Black clothes tend to become whitish or faded no matter what. When they faded, I would just replace them. But in truth, I wanted to be able to use them for a longer time.
Laundry detergent exclusively for black clothes
In the midst of all that, I finally found it. A special detergent for black clothes, LOVE BLACK. It is a laundry detergent specifically for black garments.
Can be washed while preserving black color and preventing fading.
With this, you can wash your black clothes every day while preserving their color. It's also easy to use—just wash them normally in the washing machine.
Why does it fade?
Why does the color fade when you wash it or wear it for a long time? There are four main causes.
- 01 - Ultraviolet Rays and Sweat: The main cause is that ultraviolet rays from sunlight react with the dye, causing fading. Sweat is acidic and also contains salt, which deteriorates the dye and leads to fading.
- 02 - Regular Laundry Detergent: Some detergents contain a component called fluorescent whitening agents to enhance whiteness. These are not suitable for black clothes, as they can cause them to appear whitish.
- 03 - Friction: When used, it is unavoidable that the surface becomes fuzzy due to friction, making the overall appearance look whitish.
The detergent that can approach these problems is LOVE BLACK.
How do you protect the black?
01 - Approaching Pigments
The color black is formed by a combination of red, blue, and green. Among these, blue is vulnerable to ultraviolet rays and fades the fastest. Therefore, when the blue fades and the balance is disrupted, the color becomes reddish-black.
By adding the complementary color to blue, we restore balance and revive the black. Since it contains dye, washing white items will cause them to be stained blue.
02 - Approach to Fuzziness
The other function is to remove fuzz, which contains a unique enzyme.
Clothing experiences deterioration over time, causing fuzziness to occur, which is the cause of the white haze. Our unique enzymes remove this haze.
What about washing machine maintenance?
No special maintenance is required after washing, but since some color may remain, it is recommended to run an extra rinse cycle or a washing machine drum cleaning mode once after washing for added peace of mind.
How about the cost performance?
Those who know, know; you might have even used it once before. Dr. Beckmann's "Black & Fiber Refresh Black Revival Sheets."
A box containing 10 sheets is sold on Amazon for around 1,600 yen.
This is not a detergent, but a product that is washed in the washing machine together with special sheets. You use 2 to 3 sheets per wash, so a total of 3 to 5 times.
If used four times, the cost performance would be approximately 1600 ÷ 4 = 400.
What is the cost performance of LOVE BLACK?
LOVE BLACK is a detergent for washing machines, not a laundry sheet, so it is difficult to measure its cost performance.
- For a standard load of up to 4 kg, about 23 times.
- For small loads under 2 kg, more than 35 washes.
- For partial washing, more than 140 times.
The product price of the 700ml bottle of LOVE BLACK is 2,970 yen at the regular price, so...
- 20 times = 129 yen
- 35 times = 85 yen
- 140 times = 21 yen
That is what it means.
Furthermore, LOVE BLACK has refill packs available, making it even cheaper.
Summary
As the name "Loving Black" suggests, I thought this detergent is for people who want to take good care of their black clothes.
The fact that it is free of fluorescent agents and contains complementary color components makes it logically sound, and it's pleasing that you actually feel the black becoming richer each time you wash it.
It takes a little extra effort, but if that little extra effort allows you to enjoy your favorite clothes for a longer time, it is well worth it.
It takes a little extra effort, but if that little extra effort allows you to enjoy your favorite clothes for a longer time, it is well worth it.