Do you know if it is possible to bleach tweed wool and if so how? I want to make it a lighter shade of grey


Name: Sarah
Message: Hello, Do you know if it is possible to bleach tweed wool and if so how? I want to make it a lighter shade of grey

No, I do not recommend this. 

Wool is easily damaged. You must never try to use ordinary household bleach, or chlorine bleach, on wool; it contains hypochlorite which will destroy the wool. Use bleach only on 100% cotton, linen, or hemp.
Rit Color Remover is sodium dithionite. Hydrogen Peroxide disinfectant
It is possible to lighten the color of wool with a large number of bottles of hydrogen peroxide (for instructions, see ProChem's "Bleaching Wool using Hydrogen Peroxide") or with reductive discharges such as Rit Color Remover, but even these agents can damage wool, and both shrinkage and felting are highly likely when wool is treated with the heat required for both of them.

For more information, see the article, "What chemicals can be used to remove dye?", from the discharge dyeing section of my FAQ pages.

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[updated 11/09/07]

Posted: Friday - January 05, 2007 at 06:36 AM          

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