Dyeing Sponges Black

Cool! Good idea about the gecko. I'm glad it worked.

Just wanted to let ya'll know that I did all these sponges with 2 boxes of Rit dye... I let them simmer twice as long as the directions called for. They've all been washed and dried and I have already used some out "in the field" and have brought them home and cleaned them with my Purity Botanical Soap. I still have another bag to do... but I'm in no hurry - got burned out from all the dying around here...

Just look at my little babies... they are so happy they are practically purring...

They're so chic! Like a bunch of truffles or something.

Wondering if anyone has had any issues with dye coming out of the sponges during use? I'm imagining sponging white with them & it turning out a little grey/dull from the dye.....?

I used them with white the other night and had no problem.

I put mine in the washing machine and ran it through twice

Coral3 wrote:Wondering if anyone has had any issues with dye coming out of the sponges during use? I'm imagining sponging white with them & it turning out a little grey/dull from the dye.....?

Nope...not a problem. Just as when you dye your clothing, if you set the dye using the instructions that have been listed here, there is no color transfer. I've used mine for 4 different gigs since I dyed them and there is zero dye transfer in my colors. The dye is made for coloring textiles which often come into contact with skin so I'm sure research has been done to ensure that people don't wear clothing that turns them colors.

^ great, good to know. The reason I asked is because I have dyed clothing in the past, with appropriate fabric dye & set according to instructions, and there WAS dye transfer from the clothing for some time afterwards. Sounds like the synthetic sponges hold the dye well, which is great - am really tempted to dye my sponges black

Ha ha ha ha ha...oh my goodness, Mandi, that is just too funny.

Too funny, Mandi. That's how I felt when I was cooking my brew. LOL!

mandi thats really funny

Hilarious, Mandi!!!

I can't take looking at any more pictures of these fabulous black sponges...I'm getting my dye tomorrow!!!!!!

My new black sponges are sexy & they know it. I l ve them.

Planning on picking up a box this weekend. I don't have as many sponges as you guys yet, still a novice, but I love the concept.

Love this idea can't wait to do it, and since I'll be dying them, I plan on gussying up my paint case and spraying it black like LJY showed in a video. My kit will look so slick and neat.

I think I'm really going to have to dye mine sooner rather than later - A lot of mine are fairly new & still look reasonable...but I've noticed hanging them out in the sun (in a mesh lingerie bag) is discolouring the pink & blue TAG sponges...turning them a more browny-yellow colour, like you would see on old foam where it's exposed to light, & I really do NOT like it. Looks grungy & grimy. So guess what my project for the weekend is gonna be?...

Woohoo, am now the proud owner of a whole heap of luxuriantly BLACK sponges! Love, love LOVE them. I just wish I had a lineup of kids handy right now so I could use these little black beauties.

Couple things though - I used hot dye, so I boiled/simmered for 45 ish minutes, and my wooden handled daubers all came apart. It also took a lot more dye than I expected. I still have a bunch of them undyed because the two packs of dye didn't go as far as I thought - I got about 130 dyed with the two packs, still have 50 to go.

Yeah, on the dye packet it even suggests weighing the fabric and one packet only does a pound or something like that. Glad you like them.

SO much more work than I anticipated though... three machine washes, one hand wash in sink of water with velvet soap, washed each individually by hand with velvet soap, two more machine washes and I am still getting excess dye out of them. Just tried to sponge some white with one after all that & got grey...so back to the washing

Don't use soap, the soap is taking out the color. Now that you've washed them, just rinse them with vinegar water and I think you'll find the black won't come out when you paint.

Will try, Denise, thanks *dashes out to buy more vinegar*

Okay so for those planning to dye their sponges black, I would NOT recommend the "iDye Poly" brand dye.

This dye is specifically made for use on polyester/nylon/synthetics, so I thought it would be okay. I have used it according to instructions (simmer/boil 1 hour with the provided 'colour intensifier' sachet added as per instructions) plus the addition of vinegar to the washing machine rinse water for good measure. They turned out beautiful - honestly they LOOK fantastic, no stains, look very professional - BUT I still have a problem with loose dye on the sponges even after rinsing, rinsing, rinsing, washing, allowing to dry, washing x3, rinsing, rinsing, rinsing (again with vinegar) and allowing to dry. Very frustrating. I tried another batch using a heap of vinegar in the dye bath, plus a heap more vinegar in the rinse water. I can't use any of these to sponge on white or very light colours as they are now. Thank goodness I have kept about 40 undyed, so I have something to use for white.

I just experimented using a black sponge with my neon rainbow...it was okay, usable, but the swatch I did with undyed sponge beside it gave much brighter, clearer colour. I do love the look of black sponges, but am regretting doing this - or at least regretting the brand of dye I used. Obviously people are having great success with other brands, but fair warning: steer clear of iDye Poly people!!

Rit!