Six years ago I bought the best pair of jeans of my life. They were a classic pair of black Gap Straight Fit Jeans that I found from Goodwill with a Fall ’03 label on them. They fit me like a glove, made me feel slim, and hit at the perfect length. Have you ever wondered what to do with an old pair of jeans you really love and that are really starting to look like they should be retired? Well, today I wanted to show you how I dyed my black jeans black again and restored this old pair into something that looks like brand new for less than $5!
These jeans were black, but they have faded after a million times in my washing machine. I actually think these would have been cool in eighth grade when I begged my mama to buy me a pair of stonewashed jeans that looked like they had been beat to death. Sadly, I am no longer an eighth grader and I am starting to feel self conscious when I wear these out. I’m tired of being judged.
Time to hit the craft store. Grab your coupons!
I headed to Joann Fabrics and over by the t-shirts and t-shirt decorating supplies is an aisle filled with fabric dyes. You will need two boxes of the powdered Rit dye in your desired color. They do offer a liquid version, but it is my understanding that the powder seems to be a bit more concentrated and adhere a little better to the fabric. I haven’t tested this theory, but I wanted this color to stick so I went with the powdered version.
Back to black, old friend. It makes me want to break out my Amy Winehouse playlist right now. I used two boxes of this Rit dye in black for my jeans. If your aim is to go back to blue with your jeans, you will want two boxes of Navy (for dark jeans) or Indigo (for a lighter wash). Be careful with the Indigo & Navy though as there are many comments reporting that this one can turn your jeans more purple than blue. Always follow the package directions for the best advice!
My only experience is with the BLACK dye. As you can see in the after pictures, it isn’t a true black so this is the color that I would recommend for a dark wash jean!
Let’s get started!
Our family has a HE washer so I am sharing with you how to dye your jeans using your HE washer. At the end of the post, I will share the other Rit recommendations depending on your own scenario. All scenarios create a big mess, but just think of your new-to-you jeans!
Did I already warn you? This is going to get really messy. I recommend throwing on old clothes and a pair of rubber gloves while you mix this.
In a glass measuring cup add four cups of the hottest water possible out of your tap. VERY carefully, add 1 cup of table salt and the contents of two of the powdered packet. Using a metal spoon and VERY carefully stir the contents.
In your laundry sink, wet your jeans in warm water and then place them in your washer wet.
It is important to use the washer’s hottest water setting. Additionally, a wash cycle of at least 30 minutes is recommended to obtain a satisfactory dyeing. I set my washer to the Whitest White Cycle because it had hot water and was one of the longest running cycles on my washer. Consult your washer manual to figure out which setting would be best for you. Go ahead and start the cycle with your wet jeans in there.
Here comes the super scary part. VERY carefully pour your dye solution into the spot where you put your detergent after you start your cycle. Try to not panic like I did. I promise it will all work out.
Once the dye goes into the cycle (you will be able to tell when you open up your detergent compartment and see the dye filling in the washer) fill it with four cups of the hottest tap water possible and put it in the same exact spot you put your dye in (the powdered detergent holder) to flush the color out.
If you value your sink, this might not be a good thing because your sink will turn blue from the dye. You will have to bleach it if you want to maintain a pristine sink. Ours is obviously very classy down in our basement with a single light bulb attached to a piece of string. Try not to be jealous of my laundry room.
Once your jeans are done, run it through another round or two of a warm wash cycle with detergent. You want to check the water to see when it begins to run clear before you dry them to make sure all the color has absorbed into the jeans. As a precautionary measure, wash the jeans separate from other items until you are completely sure that the dye will not transfer.
After that, just run them through the dryer on your usual cycle.
Notes on Retaining Color and Resisting the Fade: Other readers have shared that Retayne is a great product to use to help your fabrics retain the rich colors that you have dyed them. Soaking your already-dyed garment in salt and/or vinegar will not set your dye. At best, it will just add another washing, which will help to remove some of your excess dye. The salt in the dye bath, however, helps the dye to approach the fabric instead of staying in the water, and vinegar can helps dye nylon or wool, but not cotton (like these jeans). Neither salt or vinegar is actually a dye fixative for already-dyed fiber.
After you are done, you will want to clean your washing machine. Clean your washing machine immediately after dyeing has completed using the hottest water setting. Since the machine automatically weighs fabric to determine the water level, place 3-4 old towels into the washer along with detergent and 1 to 2 cups chlorine bleach. Wipe spills with chlorine bleach solution. Plastic or rubber parts may be tinted but will not stain laundry.
I happened to have a box of this Tide Washing Machine Cleaner and I used that in lieu of messing with the bleach.
That’s it. A day of effort with less than $5 in supplies for a pair of new-to-you jeans.
Without further adieu, here are my new-to-me jeans…
My faded barely gray jeans are now a much richer and more solid color. I still can’t believe that this is the same pair of jeans. Just to be up front, I used the same exact spot in my house, same time of day, and same settings on my camera so this is no trick in photography. It really has restored the color in my jeans.
Here is a side by side of the jeans. When they are lined up next to each other, you can see just how dramatically different this pair of jeans is. I am amazed at the results and feel like I got a brand new pair of jeans for less than $5 in supplies.
The one thing I was worried about was that the seam would be dyed along with the rest of the fabric, but the seam actually didn’t absorb the dye. This was a lovely, lovely surprise!
If you are in love with a pair of jeans at the thrift store or simply want to restore some color in your old jeans, I encourage you to pick up some Rit fabric dye and give this a try! The results are dramatic, while still being easy on your wallet!
Other Methods of Dying With Rit Dye
For Top-Loading Machines
Fill machine with enough hot water for fabric to move freely. Refer to the chart below for the right amount of dye to add. Pre-dissolve powder in 2 cups of hot water. Add pre-dissolved powder or liquid to hot dye bath.
Wet fabric in hot water. Uncrumple and add to dye bath.
Set machine for extended wash cycle. Fabric should be in dye bath for at least 30 minutes before rinse begins. (You can reset your washing machine before the rinse cycle begins for extended wash cycle.)
Rinse in cold water until water runs clear. Wash deep shades in warm water with mild detergent and rinse thoroughly in cool water.
Dry item in dryer or hang to dry.
Clean washing machine using highest water level with hot water, detergent and 1 cup chlorine bleach using complete wash cycle. Clean lint traps. Plastic or rubber machine parts may be tinted but will not stain laundry.
For Front-Loading Machines
The settings and options of various front-load washing machines vary among manufaturers. Even though there are slight differences among differing manufacturer’s wash settings, they are common in that they all introduce water to the tumbler once the garment is placed inside. They allow a time period to introduce detergent (or dye in this case), and they all finish with a spin cycle.
It is important to use the washer’s hottest water setting. Additionally, a wash cycle of at least 30 minutes is recommended to obtain a satisfactory dyeing.
Because front-load washers have built-in heaters to maintain the washer’s temperature and the water to fabric ratio is relatively high as compared to top-load machines, deep rich colors can be achieved using Rit dyes.
For Stovetop
Fill pot with enough hot water for fabric to move freely. Remember: Use 1 package of Rit powder or 1/2 bottle of Rit liquid dye and 3 gallons of hot water for each pound of fabric. Pre-dissolve powder in 2 cups of hot water. Add pre-dissolved powder or liquid to dye bath. Stir to mix.
Wet fabric in hot water. Uncrumple and add to dye bath.
Bring dye bath to simmer. Stir constantly (back and forth, up and down) at least 30 minutes.
Rinse in warm water, then gradually cooler water until water runs clear. Wash item in warm water with mild detergent and rinse thoroughly in cool water.
Dry item in dryer or hang to dry.
Clean containers immediately with chlorine bleach. Scrub with chlorine-based powder, liquid, or gel cleanser, if necessary.
*This post contains affiliate links*
Have you ever used fabric dye for any projects? Any tips or recommendations for fabric dying? Let’s share!
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Your jeans look AH-MAZING!! Great job! As one with insanely long legs, my only fear would be shrinkage due to the hot water… they really didn’t shrink up in there??? (Don’t want to look like I’m waiting for a flood…
)
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Amy Reply:
February 21st, 2012 at 7:53 am
Ha! I would say they felt a little snug until I broke them back in, but they did come out the same length and once I wore them a couple of times, they felt like my old jeans again. You should totally do it
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Those turned out incredible, Amy!!
Steph
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Amy Reply:
February 21st, 2012 at 7:58 am
Thank you so much, Steph! I am back in love with my 2003 vintage jeans
Miss you!!
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I have a blue jean skirt that could really benefit from this treatment! It’s a pretty sad looking skirt. I’ve actually thought about doing this before.
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Amy Reply:
February 21st, 2012 at 9:36 am
Definitely give it a try, Tammy! I really was impressed how it turned out!
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Do you find any issues with them “bleeding” when you wash them again? Would they always have to be washed alone?
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Amy Reply:
February 21st, 2012 at 9:35 am
I washed them twice after dying and the water ran clear the second time. I still want to be cautious the first few times washing them though, just in case. I hope that helps!
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I saw this same concept on Pinterest a few months ago and it’s been on my list ever since. I have an acid-washed button down shirt that my husband bought me 20 years ago when we were dating. I’m thinking it’s not coming back in style, but it might be cool to have it in a different color. Thanks for the fun step-by-step.
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Amy Reply:
February 21st, 2012 at 9:37 am
Oh, awesome! You should do it! I bet it would look fabulous! You could also try a colored Rit dye for a punch of color
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I have not dyed jeans, but have dyed linen and other natural fabrics a lot. I’d recommend buying a dye fixative like Retayne to fix the dye in the fabric. It prevents bleeding issues and fading. I’ve only found it online, but even a small bottle lasts a long, long time. You can also use it on new things that tend to bleed to solve this issue, too.
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Amy Reply:
February 21st, 2012 at 2:15 pm
Thank you so much for this tip, Amber! I will have to look into purchasing a bottle of that Retayne!
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Why is there no salt in the top-loading instructions?
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Amy Reply:
February 21st, 2012 at 2:15 pm
You will need to read the package instructions for salt instructions. These are just the instructions for how to dissolve and use the dye in different scenarios. If you are just doing jeans, it would be a cup of salt, just like the tutorial above. On the package it does a breakdown of what types of fabrics require the salt and what types don’t. I hope that helps!
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I’ve done this as well to a pair of jeans that I love to wear. Love that it’s easy and I have my good jeans again.
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Amy Reply:
February 21st, 2012 at 2:16 pm
So awesome, Lynn Maire. This was my first time doing this so it was all new to me. Thanks so much for sharing about your experience doing this!
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I’ve done that to baby burp cloths and onesis. First I had my girl so I had some white ones but alot of pink. I decided to dye them all blue!
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Amy Reply:
February 21st, 2012 at 2:16 pm
That is so smart, Fannelly! I love that idea and will definitely have to remember that one. Thank you so much for your comment.
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Has anybody actually tried this with a front-loader? We have one, but the house is a rental and I am super-paranoid about doing anything that might stain the detergent dispenser.
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Amy Reply:
February 21st, 2012 at 2:17 pm
You could always spray the dispenser with a bleach cleaner afterwards. The hot water flushed most of the dye through on my dispenser and then I gave it a swipe with a paper towel to get rid of any other color. I hope that helps!
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Felice Reply:
March 20th, 2012 at 7:43 pm
Frontloaders frequently have dispensers that can be popped out and cleaned. I do this regularly since the fabric softener dispense area clogs. If you don’t have the washer manual, find it online.
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Amy Reply:
March 21st, 2012 at 6:18 am
Thanks so much for this great tip!
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One of my friends redyes her black tee shirts every year. Keeps them black like they are supposed to be. Great tutorial!
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I always have a problem with my work khaki’s fading to off white. I have used Rit dye to make them tan again. Works like a charm!
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I always hang dry my jeans. I’ve found they don’t fade as fast that way. Dunno if I’m ready to dye anything yet, but I’ve heard that adding vinegar can help set the dye in… or maybe that’s just with tie-dye. *shrug* Kudos!
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Rory Reply:
February 23rd, 2012 at 3:21 pm
I used iDye a couple of weeks ago to revive a grubby pair of jeans. They came out nicely. The package says use salt with cotton, vinegar with silk.
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I have done this many times it also works on my work pants. I gather 1-2 itmes that need the same color. When using a regualr washer I put in 1 cup of salt to set the dye, it goes in with the dye. I also run a hot water cylce with bleach to clean the washer.
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I wish I’d read this last summer when I dyed a favorite pair of maternity capris. Not only did they turn out purplish, rather than denim blue (I thought one packet of dye would be plenty), I didn’t adequately clean the washer afterward. All my work scrubs had dark blue splotches. Frugal fail!
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Amy Reply:
February 27th, 2012 at 7:48 am
We ALL have those, Amanda! I think since we just recently got our washer, I was really worried about ruining it so I actually read the directions this time. Can’t say I do that all the time
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I remember my Mom dyeing cloths in a bucket when I was a kid.
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I’ve done this for years, with jeans, cotton tees, and other items. Just know that the colors will bleed the next few times you wash them, so just wash like colors together for a while. I’ve used both the liquid and the powder dye, and prefer the liquid, although it is more expensive.
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I have yet to try this, what a great idea! I’m absolutely going to have to try this with at least one pair of pants and see if my kids and husband like it. Thanks!
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I have been doing this for many years. I’ll add the dye to a load of black clothes to freshen up the color. Works every time.
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I have done this many, many times with my black jeans — I started doing it in the washer, but did not like the way it left the washer, so now I do this — mix the dye exactly as you said, take my jeans and they dye outside, lay them on the grass, or cardboard or throw away shower curtain, and I use a cheap throwaway brush and ‘paint’ the dy eon the jeans, both sides – let dry completely — then I rinse them in a bucket and let them dry again – and run them through the washer without detergent — even though it seems like a lot of work, I actually find it easier and less messy to do it this way — LOVE giving life back to those faded black jeans (they seem to fade so fast)
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natasha Reply:
June 17th, 2012 at 6:33 pm
Hey Brenda,
Could you give me a bit more detailed description?
I really need to do this, but I live in an apt i am leaving at end of summer, and I do not want to mess anything up. I want to do your method of outside- much safer for my situation.
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I have dyed black, cotton pants for years. I am short & have learned that the Ann Taylor brand fits me best but is not inexpensive, so I try to make them last. Super easy & really expends their lives.
I also dye bath towels and rugs on a regular basis. I ususally just dye them the same color they were originally. I have been very sucessful with black & green towels & rugs. Lighter colors might be more of a challange!
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I would keep three or four old denim jeans around to rinse and clean the washing machine of the dye, that way if you use bleach it wouldn’t do any harm to the no longer worn pants. These jeans could be the ones with holes in the knees that you could wear for painting and yardwork but wouldn’t be caught dead in at the local landfill. (But might be tempted to wear to your mother in law’s funeral) Jus kiddin’…………..or not.
I would wash the freshly dyed items with other jeans just in case there was any bleeding, that way the other denims could catch the drifters from the dyed items.
L.D.
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Rit actually makes a dye called Denim. My best friend and I decided to dye a pair of each of our jeans when she was down visiting over the summer. They turned out very, very dark blue. But not like the new pair of jeans in the store dark denim. These looked blue like my husband’s ugly, super stiff Carhart work jeans. It was not the color we were expecting at all. We did both pairs at the same time and let them sit for over an hour. I think if we had of used 2 boxes it may have been better. I have a regular old top load washer and it stained the underside of the lid like crazy, lol…eventually it wore off.
I tried to dye a set curtain sheers dark brown with the liquid dye (couldn’t find dark brown powder) last summer as well, let it sit for over an hour, and was hoping it would work…but it didn’t change the color at all (didn’t think it would). I also dyed a small, 100% cotton, cream colored valance with the dark brown liquid dye, let it sit over an hour, and it only came out light brown. So, perhaps the liquid isn’t as good as the powder, because I was expecting that stinkin’ valance to be dark!
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Have used Rit many times to dye my favorite jeans over the years, but just a word of caution, the dye will
rub off on light colored fabric upholstery and even light colored leather.
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I have to say different fabrics and cottons take they dye differently. I just dyed two t-shirts last night with the Petal brand dye in aqua blue from Walmart. A Old Navy V neck 100% cotton T and Rue 21 cotton/Rayon fancy tank. The Old Navy shirt came out a darker blue and the Rue 21 came out soft blue, but both look nice. JoAnn’s also carries several other brands of dyes. One that is popular in the UK is Dylon. I just did a pair of Gab sparkle canvas wedges in the fuchsia along with a NY & Company white jean. Just tossed the shoes right in the machine. They both turned out nice. I already wore the shoes and got several compliments. When they get dirty and Dawn dish liquid will no longer lean them up I will dye them brown or black. Dylon also has a black and blue color that get good reviews. Check the web for DIY’s from folks in UK and Australia for Dylon. They have some on Youtube.
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I bought curtains at Ikea (being frugal) and when I decided I didn’t like the color in the room, I got some Rit and now they’re the perfect shade. Now I want to dye everything! I noticed white jeans often go on clearance so I hope to buy a cheap pair and dye them one of the fun bright colors that are all the rage these days!
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Melissa Reply:
March 29th, 2012 at 1:56 am
what a great idea to watch for white jeans on clearance! I have been eyeing an expensive red pair
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I have an old top loading machine (you know the kind no one wants anymore) and I have used the Rit dye for everything! I do agree that black tends to take the best without changing an odd color, I have two of my daughters favorite jeans Im about to dye and a shirt she stained with mustard that is currently blue but I am going to make it either purple or dark blue. I will let you know how it comes out!
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The jeans I want to re-dye are already black, but certain places on them have faded a little bit (knees, back pockets, zipper area, etc). They are still definitely black jeans, not faded so much like your jeans here, but since you say the Rit dye is not true black, would it change the color of my jeans and lighten them or just enhance the black that has faded slightly?
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Amy Reply:
March 20th, 2012 at 5:58 pm
I think it will just enhance the black jeans and make them more uniform in color! Good luck!
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LOL I think I have those exact jeans. Mine are not as faded actually they are at the perfect colour for now. I’ve dyed lots of things and jeans are no exception. There does tend to be a fair amount of bleeding after they have been washed and dried I used extremely cold water and salt to help set the colour.
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SO, WHY DIDN’T THE STITCHING TURN BLACK? THAT SEEMS STRANGE TO ME.
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Amy Reply:
March 21st, 2012 at 6:16 am
The thread they use in jeans does not absorb dye. I hope that helps!
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Michel Reply:
February 3rd, 2013 at 6:56 pm
Because jeans are made of cotton, which will absorb the dye, but the stitching is made of polyester which cannot absorb the dye (unless vinegar or another acid is used in the solution. In that case the acidic vinegar will help the dye etch into the polyester fibers).
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Can’t wait to try this on a pair of maternity jeans I bought with my last child and only wore 3 times. They are lighter in color, and I definatly want darker ones
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Thanks for this! I’m about to dye a jean jacket I picked up at Goodwill, and this will come in handy! I did have a few questions before I begin on my journey. It looks like the jeans didn’t get all the way black, but very dark. Am I seeing that correctly? Also, the jacket I have is only 98% cotton (2% spandex I think); were your jeans all cotton, or did they have some synthetic fiber, too?
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Amy Reply:
March 31st, 2012 at 11:52 am
It will not dye them a true black, just dark. Mine were exactly the same blend of cotton and spandex. Good luck!!!
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So I just wonder if you had stains on your jeans, and if they absorbed the dye well or if they left spots? I have a pair that I would like darker, but wonder if they have stains and if it will be obvious. Any suggestions?
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Amy Reply:
April 17th, 2012 at 5:28 pm
My jeans weren’t stained, but I think this would be a great way to camouflage the stains that might exist. Definitely let us know how it turns out!
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I just dyed my jeans for the first time & I’m SO disappointed. I used theRit denim blue first & got an odd light/medium pinkish blue so I then dyed them with navy blue & ended up with an awful reddish purple cast to my formerly favorite jeans! I’m wondering if the black would now be an option?!! I won’t wear them the way they are! Any suggestions? Thank you! Kitty
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Amy Reply:
April 17th, 2012 at 5:27 pm
I would definitely try the black and see if you can dye over the colors you already did. I have only tried the black, but I have had good success with it. Let us know how it goes!
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I am really nervous about trying to pour 4 cups of dye into that tiny detergent compartment of my front loading washing machine, will it all go in? Won’t it over flow? Please let me know how it worked for you because this is the only thing that’s stopping me from dying the clothes I have.
Thanks
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Amy Reply:
April 18th, 2012 at 8:42 am
When you pour it, it is draining right into the washer while you are doing it so it almost immediately goes down. I was worried about that too. Then you shut it and fill your measuring cup with really hot water to flush everything back down. I promise, it will all fit
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Oubli Reply:
April 21st, 2012 at 1:41 am
Thanks for the reply, will try this tomorrow!
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Years ago when we were poor students and expecting our second child (sex unknown) a friend gave me a bunch of pink baby sleepers that had seen better days. They were in good condition but all the washing in bleach, etc. had left them a pale pink mess. As we didn’t know the sex of the baby, I got a package of bright orange RIT dye and dyed them all on top of the stove. (Too scared to ruin the rental washer.) The sleepers were spectacular afterwards. Everyone commented on them and they kept their color until my daughter grew out of them.
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I do this all the time and it works great!
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This makes me look at Goodwill jeans in a whole new light! Looking forward to giving it a try! Great tip!
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We use 1 box black and one box navy blue to dye our work pants. It prevents the purple issue you mentioned.
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Thanks so much for the idea!! My daughter had a pair of faded black jeans she absolutely loves and did not want to get rid of them (the were looking really bad), and I happened to google: can you dye faded jeans, and this site came up. They look great!
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My husband had some khaki shorts that he had spilled some black paint on. He tried to scrub it out as soon as it happened but of course it left a big black stain. I dyed them with a package of black powder dye and 2 oz of navy blue liquid and they turned out amazing. The stain is completely covered up, and the stitching didn’t take the dye so they are now a deep dark blue with khaki stitching; they look like they were made that way. Since they turned out so well I am going to do the same to a pair of his cargo pants!
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I’ve been doing this for years. It’s a great way to freshen up them work clothes.
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I don’t care if I’m a guy and this is ridiculous. I’m in college, and suddenly… saved $100 on jeans. Thanks for the tips!
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I did this on old light blue jeans with turquoise dye, and got a lot of people asking where I got them.
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I don’t know if anyone has said this but if you wash them in cold water with vinegar instead of detergent, it will set the dye.
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What if i want to dye several pairs of jeans? Should I get more Boxes of dye or do you think the 2 boxes would be enough? I work in a place where i have to where black pants and i feel like I’m constantly buying new ones so they are not faded but…. if i could just dye them all back! that would save me money for sure.
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Marie Reply:
October 22nd, 2012 at 1:11 pm
I used two boxes to dye 3 pairs of pants and 3 pairs of shorts. I used a cup of salt in the dye bath too. There was also enough dye bath leftover that I probably could’ve dyed a few more pairs of pants.(I did stovetop). They turned out great. Good luck!
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I have dyed some stuff, a couple of years ago there was a halloween/birthday party and we had to get dressed as a character from one of Tim Burton’s movies. Of course I was Mrs. Lovett from Sweeny Todd and as I did not want to spend lots of money on my costume i decided to dy an old corsette from my mom in black. As I dyed it on my stove it looked awesome but… as i set it to dry i realized that some stripes of the corsette haven’t dyed… at least not as the other parts. They were… obscure?? I can’t find a word that describes it but it made an awesome effect!! it had dark stripes and lets say brownish golden stripes and it looked really Burton-y. So my recommendation is… if you want to dye something be sure it’s cotton or a natural fabric, otherwise it won’t dye!! I was lucky that time but i really should’ve checked
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Any advice on dying a pair of yellow jeans? I have a pair of yellow cropped jeans that I adore, but I just ruined them today in the washing machine by using Oxiclean. I now have yellow jeans with orange tie die swirls all over the place. I don’t know how to get the orange out. If it isn’t possible I would like to dye them another color, maybe a coral color would cover everything. Advice?
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Jaye Reply:
December 21st, 2012 at 12:37 pm
It’s been a while, but no one’s answered, so…
Try dyeing them yellow again. It might work!
If not, you can always go darker.
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I too did this to a pair of black jeans that had faded to a dull grey and they turned out amazingly dark! That was four months ago and the colour is holding strong! I loved it so much, I’m currently doing two pairs of blue-jeans!
I saved an old liquid laundry detergent bottle and mixed the water, dye and salt up in that. With both caps on I shook it around and then used the dispenser to put the dye into the machine. No spashing of dye when mixing and an easy pour into my machine!
I can’t wait to see my new blue jeans now!
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I have those exact jeans! i just keep dying them black again (think i’m on my fifth round) and its starting not working as well any more. If only they’d start selling the same again, the new straight leg version is far too tight!
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I saw this on Pinterest a few months ago and finally tried it today. I didn’t want black jeans, but I didn’t want BLUE jeans either. I used one bottle of black and one bottle of denim. It turned out great! I did use the liquid and it seems to work just fine. One of the pairs of jeans that I dyed has a tiny bit of a pink tint to it now, but they were almost white before, so dark blue with a tiny hint of pink is SO much better! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for posting this.
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Great idea! I thought about doing this before but didn’t want to clean up or mess up my brand new washer… Hmm… Maybe I’ll take my old jeans to the laundry mat and dye them.
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I did this years ago to my favorite pair of black Levi’s. I also used the black RIT powder, but i filled a plastic bucket with hot water/RIT instead and let the jeans soak in there for a like 30 minutes. I used a long stick/branch from my yard to stir the jeans a few times. They came out looking new and really black!!
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I’ve done this many times, specially with dark jeans. And to clean the washing machine: JUST WASH ALL YOUR OTHER JEANS! It will give them a little bit of that dark wash, at the most. If the thread in the seams contains ‘nylon’ it will not absorb the dye, but cotton thread will. Doesn’t it feel good to be able to hang on to your favorite pair of jeans?
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I have a brand new dark blue vest I need to be black. I have dyed it twice today and it will NOT hold the black color. It is 100% cotton…has anyone had this problem and WHAT CAN I DO???? Please help! Any suggestions are welcome!!!!
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Marie Reply:
October 22nd, 2012 at 1:07 pm
Use salt in your dye bath and make sure the water is really hot! Good luck!
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Thanks for the tips! I tried it the other night. I got two boxes of navy dye and used it on 3 pairs of pants and 3 pairs of shorts. They look great now! I’m lucky and I haven’t changed size in a few years (like 6 or 7! This justifies buying expensive jeans) and they were getting old looking. I added about a cup of salt to the dye bath and I used the stovetop method. You have to keep them moving, but it’s not bad. I wore rubber gloves and there’s only a little dye on me now. My tips: make sure the water is actually simmering when you put the pants in because it helps them retain dye when you rinse. (Too bad I didn’t figure that out sooner! So much rinsing!) Also, if you value your counters, be very careful! It doesn’t take much to get stains on them!
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I’ve successfully used 1 box of black and 1 box of indigo to achieve the perfect shade of “dark wash” denim on my jeans. I also buy all my jeans at Goodwill and darken them as needed.
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Lucy Reply:
November 19th, 2012 at 1:00 pm
I bought some jeans less than 8 weeks ago: dark denim rinse (blue) base, that are heavily distressed, particularly on the front of the thighs. I didn’t like the distressed look, but they fit so well, I decided to keep them–hoping the look would grow on me. Well, it hasn’t in the slightest and I’m feeling so bummed. I found this post (thanks, Amy) while researching dying, to see if I might be able to darken the lightest distressed areas and even out the overall color–at a minimum. They are the same 98% cotton/2% lycra mentioned above. After reading all the comments, I’m about to try dying them with one box of Rit black and one box of navy, as several have mentioned. Anyone have experience with similar? Thanks.
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Lucy Reply:
November 19th, 2012 at 1:01 pm
Or is black and indigo a better bet?
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I’ve tried this before, but it always seems to dye my seams as well. Any advice?
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Has anyone tried this in a laundromat? You think after following the washing machine cleaning steps at the end nobody would know something got dyed in there? I would hate to affect my other building residents’ clothes in our shared washers…
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Amy Reply:
November 15th, 2012 at 11:39 am
I think it would be fine, as long as you did the empty cycle following it as directed!
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Tracy Reply:
November 22nd, 2012 at 10:26 am
I’ve seen signs in laundromats specifically prohibiting this. I would not do it without asking.
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many larger laundromats have a machine labeled for this purpose.
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I do A LOT of Rit dyeing and I use only the liquid. I think its more even – my experience dyeing with the powder is that if it isn’t all totally dissolved, you can get funny-colored particles spotting your garment. This wouldnt show so much with jeans, though. I ONLY dye in the washing machine – and this is what I do – I first wash the garment, usually with a little bleach. Even white things I put a bit of bleach in, it seems to help the dye take. The garment (s) go through a wash cycle and rinse. I take them out, start running a hot cycle, and add the dye – I usually add 2 – 3 bottles of dye for a full load – and I mix to get wild colors. I add a ton of salt – and despite what you say about salt not fixing, my dyed things don’t wash out or fade..so I think it fixes pretty well. I let the dye and salt bath woosh about in the machine a bit, then I stop it and add the damp clothes. I agitate them either using the machine or if they are delicates, I do it with a broom handle (I do!). I leave everything for as much as an hour, agitating regularly (like every 15 mins). Then I put the whole thing on spin, and let the dye bath out….rinse…then go through a delicates wash cycle with soap. I take the things out and usually line dry. The washing machine then goes through a rinse cycle with some bleach added, and I don’t have problems ever of color in the wash. Good luck!!
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Hehe that’s a very nice advice! Lucky me I fouund it on Pinterest ^^
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Okay this might sound weird but hubby was not a fan of dyeing our he front loader dispenser black so I took regular ky jelly (free with coupons) an rubbed it all over the compartment… It’s water soluble but seemed to coat the dispenser to stop it from getting dyed too muh… There was a but of staining but not bad at all… As far as I can tell it didn’t cause any stains to the clothing or irregular dying. Just a tip
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Wow, deja vu!!! I totally used to dye my black jeans with RIT dye all the time in high school! The results only last a few months, so be prepared to repeat this process a couple of times per year if you wear them a lot. It’s way cheaper than buying new jeans though! Just be careful, the dye will bleed with future washes, so make sure to only wash the dyed jeans with dark colors!
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I just did this today! I looked up how to do it online (including this page) and went for it! I used 2 Rit Navy and 2 Rit Black boxes of powder dye. I dissolved the dye in 8 cups of boiling water on the stove, filled the washing machine (old top loader) with hot water (enough to cover the jeans), put 1 cup of salt and a dab of laundry detergent into the water, dumped the dye solution in, agitated it for a minute, then put the 3 pairs of jeans in (wet in hot water from the sink). I agitated it all then let it sit for about 1 hour (made sure to poke down all the parts of the jeans that were sticking above the water level with a kitchen utensil). Then just let the cycle finish with an extra cold rinse. They looked super dark so I immediately washed them in hot water with detergent then dried them. They look FABULOUS! I do think they’re slightly (only slightly though) darker than I had wanted so next time I’ll try 3 Navy and 1 Black. I’m so excited! I feel like I just got 3 new pairs of jeans for $6!!!
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Would it work if the jeans were normal colored and had a bleach spot on them? Would the bleach spot go away or would it still be lighter than the rest of the jeans?
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I had some lightweight denim shirts – bought 3, slightly bleached out 2 of them, and then overdyed them with Rit, one with green, one with turquoise… voila, I had 3 differently colored shirts. One thing to remember is that the thread won’t dye since it’s polyester, not cotton like denim.
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*make that, the thread that it is sewn with won’t dye!
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