52 New: #15 Bleach Dye DIY

Summer is here!  Zach (age 9) and I have devised our "Summer Fun Adventure" lists (we love a good list around here).  We each made up a list of fifteen items that we hope to accomplish during summer break.  One of the items was tie dyeing clothes.  We amended the tie dye plan to one of the latest TikTok fads, bleach dyeing.  Normally bleach and kids, not a great mix.  We took a couple of precautions however---gloves, adult supervision, and using it outdoors.  I'm happy to report, no bleach got in our eyes or on any clothing other than the clothes we intended.    

Number fifteen out of fifty-two, bleach dye, was a fun and inexpensive success.  Thanks goes out to my super exuberant assistant Zach.  He probably would have bleach dyed all of the clothes he owns if left to his own devices.  Ultimately we decided on three shirts for me, and three shirts for him.  And then Isom decided to join in at the eleventh hour with a shirt of his own.  Gabe was a skeptical teen-aged bystander.   

Getting directions on how to complete our bleach dye project was as easy as opening the TikTok App on my iPhone.  A quick search of "Bleachdye" and we found the perfect tutorial from a stranger on the internet...also not usually a good idea (but we weren't interacting).  

Steps for a successful Bleach Dye:

1. Make sure you have bleach (We had to buy a new bottle, as the bleach we tried to use on our first attempt was no longer potent. It was so old that there were dust bunnies the size of small children attached to the bottle.  Fail.)

2. Pour equal parts bleach and water into a spray bottle

3. Wear gloves (We used fun purple and neon green dish washing gloves.)

4. Have a designated spot for bleaching (Luckily, we already had a patch of dead grass in the backyard.)

5. Choose clothes for bleach dyeing (Zach chose a long sleeve black shirt, a long sleeve black sweatshirt, and a short sleeved red shirt.  I chose a black hiking tank top, a black short sleeved shirt, and a blue short sleeved shirt.  Isom chose a short sleeved blue t-shirt.)

6. Place clothes in designated bleach zone

7. Scrunch clothes with your gloved hand (There is no right or wrong method.)

8. Post scrunch, spray the scrunched clothing with your spray bottle of bleach (As much or as little as you desire, get creative.)

9. Let bleached clothing sit for a few minutes (We did anywhere from five to twenty minutes.)

10. Take your finished product to the nearest sink and rinse with water and Hydrogen Peroxide 

11. Wash and dry all your bleached items in the washing machine and dryer on normal

12. Retrieve your masterpieces from the dryer and SHOW THEM OFF

I'm so happy that our first "Summer Fun Adventure" item was a success.  And also of course that it can double as a "52 New Thing" for my other list.  Quality time with my kiddo. Check.  Creating art and memories.  Check.  Utilizing science and technology.  Check.  Looking like a million bucks for just three.  Check.  Using the TikTok made me do it hashtag.  Check.   

We did determine that all items do not bleach equally.  Our greatest success came with the black items of clothing.  The red shirt we bleach dyed looks almost exactly the same as it did before and after bleaching.  The blue shirt I bleach dyed worked but not to the same degree as three of the black shirts.  We also determined that all materials do not bleach the same.  The black hiking tank top did not work at all.  We bleached it dry.  Fail.  We bleached it wet.  Fail.  It was not meant to be.  Activewear material did not react to the bleach like the cotton shirts did.  Lesson learned for next time.     

Next up...bleach dyeing denim.  Stay tuned.  Zach and I wore our matching bleach dyed shirts on "Summer Fun Adventure" number two---mini golf (his list item, not mine).  Summer is off to a great start!  

"If you never did, you should.  These things are fun and fun is good!" ~Dr. Seuss