Dyeing Blue Jeans

Dying Blue Jeans

Is it possible to dye blue jeans black? I am a black fan, completely, but finding acceptable and inexpensive black jeans is difficult. (It is for me, anyway.) I have several blue jeans that I want as black as I can get them. Is there a reasonable way to do it?

Myst-Eerie from Toronto Canada

---

RE: Dying Blue Jeans

I have re-dyed blue jeans many times. All you have to buy is the boxed dye that you can buy at most grocery stores and I know wal-mart has it. Just a couple buck and tah-duh a new pair of jeans. I have even fixed a stain by doing this. Once I got some bleach on a brand new pair of jeans so I ended up bleaching the whole pair of jeans so they would match to the bleach spot and than I re-dyed them and you could not tell what had happened and they looked great!! (03/22/2005)

By Carla

RE: Dying Blue Jeans

Sure! I used to do that all the time in college both to extend the life of my blue jeans, and because I felt that faded blue jeans looked "sloppy".

My only advice is to rinse them SEVERAL times before wearing them, and possibly soak them in some water with vinegar, too, then rinse again. This will help the colour to set. Otherwise, the blue dye might discolour your skin/socks/underwear a bit if you get caught in the rain. (03/22/2005)

By Ela

RE: Dying Blue Jeans

I've dyed and re-dyed jeans many times. Just be sure to wash them only with the dark wash from now on! (03/22/2005)

By cookwie

RE: Dying Blue Jeans

I do it all the time. Hubby has the lighter blue, and I use the Royal Blue, which brings them back to the original shade. The Indigo brings the darker blue jean back to life too. (03/22/2005)

By syd

RE: Dying Blue Jeans

Use Rit dye. Follow the package directions, especially about adding salt. If you choose to buy black jeans, Walmart just got some bootcut Faded Glory jeans in three or four washes/colors, including black. They were $16. (11/28/2005)

By thriftyboo

RE: Dying Blue Jeans

Purchase 2 items by Rit, found in the supermarket laundry aisle. First is Rit Color Remover which removes dye from clothes. Second, get Rit Jet Black or Black Denim Dye and follow package directions. The cost is minimal and the time is only several machine wash cycles. Good Luck! (12/05/2005)

By dashton

RE: Dying Blue Jeans

In 1985 I died a pair of denim jeans black. Within 3 washes it turned into a dark gray, not black, so I was not real happy. The jeans continued to fade with every wash. Perhaps RIT has changed their black formula since then, but I followed the directions exactly and it just didn't work out real well.

Instead of using a washer, use a large bucket or Rubbermaid container. Just swish the clothes around for a minute every 5 minutes to get an even dye job.

Also, when I dyed my jeans, I ran an empty load through the washer, with a water level of "extra high" and added about 2 cups vinegar, no soap. There was no staining in the washer from the dye. (02/02/2006)

By bulrush

RE: Dying Blue Jeans

I have been dying the knees of my jeans years and the dye would come out in the dryer so I started using mesh zipped-up bags and it works fine but you have to be careful to match the old color. (12/26/2006)

By Moe

---

Dyeing Blue Jeans

How can I find a place that will dye my jeans from blue to black?

Kristina from Fresno

---

RE: Dying Blue Jeans

You could do it yourself at home using black RIT dye for much cheaper than someone will charge you to do it. Do not use the dye in the washer as it stains badly. I use an old trash can (once it is washed out, etc., of course). Hope this helps. (02/07/2007)

By croppincrazyncolorado

RE: Dying Blue Jeans

I dyed my jeans twice, the first time I used Rit powder dye "blue denim" and that color was not like a dark wash at all. The second time I used two packages of navy blue powder and half a package black for two pairs, they are nice and dark now. (02/22/2008)

By sunshine1967

---

Dyeing Blue Jeans

How do I dye denim jeans?

By Lenin from Nottingham

---

RE: Dyeing Blue Jeans

To dye anything, you have to first make sure it is totally clean because if there are any dirty or greasy spots it won't dye evenly. Secondly, be sure to purchase liquid dye or pre-mix any powdered dye then strain it so there's no specks or tiny chunks of powdered dye.

Before dyeing, your item needs to be wet. This helps the dye penetrate more evenly. Just use plain tap water then wring it out. This is best done by washing your jeans in the machine or just putting them through the rinse cycle in the wash machine, or if you run the faucet water over them you can put them through the last part of the spin cycle to spin them to remove any excess water. Usually, you want your item wet so the dye distributes more evenly, but follow the directions on the dye because some kinds of dye want the item to be dry when it goes into the dye.

Always follow the exact directions on the container the dye comes in. Usually it will read something like this: Fill a huge pan about 2/3 full of water then heat it on the stove to almost boiling then reduce the burner to it's lowest setting and add your dye and stir with a long handled spoon until the dye is mixed evenly. Some dyes have you add (non-iodine) table salt and some have you add vinegar, some have you add nothing at all. Keep the item that's being dyed in the dye-bath longer that you think you'll need to, because your item that's being dyed will look darker when it's wet than after it's dry. You need to keep stirring the item the whole time or it will look splotchy and tie-dyed. Lastly, rinse the item until the water runs totally clear.

But the most important thing you can do is to buy a high quality dye. "Rit" brand of dye (the kind you buy at the super market) is "not" a high quality dye! This is because Rit dye fades with sunshine and also when it's washed. A type of dye that fades is called a "fugitive" dye (which indigo, that denim is made from) is. Maybe you might want a fugitive dye when dyeing jeans? If you do, then Rit brand may be exactly what you want. If you do buy Rit, buy the liquid type, not the powdered. But beware of fugitive dyes or indigo because the dye can rub off on your legs and color them when you wear your newly dyed jeans.

You can easily over-dye dye any blue jeans to black (or another dark color). But remember the color the jeans start will change the color they end up. For example if you start out with gray-black jeans and dye them red, they probably will end up more burgundy than red. But you all know how black can be. Usually it fades a tiny bit each time you wash the dyed item, so wash blacks and dark colors "only" with other blacks and always use cold water. Also, when dyeing with black or any dark color, it's usually best to use twice the amount of dye that's recommended to make sure you'll get a rich dark color. Also, some people will leave dark colors in the dye bath longer than the recommend time, but remember you have to keep stirring and mixing your item the whole time or you'll end up with a splotchy "tie-dyed" look.

Any question about dye: These guys are amazing dharmatrading.com. They know everything about dyes and what dye works best for what (even the unusual and weird stuff!). You can e-mail or call them on the phone. I have been very happy with both their friendly customer service and their amazing knowledge. They have an 800 number, so it costs you nothing.

For fun:
Check out this cool dye below. It works by using the UV rays from the sun to set the dye. It only works on cotton, rayon, linen, and silk, but it's super-easy and fun!

Here's a great project to do with kids or teens: Have them paint their own one-of-a-kind bedsheets. Use paintbrushes and the InkoDye outside on the lawn on a nice day. Just lay out a 100% cotton sheet and paint it with colorful swirls, stars, stripes, and polka-dots (just have fun). The color starts out clear then changes as the suns rays "develop" it, just like "magic". dharmatrading.com (02/25/2010)

By Cyinda