How to Dye a Shirt

Preparing the Dye Bath

Lay down a tarp in your work area. You can also use newspaper or an old bed sheet. If you’re going to keep your supplies on a stand or table, make sure you cover that too so dye doesn’t get on them.

Fill a large plastic container with 1 gallon (3.8 l) of water. Make sure the container you use is big enough to hold your shirt. There should be enough water in the container that you’ll be able to fully submerge your shirt.

Pour a fabric dye in a color of your choice into the plastic container. Read the instructions on the back of your fabric dye to find out how much dye you should use. If the container says it can dye 2 pounds (0.91 kg) of fabric, and your shirt is 1 pound (0.45 kg), you would use half the container of dye. You can find a fabric dye in a color of your choice online or at your local fabric store. Keep in mind the color may turn out differently than it looks on the bottle depending on the fabric your shirt's made out of and how long you keep it in the dye bath for.

Add table salt to the dye bath. The salt will make it easier for the fabric in your shirt to absorb the dye. Add ½ cup (118.3 mL) of salt per 1 pound (0.45 kg) of fabric you’re dyeing. Stir the salt into the dye bath using a spoon. For example, if your shirt weighs 2 pounds (0.91 kg), you would add 1 cup (236.6 mL) of salt.

Dying Your Shirt

Make sure your shirt is made with a dyeable fabric. Shirts made out of cotton, wool, linen, silk, nylon, rayon, ramie, or a blend that's at least 60 percent dyeable fabric can be dyed using fabric dye. Avoid dying shirts made out of polyester, spandex, acetate, or acrylic. If the care label on your shirt says it's dry clean only or that it can only be washed in cold water, do not attempt to dye it using a dye bath. Not sure what kind of fabric your shirt is made out of? Check the care label attached to the inside of your shirt.

Soak your shirt in hot water. Fill up your sink, bathtub, or a plastic container with hot water and submerge your shirt in it. Once your shirt is fully soaked, remove it from the hot water and wring it out. Getting your shirt wet with hot water before you dye it will help it absorb more of the dye.

Tie rubber bands around your shirt if you want a tie-dye design. Grab part of your shirt and bunch it up in your hand. Tightly wrap a rubber band around the base of the bunch to hold in it place. Repeat on other sections of your shirt. The spots you bunch up won’t get dyed in the dye bath, creating the tie-dye effect. If you want to plan out your tie-dye design beforehand, draw it on your shirt using chalk. The chalk will come out in the dye bath. If you don't have rubber bands, you can use rope to tie up your shirt instead.

Submerge your shirt in the dye bath. Put on a pair of gloves so you can push your shirt down into the dye bath. Once your shirt is submerged, continue to push it down with your hands to get out any air bubbles trapped in the fabric. Air bubbles can prevent spots on your shirt from dyeing properly.

Leave your shirt in the dye bath for 30 minutes. Let your shirt soak in the dye bath for the full 30 minutes so it has time to absorb the color. If you take your shirt out early, it may not dye properly.

Remove your shirt from the dye bath. Put your gloves back on before you take it out so you don't get dye on your hands. If you want the color to be darker or richer, put your shirt back in the bath for 15-30 more minutes.

Washing Your Dyed Shirt

Wring out your shirt over the bucket and rinse it under warm water. Once the water running off your shirt is clear, start rinsing your shirt under cold water. As you’re rinsing your shirt, wring it out in your hands repeatedly so all the excess dye gets rinsed off.

Machine wash and dry your newly dyed shirt. Use warm water to machine wash it. Wash your shirt by itself the first time you wash it so the dye doesn’t transfer to your other laundry. After your shirt is washed, dry it in the dryer on a regular setting. If you’re worried about your shirt shrinking in the dryer, hang dry it on a clothesline or drying rack.

Hand wash your shirt the next time it needs a wash to preserve the dye. Washing your shirt by hand will help prevent the dye color from fading over time. Gently hand wash your shirt using detergent and cold water. Hang your shirt up to dry on a clothesline or drying rack when you’re finished. You don’t have to hand wash your shirt every time if you don’t want to. Just keep in mind the color may fade over time if you machine wash it.