One more laundry mystery

From a friend:

I received some lovely old whitework centerpieces…more than likely Madeira.  When I washed them the embroidery turned blue.  I know that many pieces have the blue embroidery, but this is the first time that I have washed whitework and the embroidery turned blue!

The blue is lovely, but I purchased them for the white on white which is my very favorite and stops my heart.  I am trying to figure out if I am mad at myself, sad at the loss of white, or should be indifferent?  Anyway, let me know what I did wrong.   This has not happened to me before so I was surprised to say the least and truly saddened for the loss of white on white.

My reply:

i have had this happen. i do believe it is temporary. two things may fix it.

1. iron them. sometimes as these things dry, they turn back white. (i have no explanation.)

2. relaunder them. sometimes that does it, too.
i wouldn’t give up.

I hope she updates us!

NEW ADDITION: (from a friend)
It has something to do with the bleach which often turns blue on white.  At times when the blue has remained, another rinse will usually release it.  Sometimes I spray Clorox Cleanup directly on my white bathmats if I get spots on them but they don’t really need laundering.  A few minutes later I’ll come back and they’ll have dark blue to purple spots where I sprayed.  The first time I freaked out but after they dry they turn back.  Also if I the the blue on laundering linens and it doesn’t fade when it dries (it almost always does), I just put the piece out in the sun and it will turn white:)

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