The Tub (Washing Machine, Vat, Bucket) Dye Method

The basic method for solid color dyeing with Fiber Reactive Dyes. Use this method to dye something completely one color. Also called Garment Dyeing. Keep in mind that colors can vary based on many different variables, and the color charts are only a guide. **If color is really critical, always do a test before embarking on your main project!**

It's Easy!

  1. Wash fabric to remove any dirt, grease and starch. Fabrics that are treated with permanent press, or water proofing, etc are not recommended. Use Synthrapol for routine dirt and grease removal. Enzyme detergents can remove starch. Hot water is most effective.
    This is a very important step. Pre-washing really can make all the difference. We even recommend always pre-washing so called PFD fabrics, as you never know "where they've been".
  2. Dissolve the Non-Iodized Salt completely in the required amount of lukewarm (about 105) tap water. Add Calsolene Oil (Optional - breaks surface tension for more even, less streaky results).
  3. Dissolve the Fiber Reactive Dye completely by pasting it up with some warm water, then adding about a cup of warm water to make a well dissolved slurry, then add to the tub and stir to mix evenly. Some colors can be harder to dissolve than others, especially reds and mixes with red in them, like purples, browns, etc., also some of the darker yellows. For better results, use warm Urea water (approx. 1 TBS Urea dissolved in 1 cup warm water) to paste up your dye, then add the extra water as above. Put some thin fabric like 5 or 8mm Habotai silk or something comparable in a funnel over your dye bath and filter your thinned and dissolved dye. This really doesn't take long, and is worth it to prevent a whole load of clothes or fabric from having un-dissolved dye "freckles" on it. Make sure your "slurry" is thin enough before filtering or you can end up with too much dye residue in the filter and not in your bath!
  4. Add fabric and stir constantly (or at least every 3 or 4 minutes) for 20 minutes. In a washing machine, set it to agitate. Don't let it drain out - most machines you have to keep setting back to the beginning. Use a timer so you don't loose track - nothing worse than losing your dye down the drain before you're done! The washing machine is recommended for large loads, or when you are too busy to stir frequently enough, or for the most even results.
  5. Dissolve Soda Ash in warm water and add slowly over 15 minutes to dye bath, while stirring. Don't pour directly onto the fabric - move it aside. (Concentrated soda ash solution touching the fabric leaves darker splotches!) In the washing machine, turn it off, use something like a big stick to move the fabric over to one side while adding the soda ash. Mix the soda ash solution into the water before stirring the fabric around or turning the machine back on. Stir frequently or set machine to agitate again - 30 min. for light colors, 1 hour for deep colors.
  6. Remove and rinse out excess dye. With a washing machine, put it through a rinse cycle.
  7. Wash in hot water using Synthrapol to finish washing out the excess dye. With some of the darker colors like black or reds, a second wash may be necessary. Additionally, using Milsoft (a concentrated, professional fabric softener) according to directions will restore a luxurious softness to fabrics that have been dyed.

    For medium shades of most colors, add 1 tablespoon of dye per 1 lb. of fabric (3 gallons of water), or 1/2 cup of dye per 8 lb. washing machine load (20 gallons). Colors marked with * on the color card require double those amounts, and those marked with ** require 4X those amounts.
    For lighter shades, reduce the amount of dye, and for even deeper shades, increase the dye.

    The amount of Non-Iodized Salt and Soda Ash are a function of the amount of water used. For each lb. of dry fabric you will need about 3 gallons of warm water. The water must cover the fabric with enough room for thorough, tangle free stirring; otherwise you get uneven dyeing and streaks. For each gallon of water use 1 cup of Non-Iodized Salt and 1/6 cup Soda Ash. For the Blacks, use 2X the amount of Non-Iodized Salt.
    Basic Ingredients for Solid Color Dyeing
    1/2 lb. DRY FABRIC
    1 1/2 gallons of water
    1 1/2 cups Non-Iodized Salt
    1/6 cup Soda Ash Fixer
    1 tsp. Calsolene Oil    		 1 lb. DRY FABRIC
    3 gallons of water
    3 cups Non-Iodized Salt
    1/3 cup Soda Ash Fixer
    2 tsp Calsolene Oil    		 8 lb. MACHINE LOAD
    20 gallons of water
    20 cups Non-Iodized Salt
    2 1/2 cups Soda Ash Fixer
    2 Tbsp Calsolene Oil

    Check out our Procion Dye Yields & Estimator page

    What should I expect the dye to do?


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