I’ve seen the bleaching shirt concept quite a few times on Pinterest and TikTok, but after watching a few videos, I grew confused as to how it worked — ha! Turns out it is SO easy, and I was definitely overthinking it. We made ours extra simple so the kids could help.
I experimented with a few ways, and this seemed to work best.
Since bleach can smell pretty potent, this is a great activity to do outside on a surface that won’t get ruined from bleach.
Halloween Fun For Kids: DIY Bleach T-Shirts
SUPPLIES NEEDED
- 100% cotton shirts {poly blends *should* work, but you’re going to get the most orange look with 100% cotton} — we used these Gilden shirts and washed before creating.
- Spray bottle filled with a half bleach and half water solution {no measuring required — it’s foolproof}
- A piece of recycled cardboard so bleach doesn’t leak through
- Stencils of your choosing {Dollar Tree is a great spot to find them, otherwise, try here}
- Gloves if you have messy kids who aren’t great at spraying 😉
STEP 1
Guide a piece of cardboard inside the shirt in case bleach leaks through.
STEP 2
Place stencil on shirt. You can even make your own, like a pumpkin face, using cardstock or cardboard. A good rule of thumb is to have the stencil start 3 fingers below the neck line.
STEP 3
Spray the shirt with the bleach solution, making sure to really get inside the nooks and crannies of the stencil.
STEP 4
Wait a few minutes and gently pull of stencil. Allow shirt to dry.
STEP 5
Wash shirts together in cold water to set the bleach. Dry in dryer as normal.
Check out your design! Some definitely turn out better than others. Words look the best in my opinion, but you have to make sure they are sprayed really well.
The ones below were my favorites!
Also, black cotton and bleach is great to tie-dye as well! Use rubber bands like regular tie-dye and add bleach in the places where you’d like it turn color. I can’t wait to experiment more with this — it’s a really fun way to spruce up an old shirt!
What other easy fall kid-friendly crafts do you love? I’d love to try them!
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