How to dye fabrics in the washing machine or naturally!
Dyeing fabrics is a very ancient art, which today we can also reproduce at home thanks to a series of products that have made it much easier and more immediate. We can dye fabrics in the washing machine or by hand, with hot or cold water, with simple preparations but also in a natural way. It's all about choosing your color or the mode you prefer and that's it. To do it in the washing machine, follow our video. Surely before approaching the color of the garment it is good that you learn to read the labels and the ways in which that garment must be treated, otherwise you risk ruining it instead of recovering it or giving it a new look!
How to dye fabrics in the washing machine
To dye fabrics in the washing machine, you will need to equip yourself with some necessary tools, such as:
- one or two 1 kg packs of coarse salt
- a color fixer
- one tincture in individual bag. The best brands are Dylon and Coloreria Italiana, which offer a wide range of colors.
> Buy Dylon on Amazon
> Buy Italian Coloreria on Amazon
Before buying everything, however, pay attention to what is written on the dye package. The latest generation ones, in fact, already have everything you need included in the package, which is why you just need to follow the steps described on the package and not necessarily add salt or fixer.Furthermore, when choosing the color, do not forget that if you start from an already colored garment, the final effect depends a lot on the starting color that will mix with the dye. Choose carefully the shade you prefer, perhaps even imagining what you will match it with. ! Here are the steps to dye fabrics in the washing machine:
- Pour the dye directly into the bottom of the washing machine drum or, in any case, position the dyeing trays that are already open.
- Add the amount of salt needed (one kilo for a whole bag of tincture). Always pay attention to what is indicated on the package: in some cases, the salt is already included in the dye bag.
- Put the garment to be dyed in the drum.
- Set the washing machine to 40 ° C, without prewash.
- When the wash is finished, wash the garment with your usual detergent always at 40 ° C (unless there are different indications on the treatment of the garment on the label).
- To dry the dyed garment, absolutely avoid putting it in the sun and be careful when you hang it, the thread marks will no longer go away.
- Steam iron dyed fabrics.
Some clarifications to be taken into consideration before being able to proceed with the dyeing of the garments: it is possible to dye cellulosic fiber fabrics such as cotton, linen, silk, viscose or similar. Chemical fabrics such as acrylics, acetates, polyester, elastane, microfiber or similar cannot be dyed. It is also important to take into account the weight of the clothes: never fill the drum more than half of its possible load. Also consider that very often dyeing fabrics does not cover stains, so a thorough pre-wash is necessary before proceeding with the dyeing. If you are approaching the dyeing of colored base fabrics, remember that the dye does not cover the starting color, but mixes with it. For a more uniform result, therefore, you can start with a bleaching and then proceed with the dyeing.
All natural fabrics can be dyed, but you can make some differences:
- For wool and silk use a solid dye.
- For cotton, linen or viscose use a liquid dye.
- For delicate fabrics such as veil and muslin, it is best to opt for a cold dye.
- Polyester and acrylic cannot be dyed.
Remember: when you dye a fabric, the dye does not cover the original color, but mixes with it. It is therefore necessary to bleach the fabric before dyeing it. Use a pre-dye bleach, which will give it a neutral color. Only after this. operation the fabric will be ready for dyeing.
How to dye fabrics naturally and by hand
To dye fabrics in a natural way we must not limit ourselves to the idea of using coffee grounds or more generally coffee. Nature is full of colors, flowers or spices show it to us, and right there we will go to recover the color. we want to dye our garment. Here is a list of ingredients with which you can obtain the different colors:
- Brown: coffee, tea
- Black / gray: carob, iris roots
- Blue: blackberries, blueberries
- Red: beetroot, henna
- Yellow: turmeric, saffron, chamomile (for a straw yellow)
- Green: ivy leaves for a bright green, nettle leaves for a softer green
- Rose: strawberries, black cherries, red rose petals
- Orange: curry, pomegranate
- Purple / Lilac: elderberries
Preparation of the garment
Before dyeing the garment, let it soak for about 1 hour in a mordant solution, always natural. Not everyone adds this procedure to the dyeing of the garment, but this step favors the taking root of the dye.
Proceed as follows: if you have chosen to color the garment with berries or fruit, put the garment in a solution of salt (1 part of salt and 16 parts of cold water); if you have chosen to color the garment with grass, flowers or leaves, opt for a vinegar solution (1 part of white vinegar and 4 parts of cold water). Put the garment in this solution and boil for 1 hour.
Procedure for dyeing fabrics in a natural way
We can do this type of coloring only on garments with natural fibers. You must always read the label before approaching any garment and avoid sensational mistakes.
A clarification before starting: to obtain a good result, use as much natural dye as the weight of the garment. If your garment weighs 50g and you want to dye it red, you will use 50g of beetroot.
To proceed with the dyeing of the garment, we put to boil a pot with so much water necessary to completely cover the garment. Pour in a tablespoon of coarse salt and then your natural dye. Boil for about 1 hour until the color obtained is what you want. Filter then the water to eliminate the residues of vegetable dye. Once the water is clean, put it back to boil, immerse the garment in the pot and let it boil for at least 3h. Once you have reached the intensity of color you want (the more time passes the more the color becomes intense), turn off the heat and leave the garment to soak to cool. Then rinse it with cold water and put it to dry as for dyeing in the washing machine.
How to dye fabrics by hand and cold
After leaving the fabric immersed in the dye for 50 minutes, together with the salt and a fixer, rinse it with cold water, until the water becomes clear; then wash it separately with hot water and detergent, to eliminate the excess dye.
After dyeing, the fabric risks losing some of its color during the first wash. To better fix the color, let the fabric soak in cold water and white vinegar.
The Tie-Dye technique (knot and dye) to dye fabrics
Tie-Dye is a Chinese artisan technique that has spanned centuries and oceans. It is made on light-based fabrics and allows you to create the famous print that takes its name. Knot dyeing allows you to create original prints of many colors.
On a white fabric such as a sarong or a t-shirt, previously washed and ironed, tie knots at least 2 centimeters away from each other. You can also use rubber bands or string to make knots.
Wet the garment before dipping it in the color, for the time indicated on the instructions of the dye used. Rinse without untying the knots. If you use a hot dye, wash the garment to remove the excess color. Let it dry and then undo the knots, and that's it.
If you are looking for original do-it-yourself tricks, check out this album!
