We get mordant questions all the time at Botanical Colors so why not create Mordant Monday??? Got mordanting questions? Email [email protected]
YOU ASKED: I’m wondering if its possible to reuse a tannin bath, perhaps by using half as much tannin powder the second time as one can do when re using a mordant bath? Recently I have made a tannin bath for linen and have lots left over, it would be great not to throw it out!
Secondly, I usually rinse the fabric after mordanting and before dyeing- is this correct?
KATHY ANSWERED: I think recharging and reusing tannin baths is a smart way to save water, energy and materials. I have heard that you can reuse a tannin bath and recharge it with approximately 50% more tannin as you have noted, and when I was in a pinch, I recharged with less than 50% and still achieved very good results. I have reused the bath multiple times with this recharge method. It is also possible to recharge an alum bath (aluminum sulfate, aluminum potassium sulfate and aluminum acetate) with 50% more alum, and know of several dyers who reuse their mordant baths up to seven times to cut down on water use. Aluminum triformate has mordant bucket method instructions, which also saves water and energy.
As a rule, I generally rinse after mordanting and before dyeing. I hope this helps!
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