The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Jeans are a wardrobe staple.

And while blue remains the most popular color, today jeans are every color fromblackto white to orange.

The blue pigment tricks the eye making the fabric look whiter.

White jeans being dyed a blue color with gloves

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Fill the Container

Fill the sink or washer with enough water to completely submerge the blue jeans.

They should be totally wet before adding the bluing.

The blue pigment will be too concentrated and can result in a nearly permanent stain on fabrics or basin.

Materials and tools to dye white jeans

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Use about 1/4 teaspoon or a few drops of liquid bluing for each pair of jeans.

Always dilute the bluing in 1 quart of cold water before adding it to the sink or washer.

Never pour bluing directly on the fabric because spotting will occur.

Sink being filled with water to prepare for dying blue jeans

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Soak the Jeans

Add the jeans and soak in the bluing solution for at least 10 minutes.

you’re able to then wash as usual with detergent.

Do not add bleach, fabric softener, or any other laundry product.

Blue dye poured into sink with water and soaking blue jeans

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

There will be no hazardous fumes, but the other products will cause spotting or staining.

Dry the Jeans

The jeans can be air-dried or tossed in the dryer.

Repeated washings will remove the bluing so if the color is too dark, simply wash several times.

Soaked blue jeans being hand washed inside small bucket of soapy water

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

you’re able to even mix two colors to get the exact one you want.

Liquid fabric dye offers a simple dyeing technique in a bucket.

Then measure one cup of salt; dissolve in 2 cups of very hot water and stir well.

Blue jeans being air dried outside on drying rack

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Add to the dye bath.

As a guideline, 1/2 cup (half bottle) of liquid dye will dye one pair of jeans.

To achieve a dark, more intense color, use the entire bottle of dye (1 cup).

White jeans being cleaned in sink with soapy water

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Add a squirt of dishwashing liquid to the bath and stir well.

Test the Dye

Test the dye color to be sure you are satisfied.

Note: If the color is too light, add more dye.

White table cover placed over work area to prevent spills

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

If the color is too dark, add more water.

Wet the Jeans

Wet the jeans in plain warm water and squeeze out excess water.

The longer the jeans remain in the dye bath, the darker the color will be.

Metal dishpan filled with hot water

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

(Color will appear lighter when dry.)

Stirring helps to ensure an even color distribution.

Rinse in cold running water until water begins to run clear.

Blue dye solution poured into dishpan with water while wearing gloves

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Strip of white jean fabric dipped in blue dye solution for testing

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

White jeans placed in large bucket of plain water

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

White jeans placed in blue dye solution with gloves

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

White jeans removed from blue dye bath while wearing gloves

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Dyed white jeans rinsed in sink with plain water and gloves

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska