How long do you let tulip tie-dye sit?
If using Tulip One-Step Dye, let your items sit for 8-24 hours to absorb the dye. The longer your dye sits, the more intense the color will turn out.
The best way to wash tie dye for the first time is, after rinsing thoroughly, place your dyed item in the washer all by itself. Add a small amount of laundry soap and set to the cold-water setting.
Here's the simple answer. Tie-dye needs to sit for at least 8 hours, but ideally up to 24 hours, before rinsing. Keep the dyed items wet and in a warm place. And if you live in a dry climate, you should keep them wrapped in plastic to prevent them from drying out.
Do not hang it up to dry. Leave it tied up and leave it alone. Let the fabric sit for 2-24 hours. The longer you can let the fabric sit, the easier it will be to wash out loose dye from the fabric.
Yes, after 24 hours, the dye can disrupt the look of the fabric. The maximum saturation duration for tie-dye is at 24 hours and you wouldn't want to let it sit longer than that. Even if the fabric is not fully dry, it's time to rinse the dye out.
The first step to completing your tie-dye is to let your shirt (or dress, bag, scarf, towel, etc.) soak for AT LEAST one hour. The longer the better, I let mine sit overnight and recommend you do the same. By letting it soak, you are giving the dye time to react with and stain the cotton fibers from the inside out.
Take off the rubber bands, and keep rinsing until the water runs clear. Wash the tie-dyed items in the washing machine with hot water and Synthrapol detergent. Wash tie-dyed items separately for the first few wash cycles, so the colors don't get muddied. After that, you can wash and dry them with your regular laundry.
After steeping it in dye, the first wash for a tie-dye shirt starts with a quick rinse and a soak in a vinegar-and-water mixture. Next, it needs a wash with hot water and detergent before drying. After the first few careful washes, it will be ready to be cleaned with other clothes.
Turn the machine on to cold water to prevent the colors from bleeding together, and DO NOT use fabric softeners or bleach when washing your tie-dyed shirts.
We generally recommend washing your fabric and leaving it damp before tie dyeing, as the dye has an easier time saturating the fabric when it's wet. But depending on the technique and the look you want, you can apply dye to dry fabric. Just make sure the fabric has been washed (if it's new) to remove the sizing.
Does vinegar set tie-dye?
Does vinegar help set tie-dye? No, vinegar will not help to set fiber-reactive dye on cotton fabric. Nor will not make the dye more resistant to fading.
Most cases of colors completely washing out is the result of forgetting the fixer, also called soda ash. Other common reasons include using the wrong kind of dyes and using polyester or other artificial fabric. You can prevent your tie-dye from washing out by following a few simple rules: Don't forget to use soda ash.

Once you've let it sit overnight, it's time to throw on some rubber gloves and protective clothing! This will help you avoid staining your skin and other items with loose and excess dye. With the rubber bands still on, remove from the plastic bag and rinse your tie-dyed items in cold water.
Assuming the shirts have all been rinsed correctly, you can absolutely wash them all at the same time. Yes, you can wash multiple tie-dye shirts together assuming they have been rinsed properly. Once a tie-dye shirt is set and has had the excess dye removed, it will not bleed.
Salt and vinegar won't do the trick.
Although there is a popular belief that using salt and white vinegar to set dyes in your fabrics work, it actually does not. The acid in the vinegar helps set the dye, but is only essential in the dying process and does not really work for cotton dyes.
Dry fabric doesn't hold its shape well and you can't fold it as precisely. You need water to weight down the fabric and make it more malleable. It's possible to fold a shirt when damp and let it dry before dyeing if you want to.
Heating a dyed item in a microwave is a convenient way to accelerate the dye reaction. Dyed items heated in a microwave can be washed out and finished in minutes, rather than the hours required for Procion MX type dyes to react at room temperature.
Does vinegar help set tie-dye? No, vinegar will not help to set fiber-reactive dye on cotton fabric. Nor will not make the dye more resistant to fading. Contrary to popular belief, you do not need vinegar to set tie-dye on cotton.
We suggest pre-washing the materials if you can, for sizing and to remove any dirt so that the dye saturates better (do not use fabric softener or dryer sheets, which can leave a residue). There is no need to dry your garment. You want the fabric to be wet (but not dripping) when you tie and dye.
After you've successfully tie dyed any fabric or clothing, your creation needs to be rinsed and washed. Rinsing removes loose dye, and washing ensures that the colors are properly set and do not run or bleed.
Do I wash my tie-dye shirt after it dries?
You'll want to wait about 24 hours before washing, so the dye has plenty of time to set, according to The Adair Group, an Atlanta-based clothing company. Then, when it's time to give your garments their inaugural scrub, wear gloves and give them a good rinse under running water to get rid of any excess dye.
Leave your shirt tied and inside the Ziploc bag for 6-8 hours or longer for most intense colors. Try not to handle the shirt in the bag to keep colors from over mixing. After allowing your shirt to rest for at least 6-8 hours, rinse well with water until excess dye is removed.