

Thanks

Vinegar. Look up on a RIT website for suggestions. A quick thing to do also is to see how bad the issue is. Does she have any sacrificial underwear or socks to run through the machine to see if any black dye will adhere to clothing washed in the washer now?

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

I was also going to say vinegar. 
Good luck!

[bean29]

My first suggestion was vinegar! She said she didn’t have any, and smell makes her gag. Thanks. I will text her your info!

[Opti]

Nov 29, 2017 8:08:09 GMT -5 bean29 said:

My first suggestion was vinegar! She said she didn’t have any, and smell makes her gag. Thanks. I will text her your info!

Tell her she could always buy a mask. Vinegar is a great cleaner and non-toxic. I use it to clean my lizard cages and most of their cage furniture because it is safer for me, them, and the environment. The bleach would only bleach out the color, not lift it, so whatever remains could be bleached into the plastic.

[bean29]

Thanks Opti, I will tell DS...he has a Hedgehog-the cage smell can get bad in short order.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

She probably also needs to run a big load of rags through the washer, to absorb residual dye.  Maybe run them through several times.

[toomuchreality]

Dec 2, 2017 17:50:34 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

She probably also needs to run a big load of rags through the washer, to absorb residual dye.  Maybe run them through several times.

Or old towels.

I would call the manufacturer of the machine and ask them.

Might be stained for life. But I'd want to know for sure, before I put my clothes in it!

Person who put the dye in it should have to clean it. And should have to sacrifice / run their clothes through first, afterward, IMO. (I'd clean it again anyway, cuz I'd be afraid they didn't do a good enough job.   

Good luck!