The biggest change came from combining cold water, inside-out washing, and a color-catching sheet. The second wash was nearly bleed-free, and by the third, the water ran clear. Air drying was the final piece—it prevented the heat from baking any residual dye into the fabric.

We also found that washing new tees separately for the first two or three cycles is key. That way, even if there's some initial bleeding, it doesn't ruin your other clothes.

What didn't work? Salt. It's often recommended, but we didn't see any real benefit with cotton. And using hot water, even with a color-catcher, still caused some fading. So that's a hard no.