Black jeans can be considered a universal outfit, which sometimes can even work as a substitute for slacks. Unfortunately, over time, they start developing lighter colored crease marks. It would be great to know how to dye jeans black using improvised means, and whether there are special dyes that can be used at home.
Using a special dye
Sure, even worn-looking jeans can still be in use for years. We wear those jeans at home and use them as clothes for repair work. But in case you want to return your favorite pair of jeans to a decent look, you should dye them, it’s possible to do at home without the help of a specialist.
There are dyes for dying fabrics by hand and in the washing machine. You need to buy a black color. You can buy it online or in the department of household chemicals at the supermarket. If your city has a specialized store, you can go there, too.
Then you need to prepare your jeans. They must be clean, without any oil stains or other dirt. If you do not remember when was the last time you washed jeans, you should wash them again without using a conditioner, since the conditioner can affect the coloring process.
Course of action
Read the instruction on the package to find out the dosage and the order of actions. Usually, the home dyes are applied in the washing machine.
- Check all the jeans pockets, they need to be empty.
- Turn the pants inside out. If you still have the label, check check it for recommended water temperature. Usually, the temperature is not more than 40 °.
- Put the jeans and the required amount of the dye into the washer.
- Close the washer door and turn on the washing cycle.
- When the wash is over, the pants are removed and rinsed in clean water with the addition of vinegar. One tablespoon per liter of water is enough.
- After rinsing, the jeans are washed with the usual detergent for colored things.
- At the last stage, the jeans are removed from the machine and dried.
Rinsing the jeans with vinegar is necessary for stabilizing the color, but the modern dyes already have a stabilizer, so this step sometimes is missing from the instructions. There are also dyes that should not be poured out of the package. The packaging is simply opened and placed inside the washer.
Do not be afraid of this treatment affecting your washing machine. After the last rinse, the dye should just wash out of the washing machine. If the rubber band has changed color, then it can be wiped with a soft cloth.
Dyeing with improvised tools
If you can not buy a special paint for some reason, but really want to return the jeans’ black color, then you can use some home remedies.
Usually, people use hair dye. You need to buy 2 packs of black color without any shades or undertones. Be sure to wear gloves while dyeing the jeans. Dissolve the dye in lukewarm water and soak the jeans for an hour. Then rinse in water with the addition of vinegar and salt. Bear in mind that the jeans will bleed after this dyeing.
There is a more extreme method of coloring – using markers. You need to break up the black marker, drop it into the water so that it turns black, and soak the jeans in the solution. It is best to try this method first on some old, unwanted clothes.
More common method of coloring is a bag of textile paint, which is dissolved in basin of water. Be sure to wear gloves so as not to stain your hands. Because the dye is inexpensive, you can buy 2-3 packs and test its effect on a piece of fabric you don’t need.