A good pair of comfortable jeans should never go to waste. If your jeans no longer look brand new, one solution is to give the color a shine by dyeing them again. Denim lends itself very well to this process. Depending on your preferences, you can either lighten them or dye them black using boiling water and a special dye that can be purchased in supermarkets.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Prepare the Jeans
Step 1. Remove the labels
If you like the brand label on your jeans and don't want to dye it, use a seam ripper to unstitch and remove it, then reattach it after dyeing. The dye and lightener would change the color and appearance of the brand.
Step 2. Lighten your jeans if they are any color other than blue
Fill a bucket with half water and half bleach; place it in a ventilated area. Use less bleach if the jeans are already very light.
- Remember, the more bleach you use in relation to water, the more aggressive its effect will be on the fabric.
- Soak the jeans in the bleach solution and soak them for an hour or two. Move them every twenty minutes, while the bleach lightens the fabric more and more.
- They don't have to turn perfectly white. Even if they have a yellowish color, the black tint will completely cover it.
- Always use a pair of sturdy rubber gloves when working with bleach and dye.
- Rinse the jeans with plenty of water, or put them in the washing machine for a rinse cycle. Make sure they are thoroughly rinsed off and don't give off a very strong bleach smell.
Step 3. Prepare the area for dyeing
It's best to bleach outdoors, but when you're getting ready to dye your jeans, it's best to move indoors, near running water and the stove. You can dye in the kitchen or bathroom, removing all nearby clothing and fabrics before starting.
Step 4. Place newspaper on the floor in the area between the bathroom and kitchen and next to the washing machine
Use a basin or bucket to carry wet jeans without letting them drip.
Part 2 of 3: Prepare the Dye
Step 1. Purchase black jeans dye
The ones you find in supermarkets are cheap and easy to use. Read the instructions on the package carefully.
Step 2. Fill a large saucepan 3/4 full with water
Put it on the stove and bring the water to a boil.
Step 3. Bring a large basin to the area where you will dye the jeans
Make sure you can easily transport the full basin to the washing machine. Take an iron spoon you no longer use or a stick to mix the paint.
Step 4. Wet the jeans in plenty of cold water, while the water on the stove begins to boil
Lay the jeans next to the basin.
Step 5. Pour the boiling water into the bowl, filling it 3/4 full
Be careful when pouring boiling water. Try not to splash it and pour it slowly.
Step 6. Add the dye
Stir well with the spoon or stick.
Part 3 of 3: Dyeing the Jeans
Step 1. Dip the jeans in the water
Use the stick to push them completely underwater. Stir for 10 minutes.
Step 2. Sound an alarm on an alarm clock or your cell phone at 5-10 minute intervals
Each time, move the jeans in a circular motion to evenly distribute the dye.
Step 3. Leave the jeans in the hot water for an hour, moving them at regular intervals
Step 4. Pour the water down the sink or shower drain
Do this in a steel sink, if possible, and try not to stain the tile joints or the wall.
Step 5. Wring out the jeans and rinse them with cold water
Take them to the washing machine, being careful not to let them drip.
Step 6. Put them in the washing machine, setting a cold rinse and spin cycle
Repeat the cycle one more time. Then, wash the jeans cold, with a little detergent.
- If your washing machine does not have a rinse and spin cycle only, rinse them thoroughly in the shower or sink before putting them in the washing machine.
- Turn the jeans inside out to preserve more dye.
Step 7. Let the jeans air dry
Dryers tend to discolour fabrics faster.
