Tips & tricks to maintain the brightness of your neon-coloured workwear

It is a light yellow, sometimes slightly greenish in colour. An extremely bright yellow. Warning yellow. Also referred to as “day-glow colour”. To ensure that your clothes not only shine on the first day, but also after, say, the fiftieth wash, you should bear one or two things in mind. We talked to Harald Kuch about it. He is a master textile cleaner at the Trossingen laundry. If anyone knows how to wash neon colours, it’s him.

 

Quick textile lesson

Coloured fabrics lose their brightness over time. Natural fibres in particular, such as cotton, are comparatively short; the fibre ends are very sensitive and come to the surface during the washing process. Frequent washing makes the fabric rougher over time. Light scatters more on rough surfaces than on smooth ones (it is refracted differently) and the colours appear faded.

Synthetic fibres such as polyester are less affected by this fading effect. They are also dyed with water-insoluble substances. This means that the colour is retained when washed.

Investing in high quality is worthwhile: high-quality fabrics are dyed differently than cheaper ones; their production is more complex - but also ensures that the clothing is more durable.

What your grandmother still knew: household tips 

They do exist, the "miracle cures" from the household. Introducing: Vinegar.

Vinegar is a must in every laundry room. Not only is it a natural fabric softener, vinegar can also revive colours. The miracle product covers the colour pigments like a protective coat. 100-150 ml of clear vinegar is enough to refresh the colours, soften the laundry and remove unpleasant odours.