Can I use an ordinary steel pot to dye silk or wool in? I've read that you can only use stainless steel or enameled steel, not aluminum. Is it all right to use steel that is not stainless, as long as it's not rusty?

No, don't use a steel pot for dyeing with synthetic dyes.

The reason why you never want to dye in a steel pot is that iron acts as a mordant to "sadden" colors, that is, make them darker and duller. Many dyes (including synthetic dyes) which do not require mordants to stick to fabric can nonetheless form complexes with the iron atoms that will have undesirable effects on the dye's color.

You can use stainless steel because it contains other metals that bind tightly with the iron atoms to prevent them from reacting readily. Ordinary steel is too reactive to be suitable for use in dyeing, except when the dulling effects of the iron on the color are desired.

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