Cleaning threads?

[Mungo]

Sometimes after I’ve sewn my leather work the threads pick up the dye and appear dirty. Is there a way to clean them to make them nice and white again?

[Bert03241]

throw them in the washing machine

No seriously I don't see how, any attempt to wash the stitch line would risk getting more dye on them I would think.

[Mungo]

I tried using wet cotton swabs. It helped a little, but not enough.

[Eager2Learn]

Saddle soap. Soap makes things clean.

[tsunkasapa]

1 hour ago, Eager2Learn said:

Saddle soap. Soap makes things clean.

Soap will not get dye out of thread.

[Tugadude]

3 hours ago, Mungo said:

Sometimes after I’ve sewn my leather work the threads pick up the dye and appear dirty. Is there a way to clean them to make them nice and white again?

Is the thread waxed?  If so it could be on the surface and may rub off with a clean cloth.  That’s one good reason to wax thread.

[chiefjason]

Let the leather dry thoroughly.  Usually a few hours.  

Pull off extra thread, the ends get most of the transfer

Keep the needles close to the ends, the thread at the needle gets a lot of dye.

If your thread is soft look for a hard bonded nylon thread,  The bonded coating does not pick up as much.  

Edited April 7, 2022 by chiefjason

[JayEhl]

I've read how some use a natural color thread and then dye after you sew.   Not sure if its an option but just thought I'd throw that out there. 

[Zonker1972]

send a sacrificial piece of thread about a foot long on a needle through the holes and then throw it away. now stitch up and hopefully have cleaner thread holding the project together.

[JayEhl]

That's a good idea @Zonker1972 

[PastorBob]

7 hours ago, chiefjason said:

Let the leather dry thoroughly.  Usually a few hours.  

Pull off extra thread, the ends get most of the transfer

Keep the needles close to the ends, the thread at the needle gets a lot of dye.

If your thread is soft look for a hard bonded nylon thread,  The bonded coating does not pick up as much.  

+1.  I normally measure the distance I am stitching, multiply that by 4, then add a bit for thread length.  I use .8mm thread and saddle stitch.  Most of the dye transfer is on the ends which are cut off when done.

[fredk]

1 hour ago, PastorBob said:

+1.  I normally measure the distance I am stitching, multiply that by 4, then add a bit for thread length.  I use .8mm thread and saddle stitch.  Most of the dye transfer is on the ends which are cut off when done.

  

[fredk]

btw, on the odd occasion when I reckoned a thread was too grubby, I pulled the thread out and re-stitched with new clean thread

Thread is cheap. You'll spend / waste more time trying to clean a length of thread worth less than 0.1c than its worth. Pull it out and re-stitch and be done with it. Also trying various solutions on the thread to try to clean it may damage the leather or its finish, and that bit is ultimately worth more

[TomE]

17 hours ago, Mungo said:

Sometimes after I’ve sewn my leather work the threads pick up the dye and appear dirty. Is there a way to clean them to make them nice and white again?

I assume you follow the usual practices to minimize dye ruboff.  Fiebings Pro Dye and Fenice Colorfast dye produce less ruboff than other dyes I've tried.  Prior to sewing, buff the work with a soft cloth until there's no more dye rubbing off.  I quit using Tan Kote as a finish after sewing because it works like a dye solvent and discolors even bonded nylon thread.  Then there's the failsafe - use dark colored thread.

[Mungo]

Thanks for the replies. I’ll be using those suggestions in the future.

[PastorBob]

10 hours ago, Mungo said:

Thanks for the replies. I’ll be using those suggestions in the future.

Also, are you punching your holes before or after dyeing?  After is much better, dye can't sit in the holes then.