Will bleach remove all of the color from a cotton comforter?

Question

I'm a college student living in a dorm for the first time this year. My dorm needs Twin XL bedding and to save money, I'm using my cousin's who moved into an apartment and no longer needs it.

Only thing is, it's really ugly. It's a weird pastel striped pattern on one side and dark blue and floral on the other.

If I throw it in the wash with hot water and bleach, will I have a white comforter? I'd like to just dye it a solid color or tye-dye it after, I'd just like to know if the color will come out completely. The tag says it's 100% cotton.

Answer 1

No, the bleach will not take it completely out. Get a color remover from your local fabric store and follow the directions to the letter. Then get a darker color dye (like black or dark blue) and then dye it that color. Depending on what the pattern looks like and how it turns out after the color remover will determine on what it will look like after it's done. It may be pretty neat.

Answer 2

No, if you bleach it the colors will fade and be all splotchy and look like total c**p.  It will not be all white.

Answer 3

Rit Dye makes a color remover, but even that is not perfect.  It will make the colors lighter, but probably not disappear completely.  You could use the color remover and dye it a dark color, but you may still have shadows of the origional pattern.  

Why not hit up Wal-mart.  Many of them still have a fabric department with a $1 a yard fabric table.  Make a cover for your comforter (a duvet cover).  It is similar to making a giant pillow case or an envelope the size of your comforter.  It doesn't need to be anything fancy, just something to cover up the ugly.  

While you are there, see if they have any of that soft, fuzzy, polar fleese.  It makes the best blanket for a twin size bed & there is no sewing required.  2 1/2 yards is more than enough and it only costs $10 or $15 for the most comfortable soft blanket ever.

Answer 4

Yeah, the first answerer was right. But look, these aren't that expensive:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.g...

http://www.target.com/b/601-3782443-8732...

and also, stores like Marshall's, Ross, and TJ Max usually have cute stuff at very discounted prices.

I think this is an investment worth making. I lived in the dorms, too, and with the way dorms look these days, having a nice new bedding set will really make a difference. Also, most other people with have new ones, so you don't want to feel left out.

PS: I was definitely a penny pincher in college; I didn't have financial support from parents, so I definitely respect trying to save money!

Answer 5

What you can try is just to get a big tub, and let the comforter soak in a strong bleachwater solution for a day or 2, and that might help.