Remember that the color on the dye packaging may not be exactly the same color that ends up on your shoes. With home dying you need to be prepared for a little variation and fun surprises when it comes to coloring.
You will also need other supplies. These can include: plastic sheeting (to protect surfaces), latex gloves (to protect your hands), and rubber cement (or another product to protect the soles of your shoes from the dye). In addition, you may want to use a paint brush to paint on detailed designs and you will probably want to have paper towels on hand to clean up any little spills. Rubber cement can usually be found at any supermarket or office supply store.
Cotton canvas in particular is a great fabric to dye because it will absorb and hold dye really well. That is because, in general, natural fibers are easier to dye than synthetic fibers. [1] X Research source If you have never dyed anything before, and you don’t want to spend a lot of money on this project, consider getting the cheapest sneakers or slip-ons you can find. They may not be as comfortable to wear as more expensive shoes but their inexpensiveness will keep you from getting really upset if you mess up the dying process.
You do not need to dry the shoes after cleaning. To dye your shoes you will get them wet ahead of time, so drying them is unnecessary.
Set out all of your supplies so you don’t have to search for them while you are in the middle of dying. It can be pretty annoying if you are searching for something you need while your gloved hands are covered in dye. There are some dyes that need to be used while being heated on a burner. If you are using one of these dyes, and you don’t have a portable burner, prepare an area in your kitchen that will be the dying area. Remove all extraneous items that could get dye on them by accident and cover sensitive surfaces with plastic. Consider doing your dying outside if you can. Even dyes that need to be simmered can be used outside if you have a portable electric burner and access to electricity outside. If you can’t do your dying outside, you should find an area in your house that won’t be ruined if a little dye spills. This could be an unfinished basement or a utility room of some sort.
Be sure that you are mixing your dye and water in a container that is big enough that you will also be able to add your shoes to it without spilling over. It’s best to have a lot of leeway in this area, as you don’t want to have to deal with the mess of spilled dye. You may need to mix your dye on the stove, if it requires heating to high temperatures. Once again, follow the manufacturers directions when using commercial dyes.
To figure out if the dye you have will dye the soles of your shoes, place a little bit of the prepared dye on the bottom of the sole of one of your shoes. Once it is dry try to remove the dye with a little soap and water. If you can easily get it off, great! You don’t have to protect the soles from your dye. If not, you should keep all dye off the soles completely.
Alternatively, you can cover the soles in either high-stick painters tape or a thick layer of vaseline. This technique for protecting the soles of your shoes is best if you don’t plan of dipping the shoes completely in the dye, but rather you plan of painting the dye on with a brush.
Use warm water, as this helps most dyes thoroughly penetrate the canvas.
Keep the shoes in the dye for as long as the directions tell you to. This varies greatly depending on the dye you use, but might be anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes. [3] X Research source You will probably want to wear gloves while you are doing this. This will allow you to get your fingers into the dye while holding the shoes without getting dye all over them. While most dyes that are sold for home use won’t be particularly dangerous to get on your skin, they will dye your skin and take a long time to wear off. In addition, getting dye on your fingers means that you risk making a mess if you touch surfaces or areas of your shoes that you don’t want dyed.
Be strategic if you want to dye your shoe multiple colors. For example, if one color you are using is very light and the other is dark, consider applying the light color first. That way, you can dye the whole shoe the light color (which is easier that dying a specific section) and then cover up a section of that lighter dye with a darker color afterwords. Try dyeing your laces as well! You can dye them the same color as your shoes or pick a different color to add another pop of color to your kicks.
Mixing colors of dyes on your shoes can make totally new colors. Think of the dye as watercolor paints which you can use to make a beautiful array of blended colors.
Don’t do this immediately after you dye your shoes, as the dye could drip a bit on to the soles. Instead, wait a few minutes until you are sure there will be no more drips. You could even use a paper towel to soak up any areas of excessive dye that might eventually drip on to the soles.
Sometimes you can also use a hairdryer to set a dye. Check your dye packaging to see if this is an option for you.
