Rit DyeMore - Polyester & Synthetics Textile Dye | Sandstone

Rit DyeMore: Dyeing instructions

Important: you dye on the stove

Synthetic fibres need very hot water. The temperature must be kept up during the whole dyeing process. This means:
• You can only dye what fits into a pot on your stove.
• The washing machine is not suitable. It does not get hot enough, and Rit DyeMore stains its plastic parts.

The right temperature

• Polyester: at least 93 °C, just below boiling point
• Polyamide (nylon): from approx. 80 °C
• Acrylic and acetate: test on a sample piece first, as these fibres can become soft at high heat

Which colour can I achieve?

If your garment is white or off-white, you will get the true shade. If it already has a colour, you can only overdye it darker. Colour removers such as Rit Color Remover usually do not work on synthetic fibres.
Patterns and logos: the new dye mixes with the existing colours. This creates new shades. You will find more about this in the "FAQ" tab.
Bleach stains and sun damage: sun and bleach damage the fabric. We therefore cannot guarantee that such stains will disappear after dyeing.

Preparation

1. Weigh the dry item to work out the amount of dye. You will find the quantity table in the description.
2. Remove visible stains. This is the only way to get an even result.
3. Prewash the item in warm soapy water without fabric softener, or use Synthrapol. This removes finishes that stop the dye from taking.
4. Cover the area around the stove with plastic sheeting or newspaper. Keep kitchen paper ready.
5. Wear rubber gloves and eye protection. Remember: the water is very hot!

How to dye

1. Fill a stainless steel pot with enough water for the fabric to move freely. Allow about 25 litres of water per kilogram of fabric.
2. Add 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of washing-up liquid or Synthrapol to the water. This helps the colour to take evenly.
3. Cover the pot and heat the water to the right temperature (see above).
4. Shake the bottle well. Add the dye to the hot water and stir well.
5. Wet the fabric and place it in the dye bath. Never dye dry fabric!
6. Keep the temperature up during the whole dyeing process.
7. Stir slowly and constantly. The first 10 minutes are the most important. Stirring makes the colour even and free of spots.
8. Leave the fabric in the dye bath for 10 to 60 minutes. Polyester and polyester cotton blends need at least 30 minutes for the dye to be fully absorbed. Nylon dyes very quickly and darkly and therefore needs less time.
9. When you have reached the shade you want, take the fabric out. Wet fabric looks darker than dry fabric. Squeeze out the excess dye.
10. For blends with cotton, linen or viscose, you can now use a dye fixative such as Rit ColorStay Dye Fixative, before washing. It intensifies the colour and reduces bleeding.
11. Rinse the fabric in warm water. Let the rinse water gradually become cooler until it runs clear.
12. Wash the fabric in warm water with a mild detergent. Then rinse and dry.

Good luck!

Rit Dye: Frequently asked questions and troubleshooting

These questions apply to Rit All-Purpose Dye and Rit DyeMore. Where the two dyes differ, this is stated.

Which Rit dye for which fabric?

• Rit All-Purpose Dye: for cotton, linen, silk, wool, viscose (rayon), ramie and nylon
• Rit DyeMore: for polyester, nylon, acrylic, acetate and blends with at least 35 % synthetic fibre
• Rit ProLine: professional powder for almost all fibres, including polyester, acrylic and acetate as well as mixed costumes made of natural and synthetic fibres

Questions about colours

Can I dye coloured or printed fabrics?
Yes. This is called overdyeing. If the fabric is light and plain, you can simply dye it darker. With patterns and logos, the new dye mixes with the existing colours. An example: pink flowers on a white background turn purple with blue dye, and the rest turns blue. Even with a dark dye, the pattern can show through a little lighter.

Can I change the colour completely, for example from purple to blue?
With natural fibres, yes: first remove the colour, then dye the fabric again. With synthetic fibres, removing the colour usually does not work. Here you can only overdye darker.

Why should I add a second dye when overdyeing with black or Graphite?
The dyes are made for white or light fabrics. On a coloured fabric, the old colour can show through. A counter colour helps. An example: if you dye a red fabric black, add some green. Red and green together make almost black.

Can I dye a black garment white?
There is no white dye. With natural fibres, however, you can remove the colour with a colour remover. The fabric then turns white or cream. With synthetic fibres, the colour unfortunately cannot be removed.

How do I get rich, dark colours such as black or navy?
The three most important points: dye on the stove. Double the amount of dye. And with natural fibres, use a dye fixative after dyeing.

Are there mixing recipes for more shades?
Yes. Rit offers hundreds of mixing recipes. You will find them in the "Interactive colour chart" tab.

Questions about dyeing

How much dye do I need?
This depends on the weight of the dry fabric. Weigh it on a kitchen scale. For large items such as bed linen or curtains, stand on the bathroom scale with the item and subtract your own weight.
• Rit All-Purpose Dye: half a bottle (approx. 120 ml) or one packet of powder dyes approx. 450 g of fabric. That is about two large T-shirts. For dark colours, use double the amount.
• Rit DyeMore: see the quantity table in the product description.

What temperature does the dye bath need?
Rit loves hot water. The heat opens up the fibres so that they take up the dye.
• Rit All-Purpose Dye for natural fibres: 60 to 71 °C. If your tap water is not hot enough, heat water on the stove.
• Rit DyeMore for synthetic fibres: nylon from approx. 80 °C, polyester at least 93 °C. For this you must dye on the stove.

How long should the fabric stay in the dye bath?
For the shade on the bottle: 30 to 60 minutes, stirring constantly. For lighter shades: 10 to 20 minutes. Polyester and polyester blends need at least 30 minutes, even if the shade is reached sooner. Nylon dyes very quickly and darkly. Remember: wet fabric looks darker than dry fabric.

How do I get an even colour?
The dye bath must be large enough for the fabric to move freely. If the fabric is too crowded, you get spots or light and dark areas. Stir constantly.

How can I test the shade first?
Best with a scrap of fabric from the same garment. With Rit All-Purpose Dye, a piece of kitchen paper also works, as it reacts much like cotton. With Rit DyeMore, first heat the dye bath almost to boiling, then leave the fabric scrap in it for 5 minutes. Kitchen paper does not give an accurate result with synthetic fibres.
If the colour is too light, add more dye, ¼ to 1 teaspoon at a time. If it is too dark, add hot water, 1 to 2 cups at a time.

Do I need to wash the fabric before dyeing?
Yes, whether it is new or old. Washing in warm soapy water removes finishes that stop the dye from taking.

There are small dye spots on my fabric. Why?
There are usually three causes: the dye powder was not fully dissolved. The dye was poured directly onto the fabric instead of into the water. Or the fabric was not stirred enough. With natural fibres, you can remove the colour and dye again. With synthetic fibres, you can only overdye with a darker colour.

How do I reduce colour bleeding?
For cotton, linen, silk, wool, ramie or viscose, use a dye fixative right after dyeing, before rinsing. For all other fibres, rinse in warm, then gradually cooler water until the water runs clear.

I dyed in the washing machine and the colour is uneven. Why?
Usually there was too much fabric and too little water in the machine, or the fabric got twisted. Do not dye very large items or many items at once in the machine. Rit DyeMore does not belong in the washing machine at all.

Which salt should I use?
You only need salt with Rit All-Purpose Dye, not with Rit DyeMore. We recommend PATIN-A dyeing salt. Any table salt without iodine also works.

Which pot is best for dyeing on the stove?
A stainless steel or enamel pot is best. Aluminium can be attacked by the salt. Use an old pot for this. It is best to keep dyeing pots separate from cooking pots. Rit is not a food dye.

Which container is best for dyeing in a sink or bucket?
A plastic container that may become stained, a glass container or a stainless steel sink. Porcelain or plastic bathroom basins are not suitable. The container must be large enough for the fabric to move freely.

How do I remove dye from pots and containers?
With a household cleaner containing bleach. Clean right after dyeing.

Will Rit stain my washing machine?
No permanent stains remain on the metal parts. However, wipe plastic parts such as seals and the detergent drawer with a cleaner right after dyeing. Then run a hot wash with heavy-duty detergent and a few old towels. Two washes with dark laundry are usually enough too. Rit DyeMore stains plastic parts more strongly and therefore does not belong in the washing machine.

How do I get dye off my skin?
It is best to wear gloves from the start. Some colours can cause an allergic skin reaction. If dye does get on your skin, wash it off immediately with plenty of soap and water. A body scrub or sugar mixed with hand cream helps with stubborn traces.

Why do my dyed curtains fade so quickly?
Direct sunlight makes any dyeing fade faster. For curtains made of natural fibres, a dye fixative after dyeing helps. Curtain manufacturers often use especially light fast dyes and finishes. These are also very hard to remove.

Can I also dye wood with Rit?
Yes, untreated wood can be stained with Rit. If you lighten the wood first with a colour remover, the colours look clearer.

The interactive colour chart for Rit All-Purpose Dye or Rit DyeMore for synthetic fibres

(Please be patient if it does not load quickly.)

Manufacturer:
Nakoma Products LLC (Rit® brand)
8455 S. 77th Avenue
Bridgeview, IL 60455
USA
cs@preval.com

Responsible person in the EU (importer):
PATIN-A SHOP GmbH
Rudolfstraße 1 bis 8
10245 Berlin
Germany
support@patin-a.de