community of dyers

Don't use dishwashing liquid in a washing machine! You might get gallons of bubbles spilling over onto the floor. Hand use only.

You might be using way more Synthrapol than you need to help dye wash-out. A lot of people do. It doesn't take much. If you use four teaspoons per washing machine load, instead of a quarter cup, it will last you three times as long. If your water is hard, add some sodium hexametaphosphate water softener instead of using more detergent.

I would use dishwashing liquid as a substitute for Synthrapol only for when you want to add just a drop to cut surface tension. For other purposes, like Judi I rely on really HOT water (check the temperature of the water as it flows into your washing machine, using a thermometer). Any laundry detergent ought to do. Add some soda ash or washing soda for extra cleaning power, when prewashing clothes before dyeing.

Your darks will seem darker if you use a detergent that is free of optical brighteners, such as Synthrapol, but that requires that you keep using that sort of detergent in every wash. Washing in optical brighteners will make your whites pop under ultraviolet light but also brightens your darks. You can find a list of other brightener-free detergents online, though formulas may have changed since that list was compiled in 2007.

You can sometimes find small bottles of Synthrapol in a Joann's fabric store or a local quilting supply shop or in Texas Art Supply, but it's cheaper to buy larger bottles online and pay for the shipping. Small bottles cost too much.

For more details, see my page "What is Synthrapol?".

-Paula