Name: Amanda
Message: Is it possible to dye a swimsuit? I have a white one and it has gotten stained from the seat in my kayak? I was hoping to die it red or black. Thanks

It is possible, but you must use the right kind of dye. Your dye choice depends on what the fiber content of the bathing suit is. Lycra itself will not dye, but both cotton and nylon are easy enough to dye.

If your bathing suit is mostly cotton, with some Lycra, you should dye it with cool water fiber reactive dyes, such as Procion MX dye.

If your bathing suit is mostly nylon or polyamide, with some Lycra, you should dye it with a type of dye called acid dye, such as Jacquard acid dyes. Since Lycra is heat sensitive, you should use temperatures lower than the otherwise optimal boiling water, and while dyeing you should be very gentle with the bathing suit; Lycra is a thermoelastic polyurethane, and can be damaged by heat, especially by rough treatment in the presence of heat.

For solid single-color dyeing, using either fiber reactive dyes for cotton or nylon, see "How can I dye clothing or fabric in the washing machine?". For rainbow-dyeing cotton, see "How to Dye".

You can also buy cotton/Lycra swimsuits specifically for dyeing with fiber reactive dyes; see, for example, Dharma Trading Company.

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