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Reactive MX Immersion for Cotton, Linen, Rayon or Silk
General Information...
Reactive MX will dye all natural fibers. It is a professional, permanent dye. Dyed fabric may be washed or dry cleaned.
Safety:
Use a disposable dust mask while handling powders. Use rubber gloves to protect your hands. Do not use dyeing utensils for food preparation. Keep dyes away from toddlers, pets and unsupervised children.
Equipment...
Dye bath containers can be plastic, stainless steel or enamel - NOT aluminum or galvanized steel. Glass or plastic measuring cups. Measuring spoons or scales, stirring sticks
or rods, a dust mask and rubber gloves.
Fabric Preparation...
Weigh the fabric dry, then calculate ingredient amounts from the chart below...or use these estimations: 454 gr. (1 lb) of dry fabric
is approximately equal to 3-4 square meters of medium weight fabric, or 3-4 size large T-shirts, or 1 pair of medium weight slacks.
Wash cotton thoroughly with detergent in hot water. Make sure
it is completely free of marks, stains and grease. Rinse well, remove excess water.
General Information...
All warm water should be under 105º F (40º C). When adding solutions to the dye bath either lift the fiber out or push it to one side. The colour may be deepened by adding
more dissolved dye before the Sodium Carbonate fixative is put in. Colours appear two shades darker when wet. To obtain permanent colour it is important to leave the fabric in the dye bath for the
required amount of time. The dye bath will remain active about 4 hours after the addition of the Sodium Carbonate. The dye bath cannot be reactivated.
Special Note For Turquoise...
Use warmer water, about 130º-140º F (55º-60º C) for optimum colour. To balance colours mixed with turquoise, use more turquoise dye powder.
Supplies...
- Non-iodized Salt...Table or Pickling...To help the fabric absorb the dye prior to bonding.
- Sodium Carbonate...Bonds the dye to the fiber.
- TNA Detergent...To wash the fabric after dyeing.
- Pure Water Softener...Sodium Hetametaphosphate...If your water is hard, add 1 tsp. (15 ml) per quart (liter) of water.
- Glauber's Salt
...Sodium Sulfate...Use the same amount in place of non-iodized salt when dyeing Turquoise or its mixes.
- Raycafix...Dye fixative...optional - to shorten washout time. Raycafix Instruction
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INGREDIENT CHART FOR 1 POUND (454 GR) OF FABRIC
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Color Depth
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Dye
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Salt
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Water
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Sodium
Carbonate
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Pale
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1 tsp
(4 gr)
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4 Tbs.
(84 gr)
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2 1/2 Ga
(9 1/2 L)
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3 Tbs.
(45 gr)
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Medium
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5 tsp
(15 gr)
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10 Tbs.
(210 gr)
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2 1/2 Gal
(9 1/2 L)
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3 Tbs.
(45 gr)
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Deep
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8 tsp
(24 gr)
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1 1/2 Cups
(504 gr)
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2 1/2 Gal
(9 1/2 L)
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3 Tbs.
(45 gr)
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Black /Navy
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16 tsp
(48 gr)
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2 1/2 Cups
(840 gr)
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2 1/2 Gal
(9 1/2 L)
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3 Tbs.
(45 gr)
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Dyeing Procedure...
Step 1. Measure 2 cups (500 ml) of warm water. Use a little with the dye powder to make a paste, use the remainder to dissolve the dye.
Step 2. Measure the required amount of warm water into the dye bath container.
Step 3. Add the required amount of salt, stir until dissolved.
Step 4. Add the dye solution and stir well.
Step
5. Wet fabric, remove excess water, then put it in the dye bath. Stir well...regularly for 10 minutes, then intermittently for 20 minutes.
Step 6. Completely dissolve the required amount of Sodium
Carbonate in as little warm water as possible. Move fabric aside or lift it over the dye bath, add the Sodium Carbonate and stir well. Put the fabric back and stir continuously for 5 minutes, then
intermittently for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 60 minutes for optimum permanence and depth of colour.
Step 7. Rinse the fabric in cold running water until it runs clear. Optional - Raycafix
treatment. Then wash in hot water using TNA Detergent, 1/2 tsp (2 ml) per gal (4 L) of water. Repeat the hot water wash until all excess dye is removed. Rinse, add 4 Tbs. (60 ml) of white household
vinegar per sink of water to the final rinse. Dry fabric. Washing and rinsing may be done in a utility sink or washing machine.
For Silk...Increase and decrease water temperature gradually. Do not
wring, roll in a towel to blot moisture. Press dry on the wrong side using a medium hot iron.
The Secrets to Success...
- Reactive MX dyes are very easy to use, the secrets to even, streak- free dyeing are:
- Thoroughly wash fabric before dyeing, making sure it is completely free of marks, stains and grease.
- Dissolve all ingredients thoroughly, this involves a lot of stirring but insures streak-free results.
- Make sure the fabric has lots of room to move freely in the dye bath. When you are dyeing the fabric stir, stir and stir some more.
- After the fabric has been dyed rinse, rinse and rinse, what often looks like streaks is unbonded dye that has not been rinsed out. To speed up this process you can run the fabric through the washing
machine two or three times or soak fabric in Raycafix.
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