Making your own fabric designs is such a fun way to personalize any of your textile projects. I tried hand painting curtains for a dalmation-esque spotted effect last year, but to be honest, it took so much time that I wasnt too keen to try something like that again. Stamping, printing, and dying fabric are other alternatives for DIY fabric designs, but what about bleach? I thought Id try a more bohemian speckled effect for a recent reupholstery project, and you guys, it was so much fun and so easy!
Supplies:–concentrated bleach-paint brush (An angled brush like this works best.) -small basin -drop clothes or tarp -heavyweight washable fabric (I used twill.)
Tip: Wear old clothes that can get ruined with bleach splashes without breaking your heart. You shouldnt need gloves because your hands shouldnt get bleach on them, but if youre worried about that, go ahead and wear gloves.
Preparing to bleach the fabric: Lay out your fabric on top of a tarp or drop cloth. This process shouldnt produce splashing, but youll want to protect the area around your fabric just in case.
Soak your brush in a small basin of concentrated bleach. Before dropping the bleach onto your fabric, make sure the brush isnt dripping too profusely with bleach. You dont want to get drip lines, like you can see on the top left corner of my fabric. The bleach shouldnt drip off the brush until you have it in place over the fabric.
Techniques for dripping the bleach: You should have enough bleach on your brush that it will drip, but not until you hold the brush still. Move the brush into place above the fabric and just hold it, directing the bleach down to the angled tip of your brush. The bleach will drop off and onto your fabric.
The longer you let the bleach drip in one spot, the larger the mark left by the bleach will be. Once the bleach stops dripping easily, You can shake the brush (in a vertical, not diagonal motion) to create smaller splatters on the fabric. Then soak the brush again, make sure its not dripping too much, then keep adding more spots.
The bleached effect will appear pretty quickly after the liquid hits the fabric, which makes it easy to envision your design as you make your way across the fabric.
Wash the fabric. Allow the bleach to sit on the fabric long enough for all of the spots to be uniform in color, but dont let the bleach sit any longer than that or it will destroy the integrity of the fibers. I ran my fabric through a cold rinse cycle before putting it through a regular wash cycle with laundry detergent. Dont wash it with other linens, which may cause any residual bleach to ruin other items in the washing machine.
I used my fabric to reupholster this DIY stool I made over a year ago. I was ready for a change, and had to fix the legs that were coming off because back then I didnt realize you needed mounting plates to keep the legs on the wood! Thats a bit embarrassing to admit, but there ya have it.
I love my new and improved foot stool, and have enough fabric leftover that I might make a tote or something too! What craft would you make with your own bleach-spotted fabric? –Mandi
Credits // Author and Photography: Mandi Johnson. Photos edited with Stella and Valentine from the Signature Collection.
Credits // Author and Photography: Mandi Johnson. Photos edited with Stella and Valentine from the Signature Collection.
Making your own fabric designs is such a fun way to personalize any of your textile projects. I tried hand painting curtains for a dalmation-esque spotted effect last year, but to be honest, it took so much time that I wasnt too keen to try something like that again. Stamping, printing, and dying fabric are other alternatives for DIY fabric designs, but what about bleach? I thought Id try a more bohemian speckled effect for a recent reupholstery project, and you guys, it was so much fun and so easy!
Preparing to bleach the fabric: Lay out your fabric on top of a tarp or drop cloth. This process shouldnt produce splashing, but youll want to protect the area around your fabric just in case.
Supplies:–concentrated bleach-paint brush (An angled brush like this works best.) -small basin -drop clothes or tarp -heavyweight washable fabric (I used twill.)
Techniques for dripping the bleach: You should have enough bleach on your brush that it will drip, but not until you hold the brush still. Move the brush into place above the fabric and just hold it, directing the bleach down to the angled tip of your brush. The bleach will drop off and onto your fabric.
Wool shrinkage is actually a physical process called felting. Wool felts (yes, felt is a verb here!) because of the physical structure of the fiber. On a microscopic level, each fiber has tiny scales that extend the length of the fiber. If these scales rub up against each other they can lock together. The scales hold the locked fibers in place, which is why felting shrinkage is permanent.
To limit the prospect of wool items felting during washing, using cool wash water, a mild laundry detergent and minimal agitation are all recommended. Wool blends or wool that has been specially treated to remove the scales can often be machine washed using the delicate cycle. Liquid chlorine bleach is absolutely NOT recommended, even a dilute solution. Check the care label to see what the manufacturer recommends for washing instructions.
For wool items that you would like to try machine washing, check the care label first to confirm that machine washing is allowed. To machine wash wool:
Get a stain on a piece of wool fabric? Learn how to clean wool clothing and fabric and find out if you can use bleach to clean wool coats, hats, and clothing.
It’s also really interesting that you washed the shawl multiple times in hot water and it didn’t shrink, which makes me wonder if the shawl isn’t actually made of acrylic or another synthetic fiber that can handle hotter water. Taking the shawl back to another dry cleaner and describing the problems in detail when you hand the shawl off to the dry cleaner is your best chance at getting a hard-to-wash wool item with years-old stains on it off. And if the dry cleaner can confirm that shawl is actually made of a synthetic like nylon, acrylic or polyester, then it may be appropriate for Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach after all. Only try washing with bleach if you are 100% sure it is not made of wool, though!
What Happens When You Drink Bleach?
Does bleach affect felt?
Bleach can definitely have an effect on felt, especially if it is a natural fiber such as wool or cashmere. The chemicals in bleach can cause the fibers to weaken and become damaged, leading to pilling, fraying, or shrinking. It is best to avoid using bleach on felt items and find alternative methods of cleaning and disinfecting.
Does bleach kill fungus?
Yes, bleach can kill fungus. Bleach is a strong disinfectant that can kill a variety of microorganisms, including fungi. It works by breaking down the cell walls of fungi, killing them.
What should I know when using bleach?
The most important things to remember when using bleach are as follows: Never mix bleach with ammonia or any other cleaner. Always wear rubber gloves to protect the skin on the hands. Wear goggles or another form of eye protection. Do not breathe in product fumes. Keep the windows and doors open to ventilate the area.
Is bleach bad for You?
First, bleach is strongly alkaline (pH of 11 to 13), which can also corrode metals and burn skin. Second, bleach contains a strong chlorine odor and fumes, which can be harmful to the lungs when inhaled. Skin or eye contact: Bleach spills to the skin or eyes can cause serious irritation, burns, and even eye damage.