How to Bleach Your Shirt for DIY Crafts

Bleaching your shirt presents a simple and cheap way to give your well-worn tee a new creative look. It also allows you to explore your creativity and experiment with different patterns and designs that you will surely love.

So, get those forgotten shirts from the back of your closet and follow our step-by-step guide to give them a new life—transforming your old favorites into conversation starters with everyone asking, "Where did you get that amazing shirt?"

To start, you need to familiarize yourself with the best materials for bleaching and those that are not. Shirts made of natural fibers such as cotton, linen, and rayon are your best choice because they are likely to change colors compared to synthetic fibers. Conversely, do not bleach shirts made of wool, silk, mohair, leather, or spandex.

The bleach that is used for DIY bleaching is the regular household bleach —a chlorine bleach that’s known as sodium hypochlorite. Given it’s a harsh chemical, you need to have rubber gloves and use them in a well-ventilated area or outside.

This method involves fully submerging your shirt in a solution of bleach and water . You will be able to fold and tie your shirt in different designs before bleaching it. To bleach your shirt by dipping, you need to have the following:

Before dipping your shirt to bleach, let’s look at two ways you can fold your shirt for a great outlook after bleaching:

For this design, you can use a dowel rod or your fingers. Place the shirt on a flat surface with the front of the shirt down—to get a sharper pattern on the front. Place the dowel rod on the center of the shirt and start turning clockwise or anticlockwise until you have a swirl pattern.

Place your shirt on a flat surface. Then pinch the middle part of your shirt as you raise it—the front and back together. 

While holding the middle part and the other parts free-falling, put rubber bands around the free-falling parts of the shirt—use as many as you like and make sure they are fairly tight. Your shirt is now ready for bleaching!

Here is the step-by-step process of how you can bleach your shirt by dipping it in bleach: 

Mix about ⅔ of water and ⅓ of bleach in a bucket and use a wooden spoon to gently stir the mixture. Make sure not to get bleach on your skin or eyes—rinse off immediately if there is any contact.

Place your tied shirt in the bleach and water solution. You can use your wooden spoon to make sure it’s completely submerged. Let it soak for about 10 minutes and then remove it—You can check if there’s dye in the water to be sure. After it’s done, with your glove on, remove it from the bleach mixture and unband it. Then rinse, wash, and dry the shirt before trying it on.

Here, you will use a diluted bleach solution in a spray bottle . You will make your designs with a stencil and then spray the bleach solution onto the exposed areas. To bleach your shirt using a spray bottle, you need:

Work in an area that you don’t mind if it gets bleached. Make sure the shirt you are going to bleach is clean and use the iron and ironing board to remove any wrinkles. Lay your shirt flat and slide the piece of cardboard into the shirt—the cardboard should be visible in the neck of the shirt and extend to the opening in the bottom part. You can iron the shirt again with the cardboard still inside.

Lay your Freezer Paper stencil on your shirt—with the shiny side facing down. Carefully iron the stencil, making sure not to tear it. Then for the parts of your shirt that you don’t want to be bleached, cover them with freezer paper and iron all of them down.

Mix ½ bleach with ½ water —make sure the mixing ratio is equal. Test the spray on another piece of cardboard; hold the bottle 6-8 inches away as you spray and check the mist of the spray. Then spray just enough for the bleach to take effect.

Use a rag or a wad of paper towels to dab the shirt as you spray to remove excess spray bleach from your shirt—to prevent the bleach from bleeding under your stencil. 

After 2-3 sprays and your shirt is slightly moist, then it’s time to iron the stencil again. Iron until the colors of the part you are bleaching are light enough for you. 

Then, remove the freezer paper and soak your shirt in cold water before putting it in a washing machine. To maintain the shirt, you should not wash it in bleach!

For this method, you will be making a thick bleach paste and using it to print your shirts . You will be able to design different patterns using a sponge that can hold the bleach paste and transfer it uniformly. It’s an effective way of bleaching your shirt. For this technique, you will need:

Measure 15ml of cornflour and 100ml of water and mix them in a bowl—stir the mixture to mix well. Microwave the mixture for 30 seconds and then whisk the mixture to prevent lumps from forming—repeat at least twice until a thick paste is formed. 

Then measure 60ml of bleach and gradually mix it into the paste.

Use a pen or a marker to draw a petal pattern on the sponge. Cut the petal pattern using a scissor and trim the edges to shape it out better.

Test the petal shape by dipping it into the bleach paste and firmly pressing it onto a spare piece of cotton fabric.

Place cardboard into your shirt to make it more stable. Then use a chalk to clearly mark the areas you want your floral pattern.

To bleach the floral pattern, dip the petal-shaped sponge into the paste, slightly shake the excess, and then firmly press it onto the shirt based on the marks you created. 

Use an earbud to bleach print the center part of the flower pattern.

After you are done, allow the bleach paste to dry completely before washing them out.

While the allure of custom-designed shirts may be what first draws you to the world of bleaching, these transformative techniques can be applied far beyond the confines of your wardrobe. Imagine the endless creative possibilities when you start exploring the art of bleaching on other everyday textiles—napkins, tea towels, and even tablecloths can become stunning. So, let your creativity run wild!

With these techniques in mind, you can add a touch of handmade charm to your wardrobe. With a bit of experimentation and an eye for design, you can customize your shirts and make a captivating, one-of-a-kind piece. Go on and make your signature style!