How to Acid Wash a Black Shirt for a Cool Faded Punk Style

What is Acid Washing?

Acid washing is a popular DIY technique used to fade and distress clothing, giving it a worn, vintage appearance. The process involves soaking the clothing item in a mixture of water and acid, which literally burns away some of the fabric's dye and fibers.

For black shirts, acid washing removes the deep black pigment selectively, creating a mottled, grayish effect that some people refer to as a “frosted” or “acid washed” look. It's a staple grungy style that was hugely popular in the 80s and 90s punk and goth scenes.

Why Acid Wash a Black Shirt?

There are a few reasons why you may want to acid wash a black t-shirt or other black top:

• To achieve a cool, edgy faded style
• To make the shirt look well-worn and vintage
• As a DIY upcycling project to revive an old black shirt
• To customize a plain black shirt and make it more unique
• To get creative and experiment with fabric distressing techniques

The acid washed look just oozes retro attitude. Wearing acid-faded black shirts and other garments almost serves as a badge of honor amongst alternative fashionistas and music fans.

How to Acid Wash a Black Shirt

Supplies Needed

Acid washing requires only a few affordable, easily obtainable supplies:

• A black cotton t-shirt or other top
• White vinegar
• Spray bottle
• Large plastic container, sink or basin
• Rubber gloves
• Metal tongs
• Safety goggles and mask

Step 1 - Protect Yourself

Start by putting on closed toe shoes or boots, goggles, rubber gloves and a protective face mask. Although vinegar is relatively mild, the acid fumes can still irritate your lungs and eyes.

Work in a well-ventilated area and avoid breathing in the vapors. It's also best to acid wash outdoors if possible.

Step 2 - Mix the Acid Solution

Fill your spray bottle with undiluted white vinegar. The acetic acid in the vinegar is what will react with the shirt fabric to bleach it. For more intense acid washing, you can use vinegar mixed half and half with lemon juice for extra acidity and bleaching power.

Step 3 - Soak the Shirt

Lay the shirt flat in your basin, sink or plastic container. Spritz the vinegar solution generously over both sides of the fabric until it is fully saturated. If needed, press down on the shirt to submerge it in the liquid pooling underneath.

Let it soak for at least 20 minutes so the acid solution completely permeates the fabric.

Step 4 - Agitate and Re-Spray

After 20 minutes, flip and squeeze the wet shirt thoroughly, encouraging the acid to penetrate in where dye still remains. Target any patches or areas on the fabric that are still very dark black and spray them again individually with fresh vinegar to spot treat.

For an even more scoured effect, add some kosher salt or lemon salt. The coarse grains subtly scratch and erode the surface of the shirt fibers alongside the acid solution.

Step 5 - Neutralize and Rinse

Once you are satisfied with the level of fading, stop spraying with vinegar. Fill a bucket with clean cold water and sink and swish the shirt around for several minutes to rinse off any lingering acid residue.

To fully neutralize, thoroughly rinse under running water for a minute while gently rubbing and squeezing the shirt to lift acid out from the material.

Step 6 - Dry and Show Off Your Creation

Squeeze any excess moisture from the fabric then allow your freshly acid washed creation to air dry completely. Once dry, put it on and rock your rad faded black shirt with pride!

Achieve Different Acid Washed Effects

Experimenting with acid washing techniques and controlling variables like soak times, acid concentrations, agitation methods and using salt can all help you achieve more precise looks.

For example:

• A 10 minute quick soak creates a very subtle frosted effect
• Leaving a shirt to soak overnight results in extreme, almost corroded fading
• Targeted spraying and spot treatment lets you create a cool variegated appearance by lightening certain areas more than others
• Adding extra salt as an abrasive for manual scrubbing degrades the shirt rapidly, creating rips and holes for a true grunge look

It all comes down to personal taste and how faded and frayed you want the end results to be!

Caring for Acid Washed Shirts

Due to the very nature of the chemical wearing process, acid washed garments need a little extra special care and attention:

• Wash on a cold, gentle cycle only
• Hang dry only - avoid tumble drying
• Use a color catcher sheet to prevent dyes bleeding onto other laundry
• Stick to mild, bleach-free detergents
• Use fabric conditioner and wash similar colors together
• Spot clean stains rather than scrubbing them to minimize abrasion

With some basic laundry TLC, your personalized acid washed tees will look great for many more years of wear!

FAQs

What kind of black shirts work best for acid washing?

100% cotton shirts work best. Synthetic fabrics don't always react as well to acid washing. Choose an old, well-worn black cotton tee for the best acidic fading effects.

How long will an acid washed shirt last?

With proper care, an acid washed shirt can still look great and retain its fading effect for years. Avoid harsh scrubbing and use cold, gentle washing cycles. Don't tumble dry and wash darks separately.

Is acid washing safe?

Vinegar acid washing is relatively safe if proper safety gear is worn, ventilation precautions are taken, and the shirt is fully neutralized and rinsed after treatment. Avoid direct skin and eye contact with the acidic solution.

What's the difference between bleach washing and acid washing?

While both strip color, bleach washes use harsh chlorine bleach. Acid washes rely on gentler vinegar or lemon juice to burn away dye. This gives a subtler, more naturally faded look than bleaching.