Do you think it would work if I sponged on the bleach like fabric dye?

Name: Chelsie

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Country or region: Texas

Message: I have a large micro suede papasan chair cushion with a cover that isn't removable. It's in an ugly sand color, and I would like to bleach it. I would like it to still be soft, just not so ugly. I'll dye it if I have to, I read about the disperse dyes, but I would rather it be lighter. Is that even possible without ruining the fabric? Do you think it would work if I sponged on the bleach like fabric dye?

No, I think that sponging on bleach would be a bad idea. Microsuede is made from polyester or from a blend of polyester and nylon. Nylon is completely destroyed by the hypochlorite in chlorine bleach. Polyester is not destroyed, but chlorine bleach damages it, giving it an ugly dull yellow color which cannot be removed. Furthermore, bleach is a hazardous substance and must be thoroughly washed out of any material before you use it, which will be difficult or impossible for a large cushion with a non-removable cover.

Disperse dyes aren't a great idea for this project, either, if you can't remove the cover first. They need high heat to be applied, either by boiling the polyester with the disperse dye for half an hour or longer, or by creating iron-on paper transfers using disperse dye crayons or paints. Obviously, boiling the cover will be impossible. Ironing on the transfer design works much better with a hard surface underneath, such as a piece of masonite board; trying to transfer an iron-on design to a cushion will be frustrating. (See "Iron-on Fabric Crayons for Synthetic Fibers".)

There are other dye removal chemicals which are gentler than chlorine bleach, but they would require you to remove the cover and soak it, with the chemicals, in very hot water. (See "What chemicals can be used to remove dye?".)

Really, anything you might want to do to the fabric requires removal of the cover. I don't recommend using fabric paint without first removing the cover from the cushion, but if you want to try, there are instructions on my site: see Scarlet Zebra's Instructions for Painting Upholstered Furniture.

I think you should consider sewing a new cover for the chair cushion. You could buy fabric in the color you like, or buy a dyeable material to color it yourself. There's a Wikihow tutorial available online on how to sew a new cover for a papasan chair. Alternatively, if you don't like to sew, you can simply buy a new cushion for the chair.

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Posted: Thursday - July 21, 2011 at 04:20 PM

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Do you think it would work if I sponged on the bleach like fabric dye?

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