How To Wash Tie-Dye Items

Tie dye is baaack—especially the DIY kind. These vibrant, rainbow-hued creations are loads of fun, but things can go quickly go downhill if the dye bleeds onto the rest of your wardrobe. We dive into prevention and tie-dye mishap Rx here.

If you’ve just tie-dyed your clothes, give it a day or two before washing. You’ll want to wait at least 24 hours so the dye has time to set.

For the first few washes it’s important to wash your tie-dye pieces alone. If you colored multiple pieces with similar hues at the same time, you may wash them together. If not, hand wash separately.

We recommend using our Signature Detergent or Darks Detergent to keep colors brilliant. For the washing machine, select a normal setting and hot water. If handwashing, use warm or water. Hot water aids in removing excess dye in the first wash, making it safer to wash your items with other pieces in the future.

Dry pieces on a medium heat setting or air dry.

After the first few washes, you can wash your tie dye items with like-colors and cold water to help preserve the color.

If dye gets on items that you didn’t mean to tie-dye (it happens!), spot treat affected areas with Stain Solution. Sprinkle All-Purpose Bleach Alternative on top to create a powerful paste, then work in with a Stain Brush until the splatter has lifted. Allow the item to soak in warm water* for up to 30 minutes to allow the treatments to penetrate. Wash as normal.

*For wool, cashmere, silk, lace, or delicate synthetics, use cool water.