Name: Sarah
Message: It says to wash the dye out after 8-24 hours but does it hurt to leave it on longer?

No. If you're dyeing cotton, in particular, or any other plant fiber such as hemp or linen, you can leave the dye in for several days, if that's necessary because of your schedule. (I'm assuming that you are using a fiber reactive dye, such as the Procion MX dyes found in the tie-dye kits made by Dylon, Tulip, Jacquard, or Rainbow Rock.)

In fact, it's better to leave the dye in for one to two days than it is to take it out after the minimum six to eight hours. Allowing extra time ensures that all of the dye will have reacted, whether with the fiber in the fabric, or with the water the dye was dissolved in. This means that there will be no activated dye left to cause unwanted stains if a darker part of the fabric contacts a lighter part. If dye that has already reacted transfers when you untie the fabric, it won't be able to bind with the fabric, so it can be removed by washing in very hot water. Always start by washing once in cool water, to remove the soda ash and any salt, then wash two or three times in the hottest water available, to remove excess unattached dye.

If you are dyeing silk and using the soda ash recipe, it's a good idea to wash out the dye as soon as the dyeing is completed, because soda ash can be hard on silk.

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