If there’s one thing that would probably never go out of style, it would have to be tie dye shirts. Tie dye shirt designs are great for making a usually boring outfit stand out, especially if you want to showcase color and personality. If there’s one thing that could ruin a perfectly good tie dye shirt though, it would probably be having all the colors wash out especially if you have no idea how to wash tie-dye shirts the right way.
Having the dye perfectly set into the fabric is the key in maintaining tie dye shirt designs. This makes the initial washing of the shirt very important, as this finalizes the process of having the dye blend perfectly onto the shirt. Here are the best steps on how to wash tie-dye shirts, especially if you’re doing it for the first time:
Step 1: Although rinsing the shirt with cold water is ideally part of the initial dyeing process, you could also start with the initial washing from there. Rinsing with cold water will remove any excess dye, making the design even more pronounced. You can do this on the sink, or with a hose.
Step 2: Warm water with a little detergent are the perfect ingredients in setting the dye onto the fabric. Using a tub, soak the tie dye shirt for around 10 to 15 minutes, making sure that it is left undisturbed.
Step 3: After soaking, gently wash the shirt with your hands. Be extra careful, putting extra emphasis on being gentle. Remember that rubbing the shirt too hard will cause the dye to run.
Step 4: Let the shirt soak in warm water for another 5 to 10 minutes.
Step 5: Let the shirt dry out by laying it flat, or by hanging it to dry.
These five easy steps will help you keep the design on your tie dye shirt as vibrant as possible, and will also help maintain it for a long time. Once you are 100% sure that the dye has been set, washing it over and over should not be a problem. You can continue washing them using a washing machine, mixed in with other clothes. As long as the dyeing procedure and the initial washing are done perfectly, your tie dye shirt should not cause any damage to the other clothes you wash it with, nor should the colors bleed or fade out fast.
Properly maintaining your tie dye shirts goes a long way. These shirt designs can last for years, and could be part of your different fashion ensembles no matter how often you change all the other pieces in your wardrobe. Collect different shirts using different color schemes, while experimenting with different dyeing styles. This gives you a new look all the time and could help you pair it easily with other clothes and accessories that you have. Be extremely confident in mixing and matching your pieces together because one thing’s for sure: tie dye shirts will definitely never go out of style.