Listen Now
Wait! Don’t throw those pants away. Don’t give those faded hand-me-downs to the next on the list!
Outwit the stores; make it new. Outlast the past; make it better than new. Outplay the game; dye it!
Renew the color and it will be better than new! No need to spend money on a new skirt — dye it instead.
Dying breathes new life into a garment without spending much money. All that’s needed is foil, dye (best to use same color as clothes), and salt. To be safe, read the label to see what kind of material your garment is made of. Synthetics don’t take dye as easily as cottons. Wool and silk materials require special care, so read the instructions carefully.
Basic do-it-yourself dying instructions are easy. You can use a pot on the stove or a washing machine.
- Gather everything of the same color that looks faded. Read the tags to see whether they are suitable to dye. Make sure the clothes are clean (don’t dye them dirty). Before washing, estimate the weight of all the clothes combined. Wash, but don’t dry.
- If using the washing machine, run very hot water, making sure there’s enough water to cover the clothes you plan to dye.
- Dissolve the dye in the hot water. Use the right number of packets based on the dry weight of all the clothes being dyed. To help the dye “take,” pour in 1 cup of salt and allow it to dissolve.
- To help keep the washing machine clean, line inside the lid with tin foil. Put the lid down; swish the dye in the hot water.
- Place the clean, wet clothes in the dye bath. Put the lid down and swish. Open the lid and let them sit in the dye bath for at least 30 minutes.
- If you think you should check the clothes, wear rubber gloves and use long metal tongs to pull the material up. When satisfied with the color, run the clothes through the entire wash cycle.
- Rinse again until the water rinses clear. Dry.
- Wash an empty load with detergent and bleach before using the machine for clothes. It’s as good as new. And your clothes will be BETTER THAN NEW!
Helpful Tip: When these freshly dyed clothes need to be laundered again, don’t mix them with whites or colors for about two times.
