Name: Virginia
Message: I want to know if you can dye nylon netting that is used in pot scrubbers.  Not tulle this is a little more stiffer that tulle.  I want to dye the netting before I crochet pot scrubbers.  Any info would be great.  Thanks. 

You can dye any nylon that is not coated with a surface treatment that will resist the dye. It seems likely that nylon netting would be free of such coatings, but you should try dyeing a small sample before you commit to a large project.

Nylon, unlike other synthetic fibers, can be dyed with the same dyes that you would use for wool. Some of the wool dyes work better on nylon than others do. The most satisfactory dyes for nylon include the Lanaset dyes and many of the dyes in ProChem's WashFast Acid line of dyes.

You don't have to mail-order the best dyes, however, if you're not concerned about high performance in the laundry. Less washfast acid dyes will also do a good job of dyeing nylon. You can find acid dyes in the form of all-purpose dyes at your local pharmacy or grocery store. All-purpose dyes, such as Rit or Tintex, contain a mixture of acid leveling dye with another kind of dye intended for cotton. 

It is important to add some vinegar or another acid to reduce the pH of your dyebath, because nylon requires acid in order to dye well. The manufacturers of Tintex® High Temp all-purpose dye recommend the use of 100 ml (six and a half tablespoons) of white vinegar per 4 liters (one gallon) of water, when dyeing wool, silk, or nylon.

You cannot dye nylon in cold water, but instead you must heat your nylon netting in your dye. All nylon dyes are hot water dyes. Use a large enamel or stainless steel cooking pot that you will not use again for food in the future. After dissolving your dye in water to make a dyebath, and adding vinegar, place your nylon in the dyebath and gradually heat it to a simmer, 205°F (96°C). Hold the dyebath at this temperature, without boiling, for half an hour to one hour. Stir constantly if you wish to obtain a single solid color, or avoid stirring if you would prefer some variegation in shade. After the heating time has completed, let the dyebath cool to room temperature, then rinse out your nylon in warm water until no more dye comes out in the water.

For maximum washfastness, you can treat your nylon after dyeing (and washing out excess dye) by adding a cationic dye fixative, such as Retayne. You can purchase Retayne at your local quilting supply shop, some fabric stores, or by mail-order from any good dye supplier such as PRO Chemical & Dye or Dharma Trading Company.

Keep in mind that only white nylon will produced the expected color when dye is added. Because all dye is transparent, whatever color the nylon bears originally will show through any dye that you apply, altering the final color result if you start with anything but white.

For more information, see "How to dye nylon ", part of the FAQ on hand dyeing on my web site. Also see "Commercial Dye Fixatives" in the same list of FAQs.

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