Name: Louis

Message: Should I use a reactive dye or a fiber reactive dye for couch. We have an old victorian red couch we would like to add on the fabric.

Do you suggest another dye or method?

First, the choice is not between fiber reactive and reactive. Reactive dye and fiber reactive dye are the same thing, when these phrases are used to describe textile dyes. Perhaps you meant to compare all-purpose dye with fiber reactive dye? All-purpose dye would be a horrible choice, since it can most successfully be applied only by heating the fabric in the dye, but even a cool-water fiber reactive dye will not work to dye a couch whose fabric cannot be removed for the dyeing and washing out steps.

Second, you should not dye any upholstery unless the fabric can be thoroughly rinsed. Unrinsed dye will rub off onto the clothing of anyone unwary enough to sit upon it, probably ruining their clothes. I recommend that you remove the fabric from your old victorian red couch, and either dye it, or, and this is a much better idea, buy new fabric and use the old fabric as a pattern to cut out and sew the new fabric to reupholster your couch. The results will be much better. You must determine the exact fiber content of the fabric on your couch before you dye it, even if you have properly removed it, because a cotton dye won't work on wool, a wool dye won't work on polyester, and no dye will work on olefin.

It is possible to use a good fabric paint, such as Pebeo Setacolor or Jacquard Dye-Na-Flow, instead of dye, in order to recolor the fabric of your couch to a darker color. A possibly easier-to-apply brand is the Simply Spray line of upholstery paint. However, the cost of several quarts of high-quality fabric paint will be as great as reupholstering the fabric yourself, and the results will not withstand wear nearly as well as properly dyed and washed fabric, fabric that is dyed before it is applied to the couch. Fabric paint wears off more quickly than a good dye, because it sits on the surface of the fiber, so it will be worn through before the fabric itself suffers damage.

For more detailed information on dyeing furniture, see the following:

"Can furniture be dyed successfully?", and

"Scarlet Zebra's Instructions for Painting Upholstered Furniture"

in addition to the unfortunate situation presented in the February 1, 2008 All About Hand Dyeing Q&A blog question,

"I dyed our white canvas couch DARK BLUE with RIT, then when we went to move it our hands were blue. HELP!".


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