dyeing suede fabric to cover an ink stain


Name: sheree
Message: Can I dye a light tan suede (washable) fabric that has blue ink pen on it? Maybe a dark blue.

The important question, in all dyeing, is: what fiber is the material made of? You must match the right type of dye to the fiber, if you want decent results.

Ultrasuede is one brand name of washable suede fabric; it is made of 100% polyester. Polyester, unless treated with finishes such as permanent press coatings, may be dyed according to the instructions listed at Dyeing Polyester with Disperse Dyes. (This is far more laborious and unpleasant than tie-dyeing cotton, by the way, unless you choose the iron-on method to just add a few decorations.)

However, covering a marking such as ink with dye is not always successful. Unless the dye is extremely dark, the marking is apt to show through, for the reasons described at How can I fix the bleach spots on my favorite clothing?.

Have you tried a spot remover to remove the ball pen ink? Cornell University supplies a guide to removing stains, including those of ballpoint pen ink, from clothing.

Posted: Friday - June 11, 2004 at 01:38 PM          

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