How Do You Fade a Cotton Sweatshirt?

To fade a cotton sweatshirt, a common method involves using a bleach solution to lighten the fabric's color.

Using the provided reference steps, here is a guide on how to fade a cotton sweatshirt:

Materials You'll Need

Before you begin, gather the necessary items:

A cotton sweatshirt (the reference suggests starting with a brightly-colored one for noticeable results)
Liquid bleach
A large plastic container (ensure it's large enough to fully submerge the sweatshirt)
Water
Measuring cup and spoon
Rubber gloves (recommended for safety)
Old towels or drop cloth to protect surfaces
Washing machine

Follow these steps carefully to fade your cotton sweatshirt using bleach:

Choose Your Sweatshirt: Select the cotton sweatshirt you wish to fade. Brighter colors tend to show the fading effect of bleach more dramatically.
Prepare the Bleach Solution: Fill your large plastic container with water. Measure and add bleach according to the ratio: one cup of bleach for every gallon of water. Use enough water to fully submerge the sweatshirt later.
Submerge the Sweatshirt: Carefully place the sweatshirt into the container containing the water and bleach solution. Ensure the entire garment is saturated and submerged. Stir the solution and the sweatshirt well to ensure even contact with the bleach.
Allow to Soak: Let the sweatshirt soak in the bleach solution. This is where the fading occurs.
Monitor and Remove: The reference suggests allowing the sweatshirt to soak for 30-45 minutes. However, fading can happen relatively quickly. Periodically check the sweatshirt to see if it has reached your desired level of fading. Once it looks right, carefully remove the shirt from the solution using gloves.
Rinse and Wash: Immediately after removing the sweatshirt from the bleach solution, rinse the shirt thoroughly in clean water to stop the bleaching process. After rinsing, wash the sweatshirt in a washing machine with laundry detergent following the care instructions on the garment tag. This removes any remaining bleach and residue.

Always work in a well-ventilated area when using bleach.
Wear rubber gloves to protect your skin from the bleach solution.
Bleach is a strong chemical; do not mix it with other cleaning products, especially ammonia, as this can create hazardous fumes.
The soaking time (30-45 minutes as per the reference) is a guideline. Shorter times will result in less fading, and longer times (if the fabric can withstand it without damage) will result in more fading. Keep a close eye on it.
For a more controlled fade, consider testing a small, inconspicuous area (like an inside seam) with the bleach solution first.

Following these steps, based on the provided reference, will help you fade a cotton sweatshirt effectively.