Dying Clothes

[Eve]

I am a beggar for wearing dark clothes, mainly black.

I have a couple of light tops (white/cream) that are lovely but I rarely wear so I was considering dying them black to get some wear out of them.

I've seen the Dylon dyes in Wilkinsons and was wondering if anyone had any experience of using them and how well they dye clothes and how well the colour keeps. They have handwash and machine ones, I do worry in case any of the dye stays in the machine but it says do two cycles on 40 degrees, a wash after the dye cycle.

I'm intrigued about adding the salt too (they sell that too in Wilkos), what does that do?

Also wondering if there are particular materials to avoid dying and whether I need to be careful washing them with other clothes after (albeit most of my wardrobe is black haha!).

Thanks for any help :)

[Mosaic]

You need first of all to check the fibre of your garments. Cotton takes dye very well - polyester not at all. Check the info on the dylon website for viscose etc.
Secondly, even cotton garments or cotton-rich garments are often sen with polyester thread, which won't take dye - so you can end up with white stitching on a black garment - can be good, can be bad. But as long as you know.
I often use machine dyes and there may be some staining to debris left in the washer, but no damage to the machine or to subsequent washes. The staining is a bit like those disclosing tablets you use on your teeth - it shows where the grot is lurking.
The salt you need is the cheapest big packets of cooking salt from any cheap supermarket - the stuff they sell alongside the dyes is the same ina fancy packet. BTW cooking salt is just NaCl - table salt has minerals added to keep it from clumping. No difference to your dyeing but cooking salt may be cheaper.

First time you wash the clothes after wearing put the clothes in separately as a precaution.

[Mosaic]

sen = sewn

[Nosha123]

I've used it before with great results. Black jeans had faded! It does depend on type of fabric as to how dark it will go though!

[Eve]

Thanks all, brilliant advice :) I will check the clothes and what they're made off and see if I risk it. Would be good to get more more wear out of them.

[MarkRae]

When I saw the title of this thread, I imagined something totally different... :-)

[yelenots]

Yes I've used the Dylon dyes from Wilko's - black ones on jeans & tops, worked really well! Just be careful of the stitching as if its nylon it does dye!
I was worried about the washing machine and if everything after would come out black but everything was fine :-)

[B00]

I've dyed cream towels dark purple, and they came out, well...purple, lol. It worked spectacularly well, was impressed.

[starone]

The salt is to set the dye and prevent it from running when washed.

[Eve]

Haha MarkRae :) Ooh will definitely have to give it a go then! In fact I have a cream towel that ended up with weird marks over it after my mum helped do some washing when she was looking after me after my op, could dye that dark too :)

[MarkRae]

Whoosh!

[rowanwitch]

Clothes sewn with polyester thread end up with the stitching staying white after dyeing..... not always a good look so be prepared to add some covering trimmings or to unpick and re-hem using black thread