If you have seen my bleaching videos and have questions, start here. I'll be answering some of the most frequently asked questions.
Where do you get your stencils?
I order them from another small business, Wish Upon a Page. You can view all of her stencils here:
Once you get your stencil (it's made of wood), you need to seal it so it'll last longer. I use what Nicki suggests--Varathane Triple Thick Polyurethane spray. I spray 2-3 coats per side. Each time you use the stencil, once you're finished with it, wipe it down with a rag soaked in the neutralizing solution and lay it in the sun to dry.
My patterns are blurry. What am I doing wrong?
Press the stencil down in the area you're spraying to prevent bleach from running under the stencil.
Blot up any excess bleach that pools on the stencil with a microfiber towel
Spray a very light mist of bleach (don't drench it)
What is your bleach to water ratio?
99% of the time, I use straight undiluted bleach. Just regular old clorox from Walmart. The only time I dilute the bleach is if I don't want it to turn white, or if I am using a tshirt with a higher cotton percentage.
How do you neutralize it?
Soak it in a solution of 10 parts water to 1 part 3% hydrogen peroxide.
My shirts aren't turning white. What am I doing wrong?
You need to be using a polyester/cotton blend but it needs to be a heather color: heather charcoal, heather black, heather navy, heather red etc.
You need high UV. The brighter the sun, the faster it will lighten.
The process is simple, but I'll explain the steps.
Spray the bleach.
Put the shirt (or whatever you're bleaching) out in the sun until it's as light as you want.
If you did both sides at once, skip to step 4. Otherwise, flip the shirt over and repeat steps one and two.
Neutralize in 10:1 hydrogen peroxide.
Wash and dry!
If you have any more questions, please drop a comment below, and I'll add to my post!