How can I remove all the colors from my orange and yellow acrylic afghan?

Name: Ruth

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Rit Color Remover

safe for synthetics that would be destroyed by chlorine bleach

Country or region: United States

Message: I HAVE A HAND KNIT ACRYLIC MULTI COLORED FLAME STICH AFGHAN - WHITE, ORANGE & YELLOW. HOW CAN I REMOVE A L L THE COLORS, AND JUST LEAVE IT WHITE?

THANKS SOOO VERY MUCH

I'm sorry to have to tell you that this is very unlikely to work.

It is possible to remove many dyes, but not all dyes; however, even the ones that can be removed usually leave a little color, often a dull beige, but sometimes a quite unexpected color. Your orange and yellow acrylic yarns might remain unchanged in color, or they might lighten to paler colors, but not all the way to white. Chances are small that all of the color can be successfully removed to leave a 100% white afghan.

If you are willing to take the risk, especially if you just want to remove enough of the orange color that you can dye it a different color or if you will be happy with a beige-and-white afghan, it is important not to try to use chlorine bleach for this project. The hypochlorite in chlorine bleach tends to damage synthetic fibers. Instead, you need to use a sulfur-based color removing chemical.

One of the best color removers that is easy to find in the US is Rit Color Remover. (See "What chemicals can be used to remove dye?".) The most likely place to find Rit Color Remover is at a fabric store or a crafts store. Rit Color Remover is a much better product than is Rit All Purpose Dye. (Rit dye does not work on acrylic, and is inferior to other dyes even for cotton.)

To use Rit Color Remover, you can try either the washing machine method or the stovetop method. Instructions for the two methods are on or in the box. The stovetop method works better, but the washing machine method is much easier, so it's better to try it first. You may need to use two or more boxes of Rit Color Remover, depending on the size of your washing machine, or only one box if you use a five-gallon plastic bucket. You must use the hottest tap water available, which means you might have to turn off the cold water supply to your washing machine if it always adds cold water. If you use the stovetop method, be careful not to let the water boil; it would be safest to keep the temperature no higher than 140°F.

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Posted: Saturday - November 30, 2013 at 12:57 PM

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How can I remove all the colors from my orange and yellow acrylic afghan?

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