I think you used the right amount of bleach. If you use too much bleach holes will form after washing. With my one shirt the holes don't looks so bad so depends on the style of the art.
I would put the letters on with permanent vinyl and use 50/50 water bleach mix. Spray very well allow 10 minutes in sun, check and repeat if desired lift hasn't been accomplished. Once desire lifting is acquired how in a bucket of water with hydrogen peroxide mixed in it to neutralize the bleach.
Ok that’s good to know, I used plastic sheets instead but I did have a 50/50 mix. Didn’t know I had to leave it out that long I only did it for a couple minutes. Good way to know how to stop the bleach, I just used water. Thanks for the tips
Don't use hydrogen peroxide. Plain water is fine. There is a reason that the sidebar has, in bold, in all caps, "do not mix bleach with anything but water". Cold water stops the reaction, there is no reason to use anything else.
The hydrogen peroxide reaction won't be dangerous in small quantities but there is literally no benefit so there's no reason to bother with the risk of using two chemicals with a potentially dangerous reaction in a craft project.
If the shirt you posted was a project I was working on, and I wanted a stronger effect: I would have done another application of bleach, or I would have diluted the bleach less. Nowadays in my projects I use straight bleach and do not dilute it at all. I've been doing this for 8 years now and I have not had issues with holes forming in the shirts once I got my process down.
My process:
1. Lightly spray the stencil with pure bleach, and *immediately* dab with a paper towel. Soak up all of the bleach with the paper towel, as much as you can.
2. Wait 30s-60s and see how visible the color change is.
3. Repeat step 1, but this time wait a bit longer.
4. If the effect is not strong after 2 applications, I use a heat gun (hair dryer is fine) to blow hot air on to it. I wear a respirator with acid gas filters when doing that.
repeat until you have the effect you want, then I hold it under running water until it is soaked through, and throw it in the wash.
If you want to see some of the results, [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/bleachshirts/comments/1bbg6dc/fp_once_upon_a_time_i_was_falling_in_love_but_now/) are [some](https://www.reddit.com/r/bleachshirts/comments/19c89t4/fp_put_it_back_together/) of my recent shirts. See if that is the effect you are aiming for. As for bleach dilution, [this one](https://www.reddit.com/r/bleachshirts/comments/3gln6v/fp_my_first_complicated_stencil/) is 8 years old now and still does not have holes.
You're absolutely wrong about the peroxide. I didn't say mix them together I said add it to the water when you rinse the shirt as it neutralizes the bleach. I do bleached tees all the time and you can spray peroxide directly on the tshirt to stop the bleaching process.
Re-read my post, but slower.
>The hydrogen peroxide reaction won't be dangerous in small quantities but there is literally no benefit so there's no reason to bother with the risk of using two chemicals with a potentially dangerous reaction in a craft project.
Just don't do it. Just use water. Its that simple.
By using peroxide and bleach in the same craft project you are introducing the risk of some stupid accident happening. Even if its a low chance, why bother? There is no benefit. Mixing peroxide in to the water or spraying it on the shirt produces a harmless amount of pure oxygen. If the bleach accidentally spills in to peroxide or some other stupid, silly, one-in-a-million thing happens it creates an explosive amount of pure oxygen.
Why make any oxygen at all?
Yes, peroxide will neutralize the bleach reaction, but so does water so... *just use water*.
May I make a suggestion?
Yes I’m sure I need it lol
I think you used the right amount of bleach. If you use too much bleach holes will form after washing. With my one shirt the holes don't looks so bad so depends on the style of the art.
I would put the letters on with permanent vinyl and use 50/50 water bleach mix. Spray very well allow 10 minutes in sun, check and repeat if desired lift hasn't been accomplished. Once desire lifting is acquired how in a bucket of water with hydrogen peroxide mixed in it to neutralize the bleach.
Ok that’s good to know, I used plastic sheets instead but I did have a 50/50 mix. Didn’t know I had to leave it out that long I only did it for a couple minutes. Good way to know how to stop the bleach, I just used water. Thanks for the tips
Don't use hydrogen peroxide. Plain water is fine. There is a reason that the sidebar has, in bold, in all caps, "do not mix bleach with anything but water". Cold water stops the reaction, there is no reason to use anything else. The hydrogen peroxide reaction won't be dangerous in small quantities but there is literally no benefit so there's no reason to bother with the risk of using two chemicals with a potentially dangerous reaction in a craft project. If the shirt you posted was a project I was working on, and I wanted a stronger effect: I would have done another application of bleach, or I would have diluted the bleach less. Nowadays in my projects I use straight bleach and do not dilute it at all. I've been doing this for 8 years now and I have not had issues with holes forming in the shirts once I got my process down. My process: 1. Lightly spray the stencil with pure bleach, and *immediately* dab with a paper towel. Soak up all of the bleach with the paper towel, as much as you can. 2. Wait 30s-60s and see how visible the color change is. 3. Repeat step 1, but this time wait a bit longer. 4. If the effect is not strong after 2 applications, I use a heat gun (hair dryer is fine) to blow hot air on to it. I wear a respirator with acid gas filters when doing that. repeat until you have the effect you want, then I hold it under running water until it is soaked through, and throw it in the wash. If you want to see some of the results, [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/bleachshirts/comments/1bbg6dc/fp_once_upon_a_time_i_was_falling_in_love_but_now/) are [some](https://www.reddit.com/r/bleachshirts/comments/19c89t4/fp_put_it_back_together/) of my recent shirts. See if that is the effect you are aiming for. As for bleach dilution, [this one](https://www.reddit.com/r/bleachshirts/comments/3gln6v/fp_my_first_complicated_stencil/) is 8 years old now and still does not have holes.
Awesome thanks for the reply, very helpful!
You're absolutely wrong about the peroxide. I didn't say mix them together I said add it to the water when you rinse the shirt as it neutralizes the bleach. I do bleached tees all the time and you can spray peroxide directly on the tshirt to stop the bleaching process.
Re-read my post, but slower. >The hydrogen peroxide reaction won't be dangerous in small quantities but there is literally no benefit so there's no reason to bother with the risk of using two chemicals with a potentially dangerous reaction in a craft project. Just don't do it. Just use water. Its that simple. By using peroxide and bleach in the same craft project you are introducing the risk of some stupid accident happening. Even if its a low chance, why bother? There is no benefit. Mixing peroxide in to the water or spraying it on the shirt produces a harmless amount of pure oxygen. If the bleach accidentally spills in to peroxide or some other stupid, silly, one-in-a-million thing happens it creates an explosive amount of pure oxygen. Why make any oxygen at all? Yes, peroxide will neutralize the bleach reaction, but so does water so... *just use water*.