I have white wicker furniture on my sun porch. I recovered all of my cushions on this furniture and it has been bleached by the sun. I would like to dye the cushion covers (I have washed them several times).
If someone sits on them with damp/wet clothes, will the dye come off onto their clothes? I have heard that if you rinse dyed articles in vinegar or salt water, it will "set" the color. Can you give me any advice? I won't dye these covers in my new washer, I'll dye them in a large tub or bucket. Thanks for the help.
Brenda
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My mother used RIT dye to change the colour of a room sized braided rug and the colour rubbed off, but I think that was because she couldn't rinse it properly.
If you follow the directions on the box you shouldn't have a problem. Try googling them if you are unsure. I'm sure they have hints, ideas etc to help you and someone you can talk to.
Vinegar can help with some of the older dyes. It acts as a fixative. Unfortunately it does not work for newer dyes, they have a different chemical make-up. You can buy a fixative to use with the newer dyes.
There is a product out that will seal the dye into the fabric. I am not sure what it is called. My mom-in-law dyed her cushions and then sprayed this stuff on. Check around at home improvement stores. It is also good because it waterproofs the cushion as well.
Dharma Trading Company (on the Web) sells dyes that are more colorfast than Rit. They may be a little more complicated, but I would trust them way more than Rit.
After coloring them, I'd look for a sunblocking Silicone waterproofing and it may come with Scotchguard now? If not, consider Thompson's Waterseal, reading the label to make sure it can be used on canvass and fabrics. If your fabric is woven nylon or other synthetic, don't use the sealants, which will dissolve the synthetics. Know your fabrics and read all labels/ warnings first. Good luck. : )
I do a lot of dyeing with RIT dyes and would definitely recommend using some kind of sealant afterwards because even when you follow the RIT instructions the dye will fade off on other things when wet.
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