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How to Bleach Shorts

6/29/2014

Denim bleaching is a great way to customize your style, while saving money on the newest fashions. With just a few household materials, you can create an ombre, bleached or light denim look for your shorts or pants. Learn how to bleach shorts at home.


EditSteps


EditBuy Denim



  1. Find some denim shorts that fit you well. If you want to adjust the length, you should do it ahead of time.





    • Alternatively, you can make shorts from jeans that fit well. Either cut them off at the appropriate length or cut and hem them.

    • The darker the denim, the more dramatic your faded or ombre look can be. The ombre style is generally darker near the top and fading into a bleached white color at the bottom.



  2. Try on your shorts before you dye them. If you want an ombre look, draw a line with washable marker at the point you would like to start and stop the fading.






EditWork Station



  1. Find a small plastic tub with which to hold your bleach and water solution.





    • Dying your shorts in a tub outside is preferable to dying them in the sink in the house. It is safer, with more ventilation and less chance of accidental contact with the skin.



  2. Place the plastic tub outside. Make sure it is not accessible to children or pets.





  3. Put on your rubber gloves. Fill the tub half full with a 1 to 1 solution of water and bleach.





  4. Add a few drops of laundry soap. This should stop yellowing in the bleached areas. Mix it with a gloved hand.






EditDying Shorts



  1. Clip your shorts onto a trouser hanger. You will be able to hook it to something to keep them from falling all the way in. You do not need a hanger if you plan to dip the entire pair of shorts in the bleach.

  2. Submerge the shorts completely in the bleach solution.





    • If you are trying for an ombre dye pattern, submerge them 2/3 in the solution, then slowly pull them over the side of the tub over the course of your dying time.



  3. Keep them in the bleach for 2 to 12 hours. The length of time will depend upon how dark the denim was in the first place and how light you want them to be bleached.





    • In order to bleach shorts bright, you will want to leave them in for approximately 8 to 12 hours.



  4. Check the shorts frequently. You should be able to notice the change in color and make adjustments.






EditRinsing and Finishing



  1. Pull the shorts out of the water. Rinse them in a laundry sink. Put them in the washing machine on a normal cycle.





  2. Dry them as usual.





  3. Consider dying your bleached jeans a different color. Buy fabric dye at the craft store.





  4. Mix the dye according to package instructions. Then, use your cleaned plastic tub to submerge your bleached shorts in the new color.





  5. Remove, rinse and wash.








EditTips



  • Always use safety precautions when working with bleach. Protect your skin and eyes. Keep it away from children and pets.


EditWarnings



  • Beware that using too much bleach in your solution will weaken the fabric. Pure bleach will eat away at the fabric, leaving holes.


EditThings You'll Need



  • Denim shorts

  • Bleach

  • Rubber gloves

  • Well-ventilated work area

  • Plastic tub

  • Fabric scissors

  • Clothes pins

  • Water

  • Pant hanger

  • Laundry soap

  • Measuring cup




EditRelated wikiHows



EditSources and Citations







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