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Categories
Personal Care and Style
Fashion
Fashion Styles
Color in Fashion
Dyeing Clothes and Fabric
Tie Dyeing Clothes and Fabric
How to Make Tie Dye Paint Download Article Reviewed by Jeanine Hattas Wilson
Last Updated: February 24, 2025
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Using Fabric Paint
|
Using Chemical Water and Dye
|
Using Food Coloring
|
Video
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Q&A
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Things You'll Need
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This article was reviewed by Jeanine Hattas Wilson. Jeanine Hattas Wilson is a Professional Painter and the President of Hattas Public Murals, Inc. With nearly 20 years of experience, Jeanine specializes in creating, overseeing, designing, and painting murals. Jeanine holds a BA in Advertising from Marquette University and a Studio Painting Minor from The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. She has studied at The Atelier Artien in Paris, France, Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art, and under renowned artists such as Robert Liberace, Michael Siegel, and William Cochran. To date, Hattas Public Murals has painted nearly 5,000 commissioned works of art in homes and commercial and public spaces. This article has been viewed 155,017 times.
Tie dyeing shirts and other clothing is a fun activity. Make your own tie dye paint at home with simple ingredients. Mix fabric paint and water or mix chemical water and dye. If you want to use ingredients from your own kitchen, food coloring also works.
Steps
Method 1 Method 1 of 3:
Using Fabric Paint
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1 Pour water into a spray bottle. Use a spray bottle from a department store or drug store. Add one cup of water to the spray bottle. Make sure the bottle is big enough. As you'll be adding dye, leave a little headspace when you're done adding water.[1]XResearch source
2 Add fabric paint. Use a fabric paint in your chosen color. Add three tablespoons of the paint to your spray bottle.[2]XResearch source
If you want a less vibrant color, however, experiment with adding less paint. Only adding one to two tablespoons of fabric paint will create a pastel shade.
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3 Shake the bottle vigorously. Give the bottle a good shake. For about 30 to 60 seconds, shake the bottle to mix the paint and water. Keep shaking until you have a uniform mixture that's one solid color.[3]XResearch source
Make sure the cap is on tight before you begin shaking. You do not want to end up getting dye on your clothing or hands.
Advertisement Method 2 Method 2 of 3:
Using Chemical Water and Dye
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1 Wear gloves and goggles. When handling chemical water, it's important that you take safety precautions. Wear safety goggles to protect your eyes. Wear thick gloves, such as gardening gloves, the entire time to protect your hands.
For added protection, wear long-sleeved clothing as well.
2 Prepare your chemical water. You will need urea, ludigol, and water softener to make chemical water. Buy these products at a hardware store or online. To make the chemical water, add a quart of warm water to a bucket. From there, add three fourths a cup of urea, two teaspoons of ludigol, and one teaspoon of water softener.
If you need more dye, expand the recipe as needed. You will need three fourths a cup of urea, two teaspoons of ludigol, and a teaspoon of water softener per quart of water.
3 Add the dyes. Remove your chemical water from the bucket where you mixed it. Store the dye in bottles, smaller buckets, or cups. You will then add your chosen colors of dye to these containers to add color to the chemical water.
There is no precise amount of dye to add. It depends on how dark you want your colors. More dye will yield darker colors and less dye will make pastel shades.
For example, add three cups of red dye for a dark red while one cup should make a lighter shade.
The color that shows up on the fabric should be similar to the dye's color.
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Using Food Coloring
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1 Put on an apron. Working with food coloring gets messy, so throw on an apron first. Wear older clothing that you don't mind getting messy.[4]XResearch source
2 Fill a water bottle with water and food coloring. Use a plastic water bottle with a lid that is secure. Add half a cup of water and eight drops of food coloring to the bottle.[5]XResearch source
If you want a lighter color, add less food coloring. Try going for four drops, for example, to get a more pastel shade.
3 Shake the bottle vigorously to mix. Make sure the cap is on completely first to avoid a mess. Shake the bottle vigorously. Keep shaking until you have a clear, consistent color. You can now use your dye in a tie dye project.[6]XResearch source
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Community Q&A
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Question Can I use regular paint for tie dye? Techdocgeek Community Answer It all depends what you mean by regular paint. Read the paint labels and what it's intended to paint. Avoid watercolor, as that will just wash off in the next wash. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 13 Helpful 31
Question What is a substitute for urea? Zack Top Answerer Purchase "urea substitute" that is composed of diamine and ammonia. However, it may be difficult to find, whereas urea is available from most dye suppliers. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 15 Helpful 15
Question What is the best t-shirt material to tie dye? Community Answer 100% cotton t-shirts worked great for me. Most polyester or mixed-fiber t-shirts will work, but the color will be lighter. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 16 Helpful 30
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Things You'll Need
Spray bottle
Fabric paint
Gloves
Goggles
Buckets
Mixing bowls
Urea
Fabric dye
Ludigol
Food coloring
Sealable bottle
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Reviewed by: Jeanine Hattas Wilson Professional Painter This article was reviewed by Jeanine Hattas Wilson. Jeanine Hattas Wilson is a Professional Painter and the President of Hattas Public Murals, Inc. With nearly 20 years of experience, Jeanine specializes in creating, overseeing, designing, and painting murals. Jeanine holds a BA in Advertising from Marquette University and a Studio Painting Minor from The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. She has studied at The Atelier Artien in Paris, France, Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art, and under renowned artists such as Robert Liberace, Michael Siegel, and William Cochran. To date, Hattas Public Murals has painted nearly 5,000 commissioned works of art in homes and commercial and public spaces. This article has been viewed 155,017 times. 9 votes - 67% Co-authors: 8Updated: February 24, 2025 Views: 155,017 Categories: Paints | Tie Dyeing Clothes and FabricArticle SummaryX
To make your own tie-dye with fabric paint, pour about 1 cup (237 mL) of water into a spray bottle. Then, add 3 tablespoons (44 mL) of fabric paint. You can always add a little more or less paint depending on how intense you want the color to be. Shake the bottle vigorously for 30-60 seconds until the water and paint are thoroughly combined. If you don’t have fabric paint, try combining ½ a cup (118 mL) of water with 4-8 drops of food coloring instead. To create a stronger and more vibrant dye, you’ll need urea, Ludigol, and water softener. Put on rubber gloves and safety goggles before handling these materials. Add 1 quart (946 mL) of warm water to a bucket and mix in ¾ cups (235 g) of urea, 2 teaspoons (10 g) of Ludigol, and 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of water softener. Then, pour the mixture into bottles and mix in whatever fabric dyes you like. Experiment with different amounts of dye to achieve the intensity you want. Close the bottles tightly and shake them up to mix in the dyes. For tips on how to make the tie dye paint lighter or darker, scroll down!Did this summary help you?YesNo
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Reader Success Stories
Anonymous
Jul 21
"I was very surprised that food coloring actually worked for tie dye, and I'm actually happy with the results. Thanks!"..." more
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Yes No Advertisement If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Reviewed by: Jeanine Hattas Wilson Professional Painter 9 votes - 67% Click a star to vote Co-authors: 8Updated: February 24, 2025 Views: 155,017
Anonymous
Jul 21
"I was very surprised that food coloring actually worked for tie dye, and I'm actually happy with the results. Thanks!"..." more
Paul Stizza
Aug 11, 2020
"Didn't think it was going to work but it actually worked. Going DIY tie dye crazy. Thanks for the tip." Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories
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Reviewed by: Jeanine Hattas Wilson Professional Painter This article was reviewed by Jeanine Hattas Wilson. Jeanine Hattas Wilson is a Professional Painter and the President of Hattas Public Murals, Inc. With nearly 20 years of experience, Jeanine specializes in creating, overseeing, designing, and painting murals. Jeanine holds a BA in Advertising from Marquette University and a Studio Painting Minor from The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. She has studied at The Atelier Artien in Paris, France, Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art, and under renowned artists such as Robert Liberace, Michael Siegel, and William Cochran. To date, Hattas Public Murals has painted nearly 5,000 commissioned works of art in homes and commercial and public spaces. This article has been viewed 155,017 times. 9 votes - 67% Co-authors: 8 Updated: February 24, 2025 Views: 155,017 Categories: Paints | Tie Dyeing Clothes and Fabric Article SummaryX
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1 Pour water into a spray bottle. Use a spray bottle from a department store or drug store. Add one cup of water to the spray bottle. Make sure the bottle is big enough. As you'll be adding dye, leave a little headspace when you're done adding water.[1] 
2 Add fabric paint. Use a fabric paint in your chosen color. Add three tablespoons of the paint to your spray bottle.[2] 
3 Shake the bottle vigorously. Give the bottle a good shake. For about 30 to 60 seconds, shake the bottle to mix the paint and water. Keep shaking until you have a uniform mixture that's one solid color.[3] 
1 Wear gloves and goggles. When handling chemical water, it's important that you take safety precautions. Wear safety goggles to protect your eyes. Wear thick gloves, such as gardening gloves, the entire time to protect your hands. 
2 Prepare your chemical water. You will need urea, ludigol, and water softener to make chemical water. Buy these products at a hardware store or online. To make the chemical water, add a quart of warm water to a bucket. From there, add three fourths a cup of urea, two teaspoons of ludigol, and one teaspoon of water softener. 
3 Add the dyes. Remove your chemical water from the bucket where you mixed it. Store the dye in bottles, smaller buckets, or cups. You will then add your chosen colors of dye to these containers to add color to the chemical water. 
1 Put on an apron. Working with food coloring gets messy, so throw on an apron first. Wear older clothing that you don't mind getting messy.[4] 
2 Fill a water bottle with water and food coloring. Use a plastic water bottle with a lid that is secure. Add half a cup of water and eight drops of food coloring to the bottle.[5] 
3 Shake the bottle vigorously to mix. Make sure the cap is on completely first to avoid a mess. Shake the bottle vigorously. Keep shaking until you have a clear, consistent color. You can now use your dye in a tie dye project.[6] Advertisement 
Techdocgeek Community Answer It all depends what you mean by regular paint. Read the paint labels and what it's intended to paint. Avoid watercolor, as that will just wash off in the next wash. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 13 Helpful 31 
Zack Top Answerer Purchase "urea substitute" that is composed of diamine and ammonia. However, it may be difficult to find, whereas urea is available from most dye suppliers. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 15 Helpful 15 
Community Answer 100% cotton t-shirts worked great for me. Most polyester or mixed-fiber t-shirts will work, but the color will be lighter. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 16 Helpful 30 