How to Make Tie Dye Paint

Reviewed by Jeanine Hattas Wilson

Last Updated: March 15, 2023

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Tie dyeing shirts and other clothing is a fun activity. Make your own tie dye paint at home with simple ingredients. Mix fabric paint and water or mix chemical water and dye. If you want to use ingredients from your own kitchen, food coloring also works.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Fabric Paint

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Use a spray bottle from a department store or drug store. Add one cup of water to the spray bottle. Make sure the bottle is big enough. As you'll be adding dye, leave a little headspace when you're done adding water.^{[1]
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Add fabric paint. Use a fabric paint in your chosen color. Add three tablespoons of the paint to your spray bottle.^{[2]
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- If you want a less vibrant color, however, experiment with adding less paint. Only adding one to two tablespoons of fabric paint will create a pastel shade.
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3
Shake the bottle vigorously. Give the bottle a good shake. For about 30 to 60 seconds, shake the bottle to mix the paint and water. Keep shaking until you have a uniform mixture that's one solid color.^{[3]
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- Make sure the cap is on tight before you begin shaking. You do not want to end up getting dye on your clothing or hands.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Chemical Water and Dye

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1
Wear gloves and goggles. When handling chemical water, it's important that you take safety precautions. Wear safety goggles to protect your eyes. Wear thick gloves, such as gardening gloves, the entire time to protect your hands.
- For added protection, wear long-sleeved clothing as well.
2
Prepare your chemical water. You will need urea, ludigol, and water softener to make chemical water. Buy these products at a hardware store or online. To make the chemical water, add a quart of warm water to a bucket. From there, add three fourths a cup of urea, two teaspoons of ludigol, and one teaspoon of water softener.
- If you need more dye, expand the recipe as needed. You will need three fourths a cup of urea, two teaspoons of ludigol, and a teaspoon of water softener per quart of water.
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Add the dyes. Remove your chemical water from the bucket where you mixed it. Store the dye in bottles, smaller buckets, or cups. You will then add your chosen colors of dye to these containers to add color to the chemical water.
- There is no precise amount of dye to add. It depends on how dark you want your colors. More dye will yield darker colors and less dye will make pastel shades.
- For example, add three cups of red dye for a dark red while one cup should make a lighter shade.
- The color that shows up on the fabric should be similar to the dye's color.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Food Coloring

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Working with food coloring gets messy, so throw on an apron first. Wear older clothing that you don't mind getting messy.^{[4]
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Fill a water bottle with water and food coloring. Use a plastic water bottle with a lid that is secure. Add half a cup of water and eight drops of food coloring to the bottle.^{[5]
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- If you want a lighter color, add less food coloring. Try going for four drops, for example, to get a more pastel shade.
Make sure the cap is on completely first to avoid a mess. Shake the bottle vigorously. Keep shaking until you have a clear, consistent color. You can now use your dye in a tie dye project.^{[6]
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Community Q&A

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Question

Can I use regular paint for tie dye?

Techdocgeek

Community Answer

It all depends what you mean by regular paint. Read the paint labels and what it's intended to paint. Avoid watercolor, as that will just wash off in the next wash.

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Question

What is a substitute for urea?

Zack

Top Answerer

Purchase "urea substitute" that is composed of diamine and ammonia. However, it may be difficult to find, whereas urea is available from most dye suppliers.

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Question

What is the best t-shirt material to tie dye?

Community Answer

100% cotton t-shirts worked great for me. Most polyester or mixed-fiber t-shirts will work, but the color will be lighter.

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