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How to Cold Water Dye Clothes

By , About.com Guide

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Soak and Wash

Cold Water Dying

Let the garment soak.

Put the fabric in the water and stir slowly. Let it sit according to the directions on your particular dye package. Most dyes will advise you to agitate the clothing every now and then. This is to keep the dye moving throughout the fibers.

When your clothing is done soaking, you'll need to rinse it in the bathtub until the water runs clear. Run the clothing through the washer and dryer on it's own. Running it through with other clothing the first time means that it could potentially bleed.

Avoid mud colors
Mixing some colors will produce a murky brown. To prevent getting a brown color, avoid mixing these dye and clothing colors.

  • Red and Green
  • Orange and Blue
  • Yellow and Purple

Cold water dying methods are also used in tie-dye.

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