Solid colored shirts make you appear older than your age, and they tend to gather dirt easily. Tie-dying with colors requires you to have a light color fabric, and the process is overall messy if you don’t handle it with care. Ever heard of reverse tie-dye? Well, you must have, as it is a method used to remove the dye from a solid-color piece of garment.
Not sure how it is done? By the end of this article, you will know everything about how to reverse tie-dye any piece of clothing. So, go through your wardrobe, and see what you have that needs to be put through the reverse tie-dye process.
Reverse tie-dye process
Now you can easily transform your retro shirts and give them a brand-new look. Whether it is a total black or navy blue, no solid color can be spared with reverse tie-dye.
The most significant substance that you need in this case is bleach. Reverse tie-dye with bleach is the easiest process of all. There are other materials as well, find out below what those are.
Supplies
- Household bleach
- Rubber bands
- Disposable gloves
- Bucket
Other than these items, you will need the dark-colored piece of cloth on which you will perform the process, and a spray bottle will also be helpful in performing the task.
Safety precaution
Other than the mess the overall process can create, you have to be extra careful in the reverse tie-dye process because you are dealing with a chemical agent known as bleach.
Bleach is a powerful chemical that poses a severe threat if you are exposed to it for a period of time. Other than wearing protective gloves, do take an apron and protective glasses so that you are not exposed to bleach in any way.
Besides, it is suggested that you execute the method in a well-ventilated area, preferably outside.
Other than that, you also need to be careful about the clothes selection. Bleach works well with the cotton-made fabric, and it will damage your piece of cloth if not cotton-made. To be on the safe side, test a small area of the clothes with bleach and see how it reacts. If all goes fine, you can perform the reverse tie-dye.
Keeping note of all these precautions, let’s proceed to the steps.
Step 1
The first step is to collect all the supplies that are mentioned above. Further, you need to prepare the workspace where you are going to carry out this project and adhere to all safety precautions.
If all is done rightly, carry on to the next step.
Step 2
You may have chosen a shirt piece or pants; make sure that it is clean. If it is not, better to wash it before you perform reverse tie-dye.
Fold and twirl the cloth just like you do in any other tie-dying process. Use a rubber band to place it securely and tighten it so that bleach can be applied evenly. Fold and tie up the cloth as per the design of your choice.
Step 3
At this phase, you have to prepare the bleach. There is no need to go for concentrated bleach as a regular one is going to be more than efficient. Check on the label, as some bleaches require you to dilute with water. Prepare it as required.
Step 4
Now is the time to apply the bleach. This can be done in different methods.
The first way of doing this is by the bucket method. You pour the prepared bleach into a bucket and then place the garment and submerge it. Note that the garment is tied up with rubber bands. You will place it as it is and leave it there for some time.
The other method is that you fill in the spray bottle with a bleach solution and apply it to the fabric using the bottle and let it sit there so that it soaks into it completely.
You can go for any method that seems more convenient to you.
Step 5
After a few minutes of time, it’s time to see how you have performed the process. Take the garment, cut off the rubber bands, and rinse it with water so that any excess bleach is removed. Apply a small amount of detergent to thoroughly wash the cloth and then let it dry. Tada! You made it successfully. The complete procedure will hardly take 30 minutes or so. Let us know what the final piece looks like.
Conclusion
A cool idea to try at your home, now you can reverse tie-dye any piece of cloth and get it all done in the perfect manner. All the supplies required are likely to be present in your home. All you need is to prepare the workspace, follow the precautions, and you are good to proceed. Let’s give a try to your dark-colored hoodie and tell us how well you have performed.