Whites coming out of washing machine looking grey coloureds losing colour
Whites going grey and colours fading prematurely are usually caused by using the wrong type of detergent, using too little detergent, or overloading the machine. Detergents with optical brighteners and bleaching agents keep whites white but fade colours – colour-care detergents protect colours by omitting these agents. Using both types, matched to the load, is the correct approach for consistently good results.
Detergent Type Is the First Thing to Check
Washing machine detergents are not interchangeable. The chemistry that makes a detergent effective for whites actively damages coloured laundry, and vice versa.
Detergents for whites contain optical brighteners and bleaching agents (often oxygen bleach or enzymes) that break down yellowing and restore brightness. If white laundry is coming out grey, this is typically because a non-whites detergent is being used, the detergent dose is too low, or the wash temperature is too low to activate bleaching agents effectively.
Colour-care detergents omit the bleaching agents that whites detergents rely on. They are formulated to protect dyes and prevent fading. Using a standard whites detergent on coloured laundry over time will cause progressive fading – it extracts colour with every wash. A dedicated colour detergent slows this significantly.
The practical implication is that one detergent cannot do both jobs well. Most households should keep both a whites detergent and a colour-care detergent and select based on the load. Many families find it convenient to have a standard wash detergent for mixed colour loads (which performs adequately for neither whites nor colours specifically) and dedicated detergents for white-only and colour-heavy loads.
Why Detergent Dose Matters
Using less detergent than recommended is a common way to reduce costs but it creates problems that ultimately cost more to fix.
Poor cleaning results
An insufficient dose of detergent cannot hold soiling in suspension effectively – some re-deposits onto fabrics during the wash. This shows as a gradual greying of whites and a general dullness to all laundry. It also allows grease and grime to accumulate inside the machine rather than being flushed away. Check the door seal and the drum interior regularly for slime or black mould build-up. See our guide on washing machine smells and internal cleaning.
Limescale damage to the heating element
Washing machine detergents contain water-softening agents that protect the heating element against limescale. Using too little means these protective agents are not present in sufficient concentration. Limescale gradually coats the heating element, reducing its efficiency and eventually causing it to fail – an expensive repair that a correct detergent dose helps prevent. In hard water areas this effect is accelerated. See our guide on limescale in washing machines.
Overloading Makes Everything Worse
An overloaded washing machine cannot agitate laundry effectively – items do not tumble freely through the water and detergent solution. The result is uneven cleaning, poor rinsing (detergent residue remaining in fabric), and reduced effectiveness of whatever detergent is used. If the drum is full to the top with no room for laundry to move, the wash result will be poor regardless of detergent quality. See our guide on how to load a washing machine correctly.
Related Guides
Washing Not Getting Clean
Diagnosing poor wash results – temperature, programme, detergent, and machine maintenance factors.
Which Type of Detergent Is Best?
Powder, liquid, and tablet detergents compared – and how each affects wash results and machine hygiene.
Grease Marks on Clothes After Washing
Why greasy marks or spots appear on laundry after washing and how to identify the cause.
How to Remove Stains From Clothes
Stain treatment techniques before and during washing for the best chance of complete removal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my white clothes coming out grey?
The most common causes are using a colour-care or combined detergent instead of a dedicated whites detergent, using too little detergent (allowing soiling to re-deposit on fabric), washing at too low a temperature for the bleaching agents to activate, or overloading the machine. Check the detergent type first, then the dose, then the programme temperature. If the problem persists, inspect the drum and door seal for slime or residue build-up that may be re-depositing onto laundry.
Why are my coloured clothes fading in the wash?
Using a detergent with bleaching agents (typically marketed for whites or as “all-purpose”) on coloured laundry will cause progressive fading. Switching to a dedicated colour-care detergent will significantly slow fading. Also check that the water temperature is not higher than the fabric care label recommends – higher temperatures accelerate colour loss in dyed fabrics.
Can I use one detergent for everything?
A combined “all-in-one” detergent is a compromise – it is less effective at keeping whites bright than a whites-specific detergent and less protective of colours than a colour-care product. For households with predominantly coloured laundry and little white, a colour-care detergent works well for everything. For households with a mix, keeping both types and selecting by load gives consistently better results.
Hi, I learn a lot from your blog and you proved my mum is right : stick to washing powder rather than liquid. I would like to know there are some laundry detergent using non ionic surfactant rather aionic / mixture of aionic and non ionic sufuctant. I did a little bit of search on Internet, non ionic sufuctant works better in hard water as it doesn’t affected by the minerals inside. I wonder is it worth to buy the non ionic one as it cost much higher than normal laundry detergent? And will it helps the machine last longer?
Hello Karen, everything I know about the subject is in the article above. If mixing whites and coloureds you may get colours leaching into the whites. If she has to mix them because there’s not enough whites to wash separately make sure she tries a good quality colour catcher to prevent the dye from coloured clothes going into the whites. If whites need to stay white try to wash them separately and with detergent containing bleaching agent – definitely not liquid detergent. As my article explains, there are two types of detergent for whites and coloured so ideally you need to use both and wash them separately.
please help, my daughters washing is a terrible colour , baby clothes are grey, and the colourdes are so dull, i told her to use the approprate powders ie , whites, coloureds, weve tried everything. could ther be somthing wrong with the way its been plumbed in , the only thing im thinking could dirty water be going into the washer instead of clean water, if so what do i do, thanks