How to Set Ink on Cotton

Hand dying fabric makes it possible to customize the fabrics in your home. One vital step in dyeing the fabric is setting the ink so that it doesn't continue to bleed. If you don't do this, the ink might bleed to other fabrics when you wash it. Because it is all-natural, cotton is one of the easiest fabrics to dye.

Things You'll Need

• Bucket
• Cold water

Instructions

1. Fill a bucket with cold water. Use a bucket that can get dyed as the dye might leech into the sides of the bucket and ruin its appearance.

2. Submerge the cotton fabric into the cold water. Squeeze the fabric many times to ensure that the cold water has come into contact with all the crevices of the fabric.

3. Remove the cotton cloth and hold it under cold running water until the water runs clear. The cold water will set the dye completely.

4. Launder the cotton cloth as normal.

References

• Rit Dye: Low-Water Immersion Dyeing
• Rit Dye: Washing Machine