How to Dye White or Faded Jeans

White jeans being dyed a blue color with gloves

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Project Overview
  • Working Time: 1 - 2 hrs
  • Total Time: 3 - 4 hrs
  • Skill Level: Beginner
  • Estimated Cost: $20 to $30

Jeans are a wardrobe staple. And while blue remains the most popular color, today jeans are every color from black to white to orange. If you want to change or freshen the color of a favorite pair, there are a couple of ways you can do it yourself.

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

Refreshing Blue Jeans

  • Non-plastic measuring spoons
  • Glass quart jar
  • Porcelain sink or washing machine

Dying White Jeans

  • 4-gallon dishpan, pot, or bucket
  • Measuring cup
  • Large metal spoon
  • Paper towels
  • Plastic table cover
  • Rubber gloves

Materials

Refreshing Blue Jeans

  • Liquid bluing
  • Faded jeans

Dying White Jeans

  • 100 percent white cotton jeans
  • Liquid fabric dye
  • Fabric scrap or paper towel
  • Salt
  • Dishwashing liquid

Instructions

Materials and tools to dye white jeans

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Refresh Blue Jeans With Bluing

Bluing is a laundry product often used to brighten white fabrics that have yellowed. The blue pigment tricks the eye making the fabric look whiter. Since liquid bluing is a highly concentrated colloidal suspension of blue iron powder and water, it works great to darken and refresh blue jeans.

  1. Fill the Container

    Fill the sink or washer with enough water to completely submerge the blue jeans. They should be totally wet before adding the bluing.

    Warning

    Never use undiluted bluing in a sink, tub, or any plastic container you care about. The blue pigment will be too concentrated and can result in a nearly permanent stain on fabrics or basin.

    Sink being filled with water to prepare for dying blue jeans

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  2. Add the Bluing

    You will need to experiment a bit to achieve the level of darkness you desire for the fabric. Use about 1/4 teaspoon or a few drops of liquid bluing for each pair of jeans. Always dilute the bluing in 1 quart of cold water before adding it to the sink or washer. Never pour bluing directly on the fabric because spotting will occur. 

    Blue dye poured into sink with water and soaking blue jeans

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  3. Soak the Jeans

    Add the jeans and soak in the bluing solution for at least 10 minutes. You can then wash as usual with detergent.

    Warning

    Do not add bleach, fabric softener, or any other laundry product. There will be no hazardous fumes, but the other products will cause spotting or staining.

    Soaked blue jeans being hand washed inside small bucket of soapy water

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  4. Dry the Jeans

    The jeans can be air-dried or tossed in the dryer. Repeated washings will remove the bluing so if the color is too dark, simply wash several times.

    Blue jeans being air dried outside on drying rack

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

How to Dye Jeans With Fabric Dye

Whether you want to create colored jeans in your favorite hue or simply refresh and deepen the color of faded jeans, a commercial liquid dye is a simple method. You can even mix two colors to get the exact one you want. Liquid fabric dye offers a simple dyeing technique in a bucket.

Selecting Your Color

Use any color of liquid fabric dye or create a custom color by mixing two different dyes. You can add a touch of black dye to the dye bath to make the color even richer and darker.

  1. Prewash the Jeans

    Prewash jeans with a good laundry detergent to remove any finishes that may interfere with dye absorption.

    White jeans being cleaned in sink with soapy water

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  2. Cover Your Work Area

    Spread a plastic table cover or plastic cloth on the floor or the counter to prevent stains from spills.

    White table cover placed over work area to prevent spills

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  3. Fill the Container

    Place a dishpan or bucket on the plastic and fill it with 3 gallons of very hot tap water (140 degrees Fahrenheit). Note: If the water is not hot enough, heat some water in a teakettle or in the microwave.

    Metal dishpan filled with hot water

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  4. Prepare the Dye Solution

    Wearing rubber gloves, shake the dye bottle well and pour it into the water. Then measure one cup of salt; dissolve in 2 cups of very hot water and stir well. Add to the dye bath. As a guideline, 1/2 cup (half bottle) of liquid dye will dye one pair of jeans. To achieve a dark, more intense color, use the entire bottle of dye (1 cup). Add a squirt of dishwashing liquid to the bath and stir well.

    Blue dye solution poured into dishpan with water while wearing gloves

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  5. Test the Dye

    Test the dye color to be sure you are satisfied. You can test using a cotton fabric scrap or by dipping a piece of paper towel into the dye bath. Note: If the color is too light, add more dye. If the color is too dark, add more water.

    Strip of white jean fabric dipped in blue dye solution for testing

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  6. Wet the Jeans

    Wet the jeans in plain warm water and squeeze out excess water.

    White jeans placed in large bucket of plain water

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  7. Immerse the Jeans

    Immerse jeans in the dye bath and stir with a metal spoon continuously for 20 minutes, then occasionally for 10 minutes or until the desired color is achieved (up to one hour). The longer the jeans remain in the dye bath, the darker the color will be. (Color will appear lighter when dry.) Stirring helps to ensure an even color distribution.

    White jeans placed in blue dye solution with gloves

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  8. Remove the Jeans

    Wearing the rubber gloves, remove the jeans from the dye bath and squeeze out excess dye. Rinse in cold running water until water begins to run clear.

    White jeans removed from blue dye bath while wearing gloves

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  9. Wash the Jeans

    Machine-wash separately with an old towel or two, or hand-wash jeans in warm water with mild detergent.

    Dyed white jeans rinsed in sink with plain water and gloves

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska