How can you use bleach to bring an old T-shirt back to life
Saving your old T-shirt using bleach
Do you have an old T-shirt just begging to be thrown away? Don’t be hasty – in this experiment you’ll find out how to use bleach to turn an old garment into a new one. Plus, you can be sure that no one else will have one like it!
Safety precautions
Wear protective gloves, glasses, and a mask. Work in a well-ventilated area.
Reagents and equipment
- bleaching agent (15% sodium hypochlorite solution);
- spray bottle;
- T-shirt;
- plastic or glass base plate;
- stencil.
Step-by-step instructions
Put any base plate inside the T-shirt and apply bleach (a spray bottle might prove useful here). The fabric around the stencil will lose its color, and a clear print will “appear” against its background!
Process description
Bleach usually contains sodium hypochlorite. The hypochlorite ion is a strong oxidizer. This component destroys the bonds in the dye molecules, lightening the treated fabric.