11 Dyeing tips for lasting, vibrant results

Whatever kind of dye you’re using, here are a few dyeing tips to ensure the colors are there to stay!

One of the easiest ways to update a garment is with dye. No cutting or sewing necessary, and you still get huge results! I have dyed many items of my own. I had a white linen sundress that I used to love but rarely wore because the fabric was so light everything showed through it! Without just the right slip is wasn’t really wearable (unless I wanted everyone to see my panties, that is). So now it’s PINK and I do wear it all the time! A summer favorite.

I have dyed items to sell. For instance, I hand-dyed a white onesie I had been given for THIS DRESS. It was “new-with-tags” but looked dingy just due to storage. So now it’s a bright happy yellow!

Dyeing is incredible and tons of fun. I love to see a boring or worn out item gain new life after just sitting in a dye bath.

It really is easy to dye, but there are some dyeing tips that can help you achieve the lasting, vibrant look that you’re going for.

Make sure to read your Dye’s label and follow any guidelines and warnings given. These dyeing tips may not apply to every brand and are solely based off my experience.

1: Chose your dye

There are a lot of brands you can choose from and some are better for certain types of fabric. That said, I always tend to use RIT dye. RIT is very easy to use and easy to find in just about any hobby/craft store. I have heard many many people speak against RIT and warn that it does not work well for natural fibers or that it bleeds too much. Remember that 100% linen dress that I mentioned before? I dyed that with RIT dye about 6 years ago and it still looks amazing. So do your research and decide what will work best for you, but keep in mind while reading this post that my experience is mostly with RIT Dye. (Not sponsored “YET” just a big fan)

2: Choose your garment

The shirt pictured is a great example of what dye can do. We purchased this shirt in December off a clearance rack. We were on the hunt for a shirt for Anthony to wear to a Hawaiian-themed Christmas party (you think that should be an easy task on a tropical island.) We got this shirt as a backup in case we couldn’t find something better (we did). Black and white flowers are not very much fun, so I instantly knew I would eventually be dying it. And before you ask, HE chose the color, not me.

You can only dye light colors darker, dark colors can not dye lighter. So I knew that the black would stay black (can’t get any darker than black) and only the white flowers would dye pink, which is exactly what I wanted. And it came out beautifully.

The shirt is 97% Cotton and 3% Elastane.

Read the label on your garment and make sure the dye you buy is most compatible with it’s fiber content.

3: The bath

A lot of dye brands offer instructions on dyeing in the washing machine. I have never done that and to be honest it makes me nervous. I’m sure I have nothing to worry about, but I always imagine some dye residue sticking to the machine and ruining a much loved item later. Would that actually happen, probably not, but I always opt for either a plastic wash bucket or the kitchen sink. I like to be hands on and in full control of the process.

If you’re dyeing in your machine, this post will probably not be very useful to you. Sorry!

4: Wash and remove stains ahead of time

Dye will not “hide” stains. If you have a white shirt with a coffee stain, the white shirt will be dyed and the stain will be dyed a slightly darker shade of the same color. Use stain remover (I really like OxiClean) and run the garment through the wash before dyeing it. Do this even if it seems clean. It can’t hurt.

5: WET YOUR FABRIC

This is so important. If your item is not fully wet, your dye job could end up blotchy and uneven. Run it in the sink under hot water till it is thoroughly soaked and ring it out before putting it in the dye bath.

6: Get your dye bath ready BEFORE adding the fabric

DO NOT pour the dye over your fabric. Get the dye water ready and add your fabric to it.

This is how I personally make my dye bath:

• First I put my dye and add-ins (see below) into the wash bucket.
• Then I boil a kettle of water and pour it into the bucket, give a gentle stir to dissolve everything.
• finally, fill the bucket the rest of the way with hot tap water.

The boiling water step is most definitely not necessary, but it’s just how I have always done it.

7: Add-ins make a difference!

There are a few things you can add to your dye bath to help the colors really get into the fabric and stay nice and vibrant.

• For fabrics with cotton, linen, rayon add a cup of Salt
• For fabrics with nylon, silk, wool add a cup of white vinegar

• Add a tablespoon of laundry detergent or Dawn dish soap to all dye baths for nice even dyeing.

If you’re unsure of the fiber content, it can’t hurt the fabric to add any of these.

8: Dye time

Follow the instructions on your dye for the amount of time, but I generally leave it until it’s the color I want (if I’m going for a lighter color) or I just let it soak for a few hours stirring regularly. If I’m going for the deepest color possible, I usually leave it until the color stops deepening. It will get to the point where the dye simply can’t do any more than it has done, that’s what I wait for.

Packaging usually says to stir constantly…. I usually stir constantly for the first few minutes or until the dye water has soaked through all parts of the garment, then I’ll leave it and stir it every 10 minutes or so.

Make sure all parts of the fabric are submerged at all times.

9: Rinse

When you have achieved the color you want, get the items into a clean sink and rinse with hot water. rinse and wring and repeat till the water starts running clear.

Then switch to cold water and keep rinsing and wringing. The cold water will close up all the fibers and help the color hold fast.

10: Washing

Then finally toss them in the washer with some mild detergent and run on a gentle, not too hot cycle. Air dry them the first time but they’ll be fine to go in a regular wash cycle and machine dry for any following washes.

You may have some color bleeding the first few times you wash anything hand-dyed so make sure you don’t have your favorite white t-shirt in the wash. The only thing I have ever accidentally changed was a white sock, so I have been lucky!

11: Clean up

Dye water gets on everything! No matter how careful you are, it just happens. Fear not! If you get to it right away it comes off pretty easy. No, your countertop will not forever be pink!

Some soapy water and sponge will do the trick but I also really like to use Lysol wipes, they clean up really nice and easy.

And there you have it! I hope these dyeing tips were helpful, Leave a comment with any further questions. Enjoy your dyeing and tag me in your photos @thatjochick I would love to see your beautiful transformation!!