Does Kool-Aid Tie Dye Last? A Comprehensive Guide to Kool-Aid Tie Dyeing

Do not try to dye cotton with food coloring! Food coloring on cotton is a stain, not a dye, and will notlast. You can’t make it permanent. If you want to dyecotton, use

(*E numbers are European food additive numbers, being replaced by INS numbers, which are international but are largely the same as E numbers.) All other food colorings in the US, aside from a few natural dyes such as annatto, turmeric (spice), beet extract, and carmine (red insects, used to color yogurt and other foods), are composed of different combinations of the above.

ProjectThis project is designed for use with children; it is notoptimized for art use, as food coloring is not the mostlightfast of dyes (that is, you may find that it fades badlyafter a year or so).

• What to dye. You must first choose a suitable dyeable, such as silk scarf, nylon fabric, or wool yarn. Depending on the size, silk scarves can be purchased for two to eight dollars each through mail order from businesses like Rupert Gibbon. Avoid selecting materials that contain cellulose fibers, like linen, cotton, or rayon, as well as synthetic materials that don’t contain nylon, like polyester or acetate.
• Choose your dyes. Select your favorite colors of unsweetened artificially colored drink mix. If you enjoy bright colors, aim for one drink mix packet per ounce of fiber. (Blue drink mixes are getting harder to find in some places, but they are still available online; check out Twist Blue Mountain Berry Kool-Aid on Amazon, for instance.) ) .
• Pre-soak your fiber. To ensure tartness, dampen your yarn or fabric with water if you are using a drink mix that contains an acid, like malic or citric acid. Alternatively, you can use water with vinegar added to it. Use a combination of half-and-half and water to dampen pure food coloring or egg dye instead of using plain white vinegar. Squeeze out excess water and vinegar, leaving your fiber wet.
• Tie. (Optional. Rubber bands can be used to tighten the fabric where you want it to stay white for a true tie-dye project. Many people prefer dyeing with no ties at all, however. Since you are applying your colors directly, ties are not necessary to create some rather lovely designs.
• Select a dish. Heres where this form of dyeing becomes especially convenient. Because these dyes are safe for food, you don’t need to dedicate a dish to their use; you can use any microwave-safe kitchen container. Select one that is the widest that will easily fit in your microwave. Arrange your damp material in the dish.
• Add dye. Add food coloring or drink mix in a pleasing rainbow pattern. Either dry (it will dissolve on the wet fabric) or dissolved in a very small amount of water is how you can use the drink mix. Recall that placing opposite colors next to one another—for example, red next to green, orange next to blue, or yellow next to purple—will result in a muddy brown color. Place colors in rainbow order. Once the upper layer has been covered, flip the fabric or yarn over in the dish using gloved hands, tongs, or other kitchen tools, and repeat on the other side(s).
• Cover the dish. Tightly seal the dish using a lid, plate, or microwaveable plastic wrap. This will retain steam, ensuring that every area of the fabric receives treatment, and keep one area from burning and drying out before the rest of it reaches a high temperature.
• Heat in the microwave. (Obviously, only adults or teenagers should complete this step; however, young children can apply the dye.) Heat the material for a duration of fifteen seconds to a minute or two, while keeping a close eye on it the entire time. When the steam begins to condense inside the plastic wrap and inflate it, you need to press the “STOP” button. Let it rest for a minute, then heat again. Alternatively, use a 20% reduction in power for five minutes of heating, but make sure to monitor constantly. If the fiber is allowed to get too dry in the microwave, it poses a risk of actually catching fire due to overheating. For the dye to adhere to the fiber permanently, it needs to get extremely hot, but If you don’t have access to a microwave, you can steam vegetables for 30 minutes using a vegetable steamer.
• Allow to cool. The period of time spent progressively cooling will promote greater bonding.
• Rinse. Rinse with cool water until the dye is completely gone from the water that runs off.
• Laundering. If washing is required, use a delicate cycle in cold water or hand wash; make sure to adhere to any wool care guidelines.

Kool-Aid l You’ll Never Tie-Dye The Same Way Again!

FAQ

How long does Kool-Aid dye last?

What makes tie-dye last longer?

Does food coloring tie-dye last?

Is Kool-Aid tie dye safe?

Kool-Aid tie dye is a fantastic activity to do when the kids or grandkids are at home, such as during summer vacation. The obvious advantage is that tie dye with Kool-Aid is safer than using other chemical dyes. However, this technique has its drawbacks. Many people wonder, does Kool-Aid tie dye last? The short answer is, not for very long.

How do you use Kool-Aid to dye hair?

In a heat-safe bowl or container, dissolve Kool-Aid packets with warm water (use less water if you want a more vibrant shade or have darker hair). Mix until combined. If you’re dip-dyeing, pull all of your hair up into a hair tie. Dip the ends into the mixture for 15 to 30 minutes (longer if you want it to be more colorful).

Does Kool Aid hair dye work?

Spoiler Alert: this one worked! This Kool Aid Hair Dye method, called dip dying, involved mixing the Kool Aid with hot water and letting the ends of the hair sit in the mixture until colored. We followed the instructions to the letter, and to our surprise, it worked AMAZINGLY well!