How to Dye Acrylic for Stunning Results

I’ve been experimenting with different ways to dye acrylic, and I’m so excited to share what I’ve discovered! After testing a variety of methods, I’ve found one that consistently gives bold, beautiful results—and it’s surprisingly simple.

👉 Want to see all the techniques I tried? Check out the full video here:

The Best Method: Water, Dye, and Acetone

The most effective method I’ve found uses Rit Dye, which is available at Walmart and similar stores (usually in the laundry detergent aisle). When used with just hot water, the dye gives a soft, translucent look—kind of like pink-tinted glass, which you can see in the bracelet examples below.

But for deeper, richer colors, adding acetone fingernail polish remover to the mix makes all the difference.

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Supplies You’ll Need

• Rit Dye (any color you’d like to try)

• Acetone-based nail polish remover

• Hot water (around 200°F)

• A glass container (very important—plastic may leach chemicals or distort color)

• Acrylic pieces (clear or translucent work best)

• Soapy water for rinsing

We found that you want to use a glass container so as not to get other chemicals and colors sticking to your acrylic. (In this picture the acrylic took on the paint and chemicals from a solo cup.)

 

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Heat the water
   Bring some regular tap water to about 200°F. (Some say this opens the "pores" of the acrylic, but we found that it mostly just helps the dye cover more pieces evenly.)

2. Mix your dye bath
   In a glass container, mix:

   • 3 parts hot water

   • 1 part dye

   • 1 part acetone

   Example: ¾ cup hot water + ¼ cup dye + ¼ cup acetone.

3. Add your acrylic
   Carefully place your acrylic pieces into the dye bath. Make sure they’re not overlapping, unless you’re going for a layered or shadowed design. (That could be a cool effect if planned!)

4. Let them soak
   Leave the pieces in the solution for about 10 minutes. You can leave them longer for more intense color.

5. Rinse and dry
   Transfer the pieces into a tub of hot, soapy water and gently rinse. That’s it!

Results We Love

• Pink Tint: This was red dye in just hot water—no acetone.

• Deep Red: The same red dye, but with acetone added.

 

• Blue-Black: Black dye with acetone created a deep, almost navy finish—especially gorgeous on Stardust acrylic.

Show Us What You Made!

We’d love to see your dyed acrylic creations! Tag us on social media @craftclosetsupply or upload your project to our gallery.