Dyeing clothes can be a fun and entertaining way to spend the day. In addition, it can also provide you with a whole new wardrobe. There are several methods that can be used. One way is to use your washing machine. Another method of dye for fabric can be done naturally through the use of tea or onion skins.

Washing Machine Method

If you opt to utilise your washing machine, you should know that a top load machine is best to enable you to simply open the door and drop in the colour dye. Although, a front load washing machine does offer more even colouring as well as less water.

Once you have decided to dye your fabric, you should repeat the following steps to use your washing machine:

First, choose which colour dye you would like to use. Since there are different types of dyes for specific fabric, you will want to choose wisely. For instance, if the fabric is wool or nylon, you should utilise a dye for fabric that is for animal fibres. If it’s linen or rayon, you may wish to use a dye that is more reactive to those fibres.

Next, run the washing machine through an empty cycle using just water. Afterward, add some salt. This will facilitate the penetration of the dye into the fabric. The amount of salt should be equal to 4 cups per each litre of water.

You will want to dissolve the colour dye prior to putting the clothing into the machine. Also, use the longest washing cycle that your washer has to allow the dye to swirl around the fabric a bit.

Lastly, the fabric should be hung in a shady spot and allowed to dry completely.

Tea Dying Method

Dye for fabric can also be done naturally through the use of tea or onion skins. If you have decided to use tea, you will want to brew about one gallon of it, but use twice as many tea bags. Place the tea bags in a pot with a gallon of water and allow it to boil for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and permit it to sit an additional 5 minutes. This will enable it to get very strong.

Allow the tea to cool enough that it is still slightly warm, but not hot. Next, submerge your fabric into the pot and make sure it is completely covered. The colour you wish to attain will depend upon the length of time you let the fabric in the solution. For a lighter colour, allow it to stay in the tea for approximately 3 minutes and for a darker colour, let it in for at least 5 full minutes before removing.

Remove the fabric from the tea, but make certain that it has been evenly dyed prior to wringing out the excess. Lastly, hang it up in a shady area and allow it to dry completely.

Home dyeing of textile fabric is an art, which you can successfully execute with the help of simple science. All you need is fundamental understanding of dyes and the fabric you choose to colour.

Vat dyeing process

It is the simplest form of dyeing where you have to dip the textile fabric in colour and then bring it to a boil. Or you can immerse it in fabric paints and leave it for days to allow soaking of the dye. The method you choose depends on the nature of fabric. For example, cotton fabric absorbs dye faster than wool. Wool needs to be boiled for a long time in the dye to get the desired colour. However, when you use a mix of yarns for your clothing that has both, say wool and cotton, you will have to use a chemical compound to slow down the rate at which the cotton would absorb the dye.

Batik process

You can dye textile fabric using batik also. A resist-dyeing process, the colour is restricted from penetrating the fabric in certain portions. Molten wax is used to resist the colour from entering the fabric. A mixture of beeswax and paraffin wax dyes it better because the beeswax sticks to the fabric while the paraffin wax cracks too soon. This phenomenon helps in getting the typical look that batik is famous for, in the world.

To get best print on batik, choose textile fabric in beige or white colour (fabric paints). Draw the pattern or trace it on to the fabric. Decide the colour combination at the outset. Start from a lighter colour and graduate towards darker shades.

Now apply wax on the outline of the pattern. Remember, the area where you applied wax is not going to be dyed. Therefore, apply wax carefully, keeping in mind how you want your print to look like. Then give the fabric a cold dye-bath. Next, apply wax again on the areas where you do not want the second colour to penetrate. Now, give the fabric another cold dye-bath. Repeat these steps until the desired colour combination is achieved.

Remove the wax ultimately by immersing the textile fabric in boiling water.

Tie and dye process

It is another resist-dyeing process. Tie parts of the fabric in bunches with waxed thread. Then immerse the fabric in the fabric paints colour of your choice. Start with a light colour. The areas, which are tied, do not get in contact with the dye and so they remain in the original colour of the fabric. Now, start tying the fabric again in bunches where you do not want the second colour to seep. Give the fabric another colour bath in the second colour of your choice but darker than the first one. Go on repeating the process until you get all the colours on the fabric.

Hot-water dye vs. Cold-water dye

Hot-water method would require you to simmer the dye solution along with the fabric on a stove or other heating equipment. The duration of this activity depends on the intensity of colour you are looking for and the size of the textile fabric. This is best for intense colour on your fabric.

Choose cold-water dye if you wish to get pastel colours on your fabric. You do not need any heating equipment. Soak the fabric in the dye solution and let it rest, stirring it from time to time for an even distribution of colour across the fabric. The duration would again depend on the degree of richness of hue you are seeking. This process shall not generate intense colours.

Let us talk about natural cloth dyes for example dylon dye. Just a little history, natural dyes have been around for quite some time. The first written record of natural dyeing was about 4500 years ago in ancient China. In 1856, William Henry Perkin was trying to come up with an artificial malaria cure. Whilst in this process, he accidentally created a new colour and clothes dye when he found mauve or if you like, violet. In recent times, natural dyes were used during WWII when Germany’s army was forced to dye their uniforms using nettles. This is because their trade routes were broken.

When home dyeing, it is best to dye natural fibres compared to synthetic ones since the natural fibres will keep the colour better. A suggested make would be dylon dye. As a matter of fact, most home dyes are made use of on yarn and wool before it is made into garments as the colour remains or rather holds better. The colour is more likely to remain uniform across the garment.

Before dyeing your cloth, it is best to treat it with a mordant solution. This solution helps to fix the colours. There are very many substances that can be used as mordants. You should know that some are toxic. You can be comfortable using substances such as salt, vinegar, and the not so common alum. Alum is an abbreviation for aluminium potassium sulphate. If you know your science, this substance is used in the manufacture of baking powder.

The first kind of cloth dye that you can use is red dye. Madder is the plant of choice from which you can extract red dyes. Madder is best grown from seed that is sown in spring time. It takes about three years so that it can reach its maximum yield. In case you are in a hurry, you can buy some online at a reasonable price. To come up with a madder dye, dig your roots first and wash them before chopping. Place 50 grams of dried roots into water and do not disturb for 24 hours. After the 24 hours, get rid of the water and then cover the roots again with about 5 litres of fresh water. Blend all the roots by means of a hand blender. Next, ferment the dye. Be careful not to use equipment that you use for foodstuff. The fermentation should take a week. Before you soak your garment in this solution, soak it in a mordant of your choice then soak it in a fermented dye. It will turn red.

Finally, we have yellow dyes. This is easier to obtain as it can be gotten from onion skins, cold tea, turmeric, and rhubarb. Tansy and chamomile can also be sources of yellow dyes. To extract this dye, cut the plant of your choice and put them in cold water for not less than 24 hours. Boil for one hour. For 250g of wool, you will require nine litres of dyed water. The colour should be vivid. Dip the garment into the solution and let it dye overnight.

These are just some of the methods you could use to dye cloth. If you are experimental you can try using different colours apart from the ones mentioned. I suggest you try dylon dye Who knows, you could be the next William Henry Perkin.

The eggs of the moth are very tiny and hard to detect. The thumb rule is if you have any suspicion of infestation; take preventive methods at once. The larvae like soiled, moist clothes and so washing and drying the clothes at home, or at the cleaners, will help getting rid of the larvae. If you see any item of clothing which has been damaged, you should assume that you have moth infestation and take remedial measures immediately. In the life cycle of the female moth, she will lay hundreds of eggs and the favored places are moist damp clothes such as woolens, carpets etc. The eggs are stuck with glue and are difficult to remove. As soon as the larvae hatch, they begin to eat and damage the clothes.

There are many methods, physical, chemical and natural, which act as moth deterrents. Some of the methods are:

• Use clothing moth traps. This can prevent the males mating with the females.
• Cryofumigation – enclose the infested cloth inside a plastic bag and put dry ice inside. Keep sealed for between 3
to 5 days. The buildup of CO2 and denial of oxygen, will kill off the infestation at all stages of the moth’s life cycle.
• Dry cleaning – kills the existing eggs and larvae and removes the moisture from the clothes.
• Freezing – the clothes are kept for several days below freezing temperature.
• Heat – keep the clothes above 49°C for more than 30 minutes. It can also be done by keeping in sunlight.
• Vacuuming – helps eradicate eggs and larvae.
• Mothballs – these contain a chemical called naphthalene, which evaporates into a gas. It should be used in a
closed place such as a cupboard, as the buildup of gas, kills off the larvae. Since it is toxic and flammable, care
should be exercised in its use.
• Insecticides such as Permethrin and Pyrethroids can be used. These measures are effective but not Eco friendly.
• Camphor, is a safer and a natural alternative to mothballs, but requires a high concentration of vapor to be
effective. It is flammable and caution should be exercised.
• Eastern Red Cedar secretes a volatile oil which can kill small larvae, but will require high concentration to work
effectively.
• Common Lavender – either dried Lavender flowers or a few drops of Lavender oil are put on the clothes. It has to
be periodically done. It will have a strong perfumed odor.

The above methods act as moth deterrents, but moths are persistent and vigil has to be maintained at all times. Periodically air and dry your clothes. Vacuum your carpets and rugs regularly. Check for signs of infestation at regular intervals. Moth infestation is a bane, but with a bit of care it can be prevented.

The case making moth clothes as the name suggest they are enclosed in a casing which is usually referred to as a cocoon and the webbing clothe moth when feeding on fabrics make structures that are web like. Webbing clothe moths are smaller with a wing span of about half an inch, they have black eyes, coppery hairs on top of their head whereas the case making moth is dark brown in color with faint dark spots on their wings with fringe hairs at the edge of their wings and the case making moth are more mobile unlike the webbing clothe moth. They are referred to as cloth moth because they attack clothes and they may not be seen as they avoid light.

They are mostly found in corners, closets, basements and folds of fabrics. When they attain an adult stage they do not feed not even on clothes thus they are harmless to your clothing. The danger of the non-feeding adults is that they produce eggs which later hatch to produce fabric eating larvae. The larvae will damage clothes/fabrics by making irregularly shaped holes on the fabric and after feeding on the fabric they may crawl and hide themselves in cracks on walls and in the ceiling. It should be noted that those fabrics which are always used, moth cloth do not hide and feed on them for example blankets and bed sheets. They are known to attack the edges or sides of the carpet as these areas are not usually disturbed and they can stay where they are for sometime without movements.

Moth cloth control: This can be done using various methods which may include one or some of the following:

a. Exclusion methods; this is where material infested with moth cloth are separated from those that do not have moth cloth. Exclusion may also involve the use of tight fitting containers, use of cedar chests, hanging of stored woolen fabrics which will not support the egg laden female on clothes thus falling of the moths leading to their death.

b. Adjustment of temperatures and humidity; by reduction of temperatures to freezing will lead into the death of these pests. This will depend on the time of exposure to these low temperatures. Also elevated temperatures will kill the moth cloth but these should be done carefully as some clothes and garments may get spoiled in extreme temperatures. Relative humidity of twenty to thirty percent will not support the survival of these pests.

c. Other control measures include use or repellants, insecticides and naphthalene among others.

Moths could be entering a living space from cracks in seals around windows or doors, through vents that lead to the exterior of the home, or from people leaving the windows and doors open. These bugs are attracted to light, and are most likely to enter the living area in the evening hours to seek the light that is in the home. Sealing the cracks around windows and door frames with caulk and plastic, or replacing windows and doors is an easy way to keep moths out. For moths that are already in the home, setting off a bug bomb and spraying moth killer may be necessary. This will not only kills the adults, but the eggs and larvae as well. This will help prevent an infestation.

A bug bomb is not only going to kill the moths in the home, but also the other insects that may be following the moths. Many other insects or small mammals eat moths and will become a problem along with a moth infestation. The bomb directions are on the can, an the house can often be reentered in as little as 2 hours. Vacuuming and cleaning the house thoroughly after the bomb is important. The moth killer spray can be used directly on moths on sight, or in areas where there are moths hiding. This will kill the moths easily and quickly.

Prevention is one of the most important parts of keeping moths out of the home. For areas like attics and basements its important to monitor entrances and windows, and to seal collectibles that moths may be attracted to. Moth balls are an effective way to keep moths out of your storage areas, however its important to read the packaging carefully. Use moth balls around the basements, attics and in garages where people or pets won’t come in direct contact with them. Bug zappers are easy to hang outdoors, and can kill the moths before they enter the house.

Using a variety of these options can get rid of existing moths and prevent more moths from coming indoors. A moth killer can be purchased at any home improvement store or superstore, and its important to act as soon as the moths are discovered. It’s easy to protect the home and valuables by killing the moths. This will help keep the problem under control. Keep a moth killer on hand in case there is ever a moth problem in the house again.