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A Guide To Dyeing Your Own Shoes

Are you looking for some cool and funky DIY projects? Here, a guide to dye your own footwear or shoes at home.

By Radhika

Updated on 15-12-2022

Whats New Dawg

Being creative is worthless if you are not using your creativity in dyeing your footwear. This is because experimenting with your creativity in dyeing your famous footwear leaves a touch of incredibility and uniqueness in your casual shoes. It doesn’t matter whether you buy the shoes using famous footwear coupons, and it doesn’t stand out on your expectations. You can still turn them into your desired color by following the below information regarding how to dye your shoes. Apart from dyeing your shoes, if you are fond of wearing famous footwear shoes such as Brogues, casual shoes, country shoes, derby’s, and dress shoes, then you can easily buy footwear online by using the famous footwear coupons. 

Prerequisites:- 

  • Shoes

When it comes to shoes, if you are looking for the best result, then gather the different footwear types. And these are Brogues, casual shoes, country shoes, derby’s, and dress shoes, apart from canvas and silk bridal-type shoes. Remember, there is a strict no requirement to use dye leather shoes.   

  • Color

Suppose you are planning to dye your white or off-white footwear. There's a high probability of getting the outcomes as per expectations. On the other hand, if your shoes have an existing shade or color, then you should overdye them with a darker shade or color. Moreover, suppose you are willing to put in more creativity, such as dyeing your shoes a lighter color or even entirely converting the color of your shoes into another. In that case, you first need to remove the color via color remover. You can also include either the sink or bucket method while dyeing processing. If you want to get desired results, try using this color-dyeing procedure on your canvas shoes. But at the same time, color fading or removal is not promising after dyeing the footwear.  

  • Patterns And Logos 

Remember that dyeing shoes with patterns or logos will get mixed into the existing colors in the fabric. And happening so will result in the creation of new colors and shades. Also, before selecting a color, think at least once about how it will turn after mixing with the colors in the pattern. 

  • Bleach Stains And Sun Damage

Another thing to keep in mind before you start dyeing your footwear is bleaching stains and sun damage. Hence, sun and bleach can damage your fabric and make it difficult to dye. As a resolution, you can use color remover on your entire footwear to settle-down things. Also, if you are trying your hands on this, use the sink or bucket method. It is also suggested to use it on canvas shoes rather than on Brogues, casual shoes, country shoes, derby’s, and dress shoes. But at the same time, desired results are not guaranteed in this bleach and sun process. 

  • Select Your Method

Before digging deep into the footwear dyeing process, selecting your method is suggested to ease your work. Therefore, choose the immersion method, which is below, to accomplish general DIY projects. Apart from this, if you plan to dye delicate shoes such as silk bridal shoes, go for the brush method described below. Moreover, using the immersion brush can help you the best while implementing the immersion method. 

Instructions To Dye Your Footwear:- 

First and foremost, remove any leftover visible stains on your shoes before you start dyeing. Doing so will help you in achieving your uniform color results while dyeing your famous footwear shoes. And to do this, pre-wash your shoes in warm, soapy water without adding any fabric softener. As a result, it will help to remove any finishes that might disturb the dye absorption. Next, you need to cover your working place with a plastic table cover and keep the paper towels to avoid spills. Also, don’t forget to remove the shoe insole and laces(if inserted inside your shoes). 

In order to protect your shoe soles from getting dying, apply a thin coat of Vaseline over them by using a brush. Alternatively, you can cover your shoe soles with electric tape to provide protection. Avoid using Vaseline if you are dyeing made of silk or leather, as it can leave stains on the fabric. Now, start by filling a plastic container or stainless steel sink with three gallons of hot water that possesses 60°C. Alternatively, you can heat the tap water on the stove and even add a dye bath. After that, you can add 5 ml of dish detergent, which promotes level dyeing. 

Afterward, wear your rubber gloves and add 120 mL of all-purpose liquid dye to the dye bath. If you want to get a darker or bold color, you need to double the dye quantity. Once you finish, mix it well and test the color by dipping a paper towel into the dye bath. Consequently, if the color turns out very light, add more dye to it; if the color turns out darker, add more water. After that, wet your footwear and then add them to the dye bath. While using a solid dye, leave shoes in the dye bath for 10 minutes up to an hour. And once you achieve your desired color, remove your shoes from the dyebath. As a result, you will get the fabric looking darker when it's wet and lighter after getting dry.


While using a dip dye, begin by soaking your footwear in the dye for up to 2 minutes or even more, depending upon your requirements. Now, recall the previous step; staggering the length of your dip dye along with your shoes. Doing so enables the lightest shade to start at the tongue and the darkest shade from the tip of the toes. In order to smoothly transition from dark to light, take a piece of damp cloth and then gently rub the color. You can even blur any harsh lines to create a smooth transition from light to dark. After that, if required, dip the cloth into a watered-down cup of dye. 

Further, use color stay dye fixative after dyeing and washing to enhance the color and reduce color bleeding. Remember, you can do this by using the spray method. Lastly, finish the process by rinsing your footwear into the cool water. Remember, once it starts leaving the clear water, you need to repeat this step. After doing this, wash your shoes in warm water by adding a mild detergent, then rinse and dry them.


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