Anything made out of cotton can be tie-dyed. Most people
might not think of tie-dyeing a shower curtain, but if it's cotton, you can
make it work. Coordinate colors with your existing decor or brighten up your
bathroom with a funky hippie rainbow spiral or anything is possible!
Preparing the Curtain
First, check if the shower curtain is 100 percent cotton.
Synthetic fibers will not take dye, but a small percentage of synthetic
materials in the fabric will have little effect on the colors. The greater the
percentage of synthetic fibers, the paler the curtain will be. Then, check if
the shower curtain has a waterproof or mildew-resistant coating. This may
prevent dye from reaching the cotton fibers. If the curtain is cotton but has a
waterproof coating on both sides, you will not be able to tie-dye it. If only
one side is coated, you may be able to dye the other side. Finally, check
washing instructions and make sure the fabric is machine washable in hot water.
Choosing Dye
For a colorfast tie-dye shower curtain, use
professional-quality dyes. These can be purchased online at various stores,
usually under the name Procion, and at some craft stores. Look for
fiber-reactive dyes; these bond chemically to the cotton fiber, preventing the
dyes from bleeding after they are set. This is especially important for
tie-dyed items. Some stores sell tie-dye kits containing all the materials you
need; at others, you may have to buy them separately. The only crucial
component you need besides dye is soda ash, which sets the dye. Urea, a
chemical that helps the dye dissolve and keeps tied items wet longer, is
optional. Follow the dye manufacturer's instructions on using the soda ash,
either as a presoak for a squirted item or in the dye bath for a submerged
item.
Folding, Tying, Dyeing
There are two basic types of tie-dye methods. In one, you
submerge a tightly tied item into a container full of dye, resulting in a
single-color item with white patterns where the ties were. In the other, you tie
an item more loosely and squirt different colors of dye onto different sections
of the item. The second method is the only way to get complicated multicolored
patterns, but the first is easier for a novice dyer to get right. Choose the
method that feels right to you. The important thing to remember in applying dye
to the fabric is to reach the inner folds of the tied item. This is especially
important if you are dyeing a shower curtain that is waterproofed on one side.
The dye will not penetrate the waterproofed side, so take extra care to apply
it from the other side. Remember that if you have a large curtain tied up into
a small package, only a small portion of the fabric will be visible from the
outside, so you must reach those inner folds if you want the colors to be
distributed evenly.
Setting the Dye
Allow some time for the dye to set, at least 30 minutes for
a submerged curtain and 24 hours for one with dye squirted onto it. If you used
a color containing Procion Turquoise, microwave the shower curtain briefly at
this point to ensure the dye will set, as turquoise requires a temperature of
140 degrees. If the curtain has metal parts or is unsafe for the microwave for
any other reason, you can wrap it in a plastic grocery bag, place it in the kitchen
sink and slowly pour boiling water over it.
Washing
Refer to the dye manufacturer's instructions for washing. In
general, rinse thoroughly in cold water, then wash in hot water with Synthrapol
or dish detergent, then rinse in cold water until the water runs clear. It's
especially important to rinse out a tie-dye shower curtain well, because you
don't want dye running when the curtain gets wet in the shower.
