Powdered food coloring

• Gloves (disposable)
• Container (bowl, pot, sink, or washing machine)
• Spatula or spoon for stirring
• One packet of Aybel food coloring
• One packet of Fiske fixative (optional)
• 20 grams of salt per dye packet
• 200 ml of hot water to dissolve the powdered dye
• 50 ml of vinegar (only for dyeing wool, polyamide/nylon, or silk)
• A small piece of fabric to use for a test
• Washed and cleaned fabrics or garments to be dyed

Put on gloves and add the contents of one Aybel dye packet to the hot water, stirring as you go and adding the salt (and vinegar, if necessary). Stir the solution until no lumps or grains of salt are visible. Dip the test fabric into the solution and let it absorb the dye for 5 minutes, then rinse with cold water. If you’re satisfied with the result, proceed by adding the solution to the container you’ve chosen for dyeing and stir.

• Fill a bucket or basin with lukewarm water so that the fabric can move freely. The water temperature is crucial to the result. Therefore, choose the highest temperature allowed for the fabric. At lower temperatures, the result will be lighter, or the color components may not adhere as well.
• Evenly wet the item or fabric to be dyed and submerge it completely in the dye bath.
• Stir well and regularly for about 1 hour, making sure the fabric is fully submerged and that the dye reaches every part of it.
• Remove the garment from the dye bath and rinse it thoroughly until the water runs completely clear.
• If you choose to use Fiske fixing agent, add it to the final rinse water and let it soak for about 30 minutes.
• Let the fabric drain and air-dry it (not on a radiator or stove).

• Evenly wet the garment or fabric you want to dye and place it in the washing machine drum.
• Pour the solution you prepared earlier into the detergent compartment of the washing machine.
• If you choose to use Fiske fabric conditioner, add it to the fabric softener compartment.
• Choose a wash cycle of about 2 hours at the highest temperature suitable for the fabric. The higher the temperature during dyeing, the better the color will develop. At low temperatures, the result may be lighter, or the color may not turn out as expected.
• Start the wash cycle.
• After dyeing, put on disposable gloves and use a damp cloth to remove any dye residue from the rubber parts of the washing machine and the detergent dispenser.
• Let the fabric drain and air-dry it (not on a radiator or stove).
• Finally, you can run an additional wash/rinse cycle to remove any dye residue from the washing machine's pipes.