Name: LJ

Message: Good morning. I have a question for you. I have been trying to dye some shirts a certain way. It is hard to explain how I want them to look. [See picture at left.] If someone would know, I'm sure it would be you :) Thank you. =LJ=


This question turns out to be an easy one to answer. You take shirts whose dye responds to bleach (not all shirts will), then place stencils on them. I've considered this method myself and have thought that cutting out shapes from the thin plastic of report covers might work well. Then you spray a mixture of chlorine bleach and water on the shirts. You must watch closely, as some dyes will react instantly and some may take half an hour to lighten as much as desired. Then you rinse them and then soak with an Anti-chlor chemical to stop the action of the bleach. Even after washing, bleach can continue to eat away at the fabric, so it is important to neutralize the bleach left in the shirt after you rinse it out. Do NOT use vinegar to neutralize your bleach! 3% hydrogen peroxide is safe and effective, while the most economical Anti-chlor is purchased by mail-order from PRO Chemical & Dye. See "How can I neutralize the damaging effects of chlorine bleach?".

Keep in mind that chlorine bleach is a very toxic chemical, far more dangerous than the dyes we use. It is actually 5% or 6% sodium hypochlorite plus a high-pH chemical such as sodium hydroxide to help prevent generation of chlorine gas. If you spray chlorine bleach, even if it is diluted, I recommend that you wear a respirator with an acid gas cartridge, not just a dust mask, to protect your lungs, as well as a plastic apron and thick sturdy long gloves, not just the disposable gloves that so easily get holes in them. In many cases it is also best to work out-of-doors. Keep in mind that chlorine bleach spatter can get to items you did not intend to mist.

I've obtained a similar effect when spraying dye through the $1 sprayers sold at my local pharmacy. There are better sprayers you can use, but the randomly placed extra-large drops are part of the design in this case. See "Spray Dyeing on Leaf Silhouettes".

It is impossible to know what strength of bleach will be needed for a specific shirt, before you try it. Some shirts lighten in seconds with diluted bleach, some take half an hour with stronger mixtures, and some never will bleach. See my page on "Discharged "dyed" Mandalas: no dye added" for a couple of examples. Dharma Trading Company sells some black t-shirts that are guaranteed to discharge well.

Don't use bleach on anything that contains any polyester or spandex or nylon, because bleach causes permanent damage to the fibers. Instead, use a reductive discharge such as Rit Color Remover or Jacquard Discharge Paste, and use steam to activate. See "What chemicals can be used to remove dye?".


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