How to Ombré Bleach or Bleach Dye a Shirt

Donna
by Donna
5 Materials
$12
2 Hours
Easy

Ombré bleaching of clothing (sometimes called "bleach dyeing") is a popular fashion trend where the color on a garment gradually fades from top to bottom or from bottom to top. This effect is created by using bleach to alter the color dyes in the fabric. These clothing items can retail for hundreds of dollars, but this technique is easy to do yourself using household supplies.

This fashion trend might not appeal to everyone, but the results can be quite pretty. Please keep in mind: When bleaching an item of colored clothing, you really have no idea how the colors might change. So for this look and technique, you just have to keep an open mind and love the results of the bleaching, however it turns out.

Materials


  • A colored shirt—This can be any type of shirt. You may want to use a couple of old shirts first as test runs before trying this technique on any clothing that you truly treasure.
  • One or two large, clean buckets—You can do this technique with one bucket, but it is easier with two so that you don't have to run to change the water.
  • Water
  • About a 1/2 gallon of bleach
  • Some distilled white vinegar
  • Plastic gloves, like you would use for household cleaning
  • Safety goggles to protect your eyes
  • Some old towels
  • A binder clip or hanging clothespin
  • Some newspaper to cover your work area
Directions


First, make sure your item of clothing is freshly clean and dry. You can use any type of shirt; however, a heavier shirt (like flannel or denim) will probably take longer to change color.


There are a few decisions you should make before starting the bleaching. First, decide where you want to start your ombré bleaching on your shirt. I put my shirt on and decided that I wanted the color change to start between my second and third buttons from the top of my shirt. You can also bleach your shirt from the bottom to the top by putting your shirt in the bleach mixture upside-down.


For more guidelines, visit my blog.

If you are bleaching your shirt from the top down, put your shirt on a well-fitting hanger and button it (if applicable).


Put on your gloves and goggles and keep them on throughout the bleaching process.


Then, in a clean bucket, make a generous mixture (enough to cover the area of your shirt you want to bleach) of 2/3 warm water and 1/3 bleach. You don't really need to measure this mixture. You can just approximate it.


If you have another bucket available, fill this with cold water.


With your shirt on its hanger, submerge your shirt in the bleach mixture to the point where you want to begin your color change (if you do not want to bleach your sleeves, leave them outside your bucket throughout the bleaching). For more details on the bleaching process, please visit my blog.

The bleach will start working immediately, so stay with your item and watch for the color change.


Once you see the initial color change on your shirt that you want, pull your shirt out a few inches from the bleach mixture. Leave the remainder of your shirt in the mixture to continue a further color change. This will create multiple steps in your ombré effect.


Continue to pull your shirt out of the bleach mixture at even intervals to get the effect you want. I pulled my sleeves out of the mixture before my last bleaching so they would be slightly different in color than the bottom of my shirt.

Once your ombré bleaching is complete, submerge your shirt in a bucket of cold water for about 10 minutes. please visit my blog.


While your shirt is in the cold water, dispose of your bleach mixture in a safe manner. Rinse your bucket and use it to make a mixture of 2/3 cold water to 1/3 distilled white vinegar.


After 10 minutes in the cold water, move your shirt to the distilled vinegar mixture. Leave it to soak for about 10 minutes. The vinegar will stop the action of the bleach on your clothing.


After the vinegar soak, wrap your clothing item in an old towel. Wash it in your washer using cold water and a little bit of detergent. Then dry per the instructions on the clothing label.

I was surprised but pleased with the color changes in my shirt with ombré bleaching. It's a little hard to tell in the photos, but the bottom of my shirt is paler than the upper bleached area. Again, this look might not be for everyone, but you may want to give it a try. You might like it!

Suggested materials:
  • Bleach   (grocery store)
  • Distilled White Vinegar   (grocery store)
  • 2 Large Buckets   (home improvement store)
See all materials

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Donna
Want more details about this and other fashion and style ideas? Check out more here!
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