How to Dye Jeans Black

It would be a waste to throw away your favorite pair of jeans just because it has lost its shine. One of the best ways to refresh jeans is to color them. You can dye light or dark jeans black with dye and boiling water. However, if you want to blacken jeans with multiple colors, you’ll need to use a color bleach first to make sure the dye is evenly coated.

Table of Contents

Prepare jeans

Wash jeans. To ensure that there is no residue left to affect the dye, you should wash your pants before dyeing. Put the pants in the washing machine and wash as usual. ^{[1] X Research Source}

No need to dry. It is advisable to leave the pants still wet when bleaching or dyeing.
For light or blue pants that you don’t want to bleach, the only prep step to take is to wash the pants. Skip the rest of the steps in this section.

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Heat some water. To bleach jeans, such as red or pink, or to create an even base for black dye, you’ll need to bleach the pants first. Pour water into a large stainless steel pot, the amount of water just submerged the pants. Place the pot on the stove and cook over medium heat until the water comes to a simmer. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Do not put jeans in the pot while the water is boiling. Lift the pot off the stove and let it sit for a while.
Make sure there’s enough space in the pot for the jeans to turn easily.
Avoid using nonstick or aluminum pots. You can replace the stainless steel pot with a porcelain pot.

Dissolve the color bleach in the water. You can use regular bleach to bleach your jeans, but a color-specific bleach for clothes before dyeing is better. When the water starts to boil, pour in the color bleach according to the instructions on the package and stir until completely dissolved. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Wear rubber gloves when handling colored bleach.
Many fabric dye companies also sell clothing color bleach. You can buy products from the same brand to ensure compatibility.
When using bleach for clothes, you need to make sure the stove is properly vented. Open windows and/or turn on fans.

Put the wet jeans in the pot and stir. After the bleach has dissolved in the water, put the wet jeans in the pot. When the water is simmering, use a long-handled spatula to stir the jeans continuously for 30 minutes to 1 hour or until all the color on the pants has been removed. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Make sure the water is not boiling. If the water boils, you should lower the heat.
Jeans don’t have to be pure white. Beige or slightly yellow pants can still absorb black dye.

Pour the water out of the pot. After bleaching the jeans, you can turn off the stove. Let the water cool for about 5 minutes and then pour the water into the sink, leaving only the jeans in the pot. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Check the label of clothing color bleach to make sure the product is safe to put in the sink. Depending on the ingredients of the medicine, you may need to use another method to remove the water.

Wash the pants twice and wring out the water. Put on gloves, remove the pants from the pot of water and wash in hot water in the sink. Next, lower the temperature to warm water and wash the pants again. Carefully wring the jeans over the side of the sink to drain the water after washing. ^{[6] X Research Source}

Do not wash your jeans in cold or cool water as this may cause them to wrinkle.

Wash your pants again. After 2 hot water washes, you can put the jeans in the washing machine. Wash with detergent/detergent as usual to remove residue and prepare for dyeing. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Do not dry jeans after washing. Jeans need to be wet to prepare for the next step.

Preparing to dye

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Line the dyed area. When using a dark dye like black, you need to protect the dyed area to prevent staining. Use disposable plastic tablecloths to line the counter and the floor around the fire, in case the dye gets splattered. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

If you don’t have a disposable tablecloth, you can use a plastic bag or garbage bag to line the area where you’re going to dye your pants.
Wear gloves when preparing to treat jeans with dye.

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Determine the weight of jeans. You need to know how heavy the jeans are to use the right amount of dye. Place the pants on the scale and follow the instructions on the package to determine the amount of dye. ^{[9] X Research Source}

Most jeans are lighter than 450 g.
In general, you will need a full bottle of dye and two bags of dye powder to blacken your jeans. Read the information on the dye box to find out exactly how much to use.
It is advisable to purchase more dye than expected. This will leave a little extra dye to use when needed.

Fill the pot with enough water to cover the jeans and bring to a boil. To dye jeans, you need a large pot. Fill the pot with enough water to cover the pan and place it on the stove over medium heat to bring to a boil. ^{[10] X Research Source}

In general, it takes 11 liters of water to submerge a pair of jeans weighing about 450 g.
There should be enough space in the pot to turn jeans easily. It is best to use a large pot.

Mix dyes. Once the water is simmering, you can start mixing the dye. Pour the dye into the water according to the manufacturer’s instructions and stir to dissolve the product into the water. Let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes. ^{[11] X Research Source}

If you’re using liquid dye, you’ll need to shake it well before adding it to the water.
If you’re using powdered dye, you’ll need to dissolve the powder in a cup of hot water before you pour it into the pot.

Add some salt to the pot. After mixing the dye, you need to add a little water to the mixture to help the jeans absorb the dye and evenly color. Read the manufacturer’s instructions to determine how much salt to use. Stir until the salt is completely dissolved in the mixture. ^{[12] X Research Source}

Dye test. To make sure the dye is black enough to dye the jeans, dip a light cloth or paper into the pot. Remove the cloth or paper and see if the dye is black enough. ^{[13] X Research Source}

If the dye doesn’t turn the fabric or paper into the desired color, you can add dye to the pot.

Dyeing jeans

Smooth out wrinkles on pants. Pants must be still wet after washing. Before you put your pants in the pot of dyeing water, you need to squeeze out the water so that the pants are no longer soaked. Next, smooth the jeans without wrinkles before putting them in the dye water. ^{[14] X Research Source}

Put the jeans in the pot and stir for a while. When the pants are flat, you can put them in the pot of dyeing water. Use a long-handled spoon to stir continuously for at least 30 minutes or until the pants turn black to your liking. ^{[15] X Research Source}

You need to make sure to rotate so that the pants move back and forth and up and down. This way, the new dye can be absorbed evenly throughout the jeans.
Do not let the pants roll or twist when turning as this will cause the pants to be uneven in color.

Take the pants out of the pot and wash them until the water coming out of the pants is clear. Once you’re satisfied with the black color of your pants, you can turn off the stove and transfer the jeans to the sink. Wash the pants under warm running water in the sink. Gradually adjust the water temperature to cold water until all dye residue is removed and the water comes out clear. ^{[16] X Research Source}

Some dye brands sell a color fixative for cotton fabrics that helps prevent fading. You can apply some on your jeans immediately after dyeing according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Advice

The first time you wash and dry your pants in the washing machine, you should wash/dry them with old towels or dark clothes to prevent the dye from fading. Also, use cool or warm water with a mild detergent to prevent color fading.
Be careful when dyeing jeans. Wear old clothes that you can throw away if they get stained during the dyeing process and wear rubber gloves to protect your hands. Remove fabric items, such as towels, bathroom rugs, curtains, from the area where the jeans are to be dyed.

Warning

Be careful when wearing freshly dyed pants. Even if the pants are stained, the dye can still stick to the upholstery. Therefore, you need to make sure to wash your pants thoroughly before wearing them.
Even if dyed many times, jeans will still not have the same deep black color as those bought new from the store. You should expect realistically.

Things you need

Washing machine
Washing liquid
Large stainless steel pot
Long handle spoon
Water
Rubber gloves
Clothes color bleach
Jeans
Disposable nylon tablecloths
Black dye liquid or powder
Salt
Cloth or paper to test the dye water
Mild detergent

Steps