How to Set Dyes in Fabric
Dying fabric can be a great way to make an instant change without costing you a great deal of money. Regardless of whether you are dying clothing, drapes or other fabric item, the process remains the same. It also does not matter what type of fabric you are using, just make sure you keep together items made of the same fabric. So, with a washing machine and some basic household items, you are well on your way to setting the dye in your fabric item. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Washing machine
- 1 cup of washing detergent
- 2 cups of white vinegar
- 3/4 cup of salt
Instructions
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Put your washing machine on the cold-water and cold-rinse cycle setting. Turn the washing machine on and allow the tub to fill half full. Manually stop the cycle at this point. On most washing machines this is accomplished by pulling the cycle knob out until the machine stops.
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Add 2 cups of white vinegar, 1 cup of washing detergent and 3/4 cup of plain table salt to the water. Turn the cycle knob to the wash setting (or the setting where the agitator will run) and allow the machine to agitate for at least five minutes in order to fully incorporate and dissolve the solution.
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Separate your dyed fabric items by color, texture and weight. You want to put only similar items in the wash together to avoid streaking or running of the dye. Once you have your separate piles ready, put a pile into the washing machine and set the machine on the wash cycle. Let the machine finish out its cycle. You will know that the dye is set when the rinse water is clear. You may need to repeat this process a couple of times to achieve this, especially if you have large items like curtains.
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Tips & Warnings
Be sure to read any instructions that may come with your brand of dye. Specific dyes may have alternate instructions for setting the dye, based on the ingredients they're made of.
