How to Wash a Tie-Dye Shirt

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A tie-dye shirt has a laidback and retro look thats feels really comfortable. Whether your tie-dye is homemade or store bought, knowing the correct washing process can help keep your tie-dye colors bright and beautiful.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Pre-treatment spray
Mild laundry soap

Store-Bought Tie-Dye

Step1

Read the care label. Most tie-dyed fabrics and garments can be washed in warm or cold water. Wash your garment accordingly. If there are any stains, spray them with pre-treatment spray and let the spray soak into the fabric for a few minutes. Use a spray that does not contain any bleach; this can harm the color in the fabric.

Step2

After treating any stains, place the shirt in the washer and add detergent. Be sure to use a gentle soap that contains no bleach.

Step3

After washing the shirt, hang it up to air-dry or lay it flat to dry. Air drying helps keep colors bright and reduces fading.

Homemade Tie-Dye

Step1

Pre-treat any stains as needed. Let the garment sit for 5-10 minutes after spraying to let the spray soak into the fabric.

Step2

Handwash the shirt in cold water. Let the shirt soak in a bath of cold water with washing detergent for 10-15 minutes. Using your hands, gently rub the fabric together to remove dirt and grime. Wring out water and soap, then rinse the shirt in cold water to remove any lingering soap. Wring out all excess water.

Step3

Let the shirt air-dry to preserve the color. Iron on a low setting if needed.

Tips & Warnings

Using hot water on tie-dye can cause bleeding and/or fading of color. With homemade or store-bought items, you never know if the color is colorfast or not, so using cold water ensures your colors will not fade or bleed.