Name: Marion

Message: Thank you for your wonderful info. Based on your post about reverse tie-dye (http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/FAQ/dark.shtml), I would like to use RIT Color Remover for my daughter's soccer team's t-shirts.

If I understand correctly, you're suggesting that the kids tie & knot the shirts, and then I wash them all in the washing machine, with the RIT Color Remover.

Can I instead have the RIT Color remover in a vat of some sort, and have the kids dip sections of their shirts into the vat?  Would that work?

Are these commercially dyed shirts? I have to warn you that not all dyes can be discharged at all. Some will just stay the same color, and it's generally impossible to predict without actually trying it. Also, if the shirts are not 100% cotton, they probably cannot be discharged.

 

Here is the Rit Color Remover recipe, from the inside of the box:

"Stove-top method. Wash items as usual. Do not dry. Fill large stainless steel or porcelain enamel pot (not aluminum or non-stick) with water, allowing room for items. Heat water to simmer [190°F or 87°C]. Carefully add Color Remover, pouring just above water level. (AVOID BREATHING DUST. USE WITH ADEQUATE VENTILATION.) Stir to dissolve thoroughly. Carefully add wet items (avoid crowding); stir continuously with a long-handled spoon or stick, 10 to 30 minutes so color will be evenly removed. DO NOT BOIL. Carefully drain solution into sink. Using rubber gloves, thoroughly rinse items, first in hot water, then in warm water (RINSING IMMEDIATELY IN COLD WATER MAY SET CREASES). Squeeze gently to remove excess water. Rewash items with detergent."
 
The washing machine method seems easier, doesn't it? Rit Color Remover works best with heat, but I have used it with hot water in the washing machine, which is only 140°F at most, and that worked. Perhaps you could get the water in a bucket very hot by adding some hotter water to very hot tap water. However, very hot water carries risks around children, of course. Also, they should not be allowed to get any Color Remover on the hands—they'll have to wear reusable-type rubber gloves, not the thin disposable latex variety—nor splashed into their faces. I think I prefer the method of having the kids tie the garments and toss them into the washing machine.

Here is a link to the safety information for Rit Color Remover. This product is certainly safer to use than chlorine bleach, but it is not as safe to use as dissolved dyes. I would not like for young or rambunctious kids in my care to be using it. The safety sheet says "Skin contact may produce irritation and possible skin burns", and "Contact with the eyes may produce severe irritation, burns, and possible permanent eye damage." The latter is no problem if you have the children wear goggles or safety glasses of the sort worn in chemistry lab. You can usually buy goggles or safety glasses at the hardware store.  

Also, do any of the children have asthma? "Pre-existing pulmonary diseases (e.g., bronchitis, emphysema) may be aggravated by inhalation of the dust of this product. Individuals who are sensitive to sulfites may experience hypersensitivity reactions from inhalation, eye or skin contact, or ingestion of this substance." (Don't worry about the warning about heating it above 130°F, as that warning is for the dry product, not a problem after it is dissolved in water.)

I don't mean to alarm you. Safety sheets are almost always scary, since they have to deal with worst-case situations. I believe that this product is safe for adults to use, especially with the washing machine method. How safe it is for children depends on how old they are, and how well-behaved.

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