I want to dye a pair of shorts; they are light blue denim and I have an enamel pail to put on the stove. How much water do I use with 8 ounces of dye and how long do I leave them in the pail to dye the shorts? Do you just dispose of the colored water down the drain?
By Mary Ann
Read and follow the directions on the dye packet as it varies from formula to formula as to dilution, bath times and heat requirements, and disposal.
Most dyes are safe to pour down the drain as they are (most, key word-again, read the label carefully) designed to be used in household washing machines, and as such drain into the sewers or septic tanks safely.
Ditto! Read the directions! When in doubt, read them again! If you want a darker color, you may want to double the amount of dye and/or leave the shorts in much longer time.
Wear rubber gloves unless you want your hands that color, and use a throw-away spoon, paint stirrer, ruler or whatnot to stir the pot. Check the dye packet to see if you need to wash them with salt the first time to set the dye, and if you should wash them separately for the first few times, just so the dye doesn't bleed out onto other clothes in that load.
