deColourant Color Remover
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SizePrice
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8 oz.$7.15
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32 oz.$17.85
deColourant is a reducing agent for safely removing color from natural fibers, and is even safe on silk. It removes most fiber reactive dyes (such as Dharma's Fiber Reactive MX dyes), direct dyes, and many acid dyes, especially the "leveling" ones. The pre-metallized ones and some milling don't discharge. It is thick enough to block print, brush it on, screen it on, stencil it on, etc. You can apply the paste to your fabric, let it dry and steam it with a steam iron or steam in a steamer for 10 minutes or so, until it stops discharging. Then wash your fabric in a good Textile Detergent, and rinse in Textile Softener to restore softness. Wear gloves and work in a well ventilated area when using discharge chemicals.
deColourant does not always remove all of the color, it depends on the dye and the color to which it is applied. For example, some yellow Fiber Reactive Dyes don't discharge, but the blues do, so when you discharge a green, you may get a yellow, orangey or peachy color. Always best to test! We have also found it works best when fairly fresh. It can be used for creating interesting negative image effects. Use in silk painting and tie-dye: paint on retied, dyed garments after they have dried for great effects.
Visit our full page Discharging Directions for a deep-dive into discharging or see the instructions tab for a simple step by step. deColourant is fairly safe to use but does have a strong ammonia smell so use it in a well ventilated place.
Note - Due to a changes in the black dyes used on our pre-dyed BLACK clothing items, deColourant sporadically works on these items. Other commercially dyed fabrics and garments are a total crap shoot because you have no idea what they are dyed with. Test, test, test! If this won't discharge a certain item, bleach or Jacquard Screen Ink Discharge will. The best discharge artists have to do a lot of experimenting!
Also available in a 4 oz. Mist sprayer. Great for use in negative space and overspray art to create interesting effects using stencils and other objects.
Interested in Gallons? Give us a call for availability and lead times. (800) 542-5227
Why use deColourant instead of bleach?
Bleach is an aggressive chemical that can weaken and damage the integrity of a fiber. deColourant only affects the dye that the fabric has been colored with and leaves the fiber unscathed. Working with bleach can also be a health and safety risk. You don’t have to worry like that with deColourant.
I tried deColourant on a natural fabric that I did not dye myself and it didn’t work. Why not?
Not all dyes are dischargeable. Some will discharge all the way to white while some won’t discharge at all. That is why we always recommend testing the fabric first, if possible. You never know what commercial textiles and garments have been dyed with. If you want consistent results, dye the fabric yourself with a dye you know to be dischargeable (we can recommend some!) or stick with a brand you trust to be consistent.
Does deColourant only work on fabric?
deColourant has the potential to work on any dyed natural surface. (Again, not all dyes are dischargeable). It works well on most craft papers, for instance. It will not work on pigmented paper or painted surfaces.
Do deColourant and deColourant Mist need to dry before applying heat?
There needs to be moisture present during heating to activate the chemical reaction, so it actually tends to work better to heat when the print is still damp. As the print dries, it will become increasing important to use steam when ironing.
After heating, do I need to wash my fabric immediately? How long can I wait?
Once the print has been heated and the color has been satisfactorily removed from the fabric, there is no rush to remove the deColourant.
Can I add color to deColourant? What type of products work well to colorize deColourant?
Adding paints and inks to deColourant is a great way to work additively and subtractively at the same time! Mixing deColourant with a transparent paint like Jacquard’s Dye-Na-Flow, for instance, will produce incredibly vibrant colors on black fabric, which is always a challenge for textile artists. Try combing deColourant with Jacquard Neopaque, Jacquard Textile Color, Jacquard Airbrush Color, Dye-Na-Flow, screen inks or other water-based paints.
What is the ideal heat/temp for discharging my fabric?
Use the highest temperature setting appropriate for the fabric type. Using steam will also help facilitate the reaction.
What do I do if I spill deColourant or get it in area I don’t want it?
deColourant cleans up easily with water and does not activate until heated, so if you get some on an area of the fabric that is undesirable, simply wash it out!
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