How to Make a Bleach T Shirt

Co-authored by Robert Shapiro

Last Updated: January 8, 2024 Fact Checked

Stenciling is a popular way to spruce up a plain T shirt, but it tends to work best on white shirts. If you have a colored T shirt, then you can still make it look interesting using similar techniques. Instead of using paint, however, you'll use bleach instead! Once you know the basics, you can create all sorts of designs, such as reverse tie dye, galaxy, or splatter!

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Preparing the Stencil

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You can choose any color you want, but dark or bright colors, such as red, black, blue, or gray will work the best. You can try a light color as well, such as pink, but the bleach may not show very well. Make sure that the shirt is clean and ironed.^{[1]
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2
Choose a design to use as a stencil. Simple designs, such as hearts, stars, and silhouettes work the best. You can also create a more intricate one, such as an owl or tree, but you will need to do more cutting. The image needs to be small enough to fit on your shirt.^{[2]
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- You will be spraying the area around the stencil to create a reverse stencil effect. Something about the size of your hand would be ideal.
- You can try using store-bought stencils, but make sure that they are reverse stencils, where it is just a solid shape, and not a cut-out.
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3
Trace your design onto the matte side of a sheet of freezer paper. Cut a sheet of freezer paper that's big enough for your design. Draw your design onto the matte (not shiny) side of the freezer paper with a pen. Alternatively, place your freezer paper over an image on the computer, and trace it with a pen; the paper is translucent enough for the image to glow through it.
- You can find freezer paper in a grocery store alongside the wax paper, parchment paper, aluminum foil, etc.
- If you can't find freezer paper, use contact paper instead. Do not use wax paper or parchment paper; they are not the same thing.
Once the design is cut out, discard the rest of the paper. Tape the freezer paper to a cutting mat, then cut the design out. If you have a very intricate design, cut the smaller shapes out first, then do the larger ones. Discard the rest of the paper and keep the cut out design.^{[3]
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You don't have to do this, but it will make your stencil more interesting. For example, if you cut an owl out of the freezer paper, you could cut some feather, beak, and eye shapes out of it. If you cut a heart, you could cut a lacy design into it.^{[4]
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6
Iron the shiny side of your stencil to the front of a T shirt. Place the stencil on your shirt with the shiny side (not the matte, papery side) facing down. Press the stencil with an iron for a few seconds until it sticks to the shirt. Pull the iron away, add any inside shapes, such as pupils in an owl's eyes, and press again.
- Do not iron contact paper, or you will melt it. Instead, peel the backing off, then press the contact paper to the shirt.

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Bleaching the Shirt

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The cardboard needs to be larger than your stencil, but also small enough to fit inside the shirt without stretching it. This will prevent the design from transferring to the back of your T shirt.
2
Prepare a solution of bleach and water. Fill a spray bottle halfway with bleach, then fill it the rest of the way with water. Close the spray bottle, then shake it to mix the solution.
- If you want a more drastic effect, use 70% bleach and 30% water instead.
- Work in a well-ventilated area, and protect your work surface against stains and spills.
3
Spray the stencil with your solution. If your stencil is a solid shape, like a silhouette, focus on the edges of the stencil. If you cut additional shapes out of the stencil, like feathers and eyes on an owl, then spray the inside of the stencil first. You can extend the bleach spray as far from the stencil as you want.
- Hold the bottle closer to the shirt to make the bleach more saturated, and further away to make it fainter.
- Apply the bleach strategically, as it will pull the color from any fabric it touches or splashes on.
- Bleach the areas closest to the outline of your stencil the most. This will create a nice outline in the end.
- Be careful with contact paper. If you spray too much bleach, the solution will melt the glue holding the contact paper to the T shirt.
4
Wait for the bleach to lighten the shirt. How long you wait depends on the color of the shirt and how light you want it to get. Some colors lighten much faster than others, so you could wait as little as 5 minutes to as long as 20 or 30 minutes. Keep in mind that some colors will never turn a true white. For example, black and gray tend to turn brown or orange.
- You don't have to wait for the bleach to turn white. Once you are happy with the effect, you are ready for the next step.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Rinsing and Drying the Shirt

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1
Peel the stencil off of the shirt. Put your gloves back on, then peel the stencil off. If you are careful not to rip the stencil, then you may be able to reuse it 1 or 2 more times. Keep in mind that each time you iron the stencil, the glue in the back will weaken.
- Save the stencil if you wish to reuse it. Discard it if you don't want to reuse it.
- You won't be able to reuse contact paper stencils; there will be too much fuzzy stuff on the back for it to stick again.
Take the cardboard out first. Next, fill a tub or sink with cool tap water. Dip the shirt into the water and swirl it around. This will neutralize the bleach.
3
Wash the shirt to remove any traces of bleach. You can do this in the sink with detergent meant for hand washing garments, or you can do this in the washer. If you are using a washer, do not put any other garments into it, or you will risk staining them.
- Do not wash the shirt with other white garments from this step. Many colored T shirts contain dyes that may come off in the wash and stain white garments.
You can dry the shirt in a dryer or you can hang it up to dry. Once the shirt is dry, you can wear it as you like.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Creating Other Bleached Designs

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1
Do a reverse tie dye effect with a colored T shirt and bleach. Choose a blank T shirt in a bright color, and tie it with rubber bands. Soak the shirt in a solution of bleach and water for 5 to 10 minutes, then lift it out. Rinse the shirt in fresh water, then remove the rubber bands. Wash the shirt, then hang it up to dry.
- Use a ratio of 1 part bleach and 1 part water.
2
Flick bleach on a shirt for a splatter effect. Spread a blank, brightly-colored T shirt on a flat surface. Prepare a solution of 1 part bleach and 1 part water. Flick the solution onto the shirt using a stiff bristle brush until you get the look you want. Wait 5 to 10 minutes, then rinse the shirt with plain water. Wash the shirt, then let it dry.
- Tuck a piece of cardboard into the shirt if you don't want the design to transfer to the back. Remove the cardboard before rinsing the shirt.
3
Create a galaxy effect by spraying a T shirt with diluted bleach. Spread a blank, brightly-colored T shirt on a flat surface. Fill a spray bottle with 1 part bleach and 1 part water, then mist the T shirt in it until you get your desired effect. Wait 5 to 10 minutes, then rinse the shirt in fresh water and hang it up to dry.^{[5]
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- Tuck a sheet of cardboard into the shirt first if you don't want the design to transfer to the back. Remove the cardboard before you rinse, wash, and dry the shirt.
- Create "stars" by flicking bleach onto the shirt with a stiff bristle paintbrush.
- The closer you hold the spray bottle to the shirt, the more saturated the bleach effect will be. The further you hold the bottle, the lighter the bleach effect will be.
4
Draw designs onto a shirt with a bleach pen. Choose a plain T shirt in a bright color. Tuck a piece of cardboard into the shirt, then write or draw on the shirt using a bleach pen. Wait 5 to 10 minutes, then remove the cardboard. Rinse the shirt in plain water, then wash and dry it.
- You can find bleach pens in the laundry or cleaning department of a grocery store. They are typically used to clean between tiles.
5
Use painter's tape and bleach to create a striped design. Tuck a sheet of cardboard into a blank, brightly-colored T shirt. Place strips of painter's tape across the front and back of the T shirt to create stripes. Spray the T shirt with a solution of bleach and water. Wait 5 to 10 minutes, then remove the tape and cardboard. Rinse the shirt in plain water, then wash and dry it.^{[6]
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- Use a solution of 1 part bleach and 1 part water. Make sure that you coat both sides of the shirt evenly, or the stripes won't come out right.
- Place 2 to 3 strips of painter's tape together to create thicker stripes.

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Can you bleach an entire shirt?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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You can, but it may not turn completely white. Bleaching for too long can also weaken the fibers and cause holes to develop in your shirt.

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What happens if I bleach a red shirt?

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Red dye typically turns pink when you bleach it. If you let it sit longer, you may be able to get the fabric to turn white. Be careful, though--this could damage the fabric.

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Can you bleach a 100% cotton shirt?

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Yes—in fact, bleach works much better with cotton than it does with synthetic materials (like rayon or polyester) or animal-based fibers, like silk or wool.

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Tips

You can use regular stencils too--just tack them down with repositionable spray adhesive.

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Practice on old shirts you don't care about before starting on your final project.

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Wear old clothes that you don't mind ruining, otherwise you risk bleaching them too.

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