For this reason, use bleach with some restraint. Four cups of each liquid is enough for an article of clothing like denim pants or a T-shirt. How long you leave the bleaching gel on the fabric depends on the dye in the fabric and the color you desire. If the fading is not to your liking, you can blot around the design with bleach again to make it even lighter. Rinse your bucket and use it to make a mixture of 2/3 cold water to 1/3 distilled white vinegar. All-white whites can be easier to wash than fabrics with some color in them, because bleach may not be an option for the latter, and hot water can cause some dyes to bleed. You can head on over to your local craft store and buy a plain t-shirt. Leave your clothing submerged in the bleach solution for at least five minutes. You can also mix a bleach-neutralizing solution according to the manufacturer's instructions. % of people told us that this article helped them. Flick the solution onto the shirt using a stiff bristle brush until you get the look you want. Rinsing the shirt stops the bleaching process. A piece of fruit, vegetable, or other food item. If the T-shirt color was originally light, you might be able to dye the entire T-shirt and to end up with the same T-shirt in a darker shade. Place the item to bleach in the bucket. It should also cover as much of the width of the shirt as possible. How to Fade Fabric Using Bleach. If the bottle has an adjustable nozzle, make sure it’s on the “spray” setting and not “stream.” Next, carefully spray the front of the shirt with the solution. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. To center the design onto the shirt you’ll need to lay the shirt flat … If there is no spandex, go ahead and bleach it—wash it in hot water using your favorite detergent and ½ cup Concentrated Clorox® Regular Bleach 2. Press firmly down on all of the edges to secure the duct tape or adhesive vinyl. Examine how big your mist is by testing the spray on a spare piece of cardboard. Open windows and turn on a fan to air out the fumes. This neutralizes the effects of the bleach and can help prevent corrosion of the fibers from bleach contact. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. If it’s okay to proceed, test the bleach solution on a less conspicuous area of the garment before fully laundering. Then, instead of adding color, you will apply a bleach and water solution to take away the original color. Unfortunately, bleach does not just remove color, it can damage fibers, causing them to break and fall apart. Bleach won't turn all fabrics completely white. You can also buy really inexpensive sweatshirts, shirts, sweatpants and tank tops on Amazon and bleach dye them. Bleach is used to both whiten clothes and alter the colors of clothes that are not white. "The step by step instructions with informative illustrations were really helpful.". Squeeze the bleaching gel onto the fabric. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 60,223 times. Do not use this measuring cup for any other purpose. One bucket needs to be filled with one part bleach to five parts cold water. Always ventilate your home when doing bleach projects, like in Methods 2-4 above. Don't apply … Check it every minute to see if it has lightened to your liking. Step 3. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Before you start the project, make sure that your shirt is clean and … Fill a large bucket with water and bleach, with one part bleach to five parts warm water. If you have ever tossed a white T-shirt in the washing machine with red towels, you have probably seen how the red dye from the towels turned the shirt pink. Then, again, you can set it on the shirt and press down firmly. There are 19 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. To learn how to brighten a dirty shirt by bleaching it, read on! Bleach is a strong chemical, so here we will learn how to use it safely while effectively removing color. You can pull the shirt from the bleach solution before it reaches white if you find that you like a lighter shade that it has become in the bleaching process. Then, submerge your shirt in the bleach solution, and let it soak for 10 minutes to 1 hour. After that, press the stencil on your shirt, firmly press down around the edges, and gently peel up the transfer paper. To bleach out the color in a shirt, start by filling a bucket with 1 part bleach and 5 parts water and a second bucket with equal parts water and hydrogen peroxide. Gently lay the design on the shirt where you want it. An object to block the bleach, such as duct tape or adhesive vinyl. Handle bleach carefully by protective gear and taking care not to splash or spill it. Consider transferring your stencil, if that is what you used, to transfer paper if it has loose pieces (such as eyes, dots, et cetera) by pressing the transfer paper on top of your stencil. Bleaching the shirt all the way to white will take close to an hour or longer, especially if the shirt is originally a dark color. To create this article, 10 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. The rag will make clean edges around the design, while the sponge will make fuzzy edges. Note if the shirt has a label indicating that it should not be bleached. Hold the spray bottle about 6-8 inches away from the shirt. You may even decide to change the color of other articles of clothing so everything matches. Immediately blot the whole area with a paper towel. Again flatten the shirt to remove wrinkles once you have slid the cardboard inside. Dilute the bleach with an equal amount of water. Bleach spraying a t-shirt is also the perfect way repurpose any old shirt you have lying around the house that may have a few stains on it. I'm going to teach you a whole new way to sublimate when it comes to colored T-shirts using bleach. The recommended bleach soaking solution for bleachable fabrics (always avoid bleaching wool, silk, mohair, leather, and spandex) is 3 tablespoons Clorox® Regular Bleach 2 added to 1 gallon water. Dye sublimation printing will always take on the color of the substrate you’re pressing on. Totally submerge the item. How to Bleach Something Completely White. First, you will fold your t shirt to create your pattern. The cardboard should be visible in the neck of the shirt and should extend all the way to the bottom hem of the shirt. You start with a colored t-shirt and use bleach to remove some of the color. There are a handful of different methods for sprucing up a shirt by whitening it, by brightening it, or by giving it a “makeover” with bleach. Remove the item from the water after it fades sufficiently and rinse in water. If it is a pre-made stencil, you can attach it by lightly spraying spray adhesive onto the back of it. She has a Bachelor of Arts in communications from California State University, Fullerton. Take a small spray bottle and fill it with a mix of half bleach, half water. 11. Let the shirt sit until it lightens to your desired shade. Allow the washer to fill with water first, then add the bleach and your fabric to the water. Be sure to put on your rubber gloves before starting to handle the bleach for this step. Check the shirt's label for bleaching instructions, looking carefully for “non-chlorine bleach only.” When an shirt requires non-chlorine bleach, you must use oxygen bleach or hydrogen peroxide to whiten it. Do not get bleach in your eyes or on your skin, accidental splashes rinse off … wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. Once it does, roll it in the towel to soak up excess bleach. It is recommended that the wash cycle run for five minutes before adding bleach for best results. Saturate the area … When an shirt requires non-chlorine bleach, you must use oxygen bleach or hydrogen peroxide to whiten it. Shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants, even jeans can be bleach dyed. Whereas on the dark grey shirt, the image heavily took on the color of the t-shirt. Always dilute the bleach as straight bleach can damage clothing, irritate your skin, and ruin the other clothes in your next few wash cycles. Do not wash it, as the water will cause the bleach to reactivate and further bleach your shirt. Try using one part bleach to four or five parts water. However, you are going to have a different contrast of color coming through the image on the pressed shirt. While plain white cotton clothing tends to be the most obvious candidate for bleaching, you can also use bleach on more colorful clothing, provided that it’s color-safe bleach or a hydrogen peroxide solution. Changing the color of your favorite T-shirt is a simple process you can do at home. In this case, you should choose a different shirt that can be bleached. After 10 minutes in the cold water, move your shirt to the distilled vinegar mixture. However, one of its most common uses is on clothing. Transfer your stencil to transfer paper if it has loose pieces (such as eyes, dots, et cetera) by pressing the transfer paper on top of your stencil. Wear a long-sleeved shirt and long pants, if possible, to take extra steps to prevent the bleach from touching your skin. Instead, all you need is a colored t shirt, hoodie or bedsheet and some plain bleach, water and a spray bottle. Prepare a mild bleach and water solution, using common household bleach. Step 2. Then, carefully remove the stencil from the paper backing. Soak the item in a bucket filled with 10 parts water and one part hydrogen peroxide. Two of them were $3 and the other two were on clearance for $1.79. Be sure not to pour the bleach solution directly onto the fabric, as bleach can eat at a fabric, causing holes. Last Updated: May 10, 2020 This article has been viewed 60,223 times. Put the shirt through a cycle in the dryer for about 30 minutes if you notice crystallized bleach. Use a dedicated measuring cup if your washer does not have a bleach dispenser. After that, press the stencil on your shirt, firmly press down around the edges, and gently peel up the transfer paper. The color will get lighter the longer it sits, so let it sit longer if you want higher-contrast stripes. Prepare a solution of 1 part bleach and 1 part water. Step 4. Bleaching Process Once you've banded the shirt, dip it in a tub of bleach, or spray it with bleach for a more abstract pattern. After dyeing, washing and drying, you'll have a fresh-colored T-shirt that appears new. Depending on the fabric and dye, the bleach might destroy the fibers before removing most of the dye. Make sure you cover the entire surface with spray to ensure the best results. Wait 5 to 10 minutes, then rinse the shirt with plain water. I also recommend air drying anything with a screen or transfer print on it. This adds a blue tint, which makes whites appear whiter. Finally, submerge your shirt in the hydrogen peroxide solution for 15 minutes, and then rinse it off with cold water again. Step 1. References. Then, set it on the shirt and firmly press down around all of the edges. Using bleach on a colored shirt is a different take on the traditional tie dye project. The colors on the white shirt are super vibrant. Wear waterproof protective gloves. You can use rubber bands and create a more traditional tie dye look. Spray a very light coat of bleach onto your shirt all around the stencil using a very fine mist setting on the nozzle; one or two trigger pulls will do it. Do not combine bleach with vinegar, ammonia, or other household chemicals, as it will produce harmful fumes. If bleach bleeds into the area behind the design, you can touch it up later with a fabric-marker in the correct color. To learn how to brighten a dirty shirt by bleaching it, read on! Make sure that you're outside and wearing old clothes for this next part: spray the wrapped shirt all over with the bleach/water mixture. Bleaching, or 'discharging' clothes to lighten or remove color can be helpful if you are going to cold-water dye, tie dye, and even to enhance the dramatic effect of printed or painted images. Bleaching Clothes in the Washing Machine Separate out all white clothing and linens. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. If you are going to bleach with washing machine, use liquid bleach but if it is for spot-stains, make use of pen or spray. By creating an account you agree to the Hunker, Eastern Michigan University: Discharging Dye with Bleach. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. You can pick out the threading and sew the hems again with white thread (or another color) to match the shirt. One way to re-whiten the shirt is to wash it with bleach because bleach removes color from fabric. Hunker may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. [1] X Research source Note if the shirt has a label indicating that it should not be bleached. Add one part bleach and three parts water to your spray bottle and then shake gently to mix. You are just aiming for a lighter shade of the shirt's color (e.g. When washing these items, check the care label to find out whether bleach is a no-no and whether cool or … We got ours at Michael’s. Sometimes threading on cotton shirts is done with polyester thread, which will not bleach as cotton does. for a red shirt, the spots will fade to pink). Again, these measurements can be approximate. Drying your rubber gloves on old clothing or fabric before touching the shirt again will be helpful to avoid accidental bleach spots from any bleach that got on your gloves. To create this article, 10 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. If you make your own stencil, you want to be sure to cut it out of adhesive vinyl. It is recommended to lay down a tarp, an old bed sheet, or some other protector if you are working on carpet. http://www.bhg.com/homekeeping/laundry-linens/products/whiten-brighten-laundry/, https://www.clorox.com/cleaning-and-laundry-tips/laundry/laundry-advice/how-to-use-bleach/, http://www.practicallyfunctional.com/diy-bleach-spray-shirt/, http://www.designmom.com/2010/12/diy-bleached-out-tees/, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Select from a variety of dye colors to make the shirt fit into your wardrobe. Make sure that the rags or cardboard cover the inside of the shirt all the way up to the neck and all the way down to the bottom hem of the shirt. BE VERY CAREFUL, YOU ARE DEALING WITH BLEACH! The darker color will ensure that the entire T-shirt is dyed the color. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/7d\/Bleach-a-Shirt-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Bleach-a-Shirt-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/7d\/Bleach-a-Shirt-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid793689-v4-728px-Bleach-a-Shirt-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":485,"licensing":"