How to Make Brown Food Coloring to Cover Bleach Stains

Cocoa

• Boil 1 cup of water and stir 1 teaspoon of hot cocoa mix or cocoa baking powder into the cup of hot water. Place two drops of the brown liquid on a white cloth or white paper towel using a teaspoon or an eyedropper. Allow the wet spots to dissipate and dry before examining the color. If the brown cocoa color is too light to cover the bleach spot, repeat the process and add another teaspoon of cocoa to the boiled water. If the brown food coloring is too dark, reduce the amount of cocoa.

Coffee

• Make a cup of coffee in a coffee pot or prepare an instant cup of coffee. Place two drops of coffee on a white cloth or white paper towel and determine whether the brown food coloring matches the fabric surrounding your bleach stains. Dilute the coffee with water if the color is too dark or make a stronger cup of coffee if the original cup is too faint. Avoid adding milk or creamer to the coffee to lighten the color.

Chili Powder

• Add 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder to a cup of boiling water. Stir the mixture to make sure the chili powder dissolves completely. Place two drops of the brown liquid coloring with an eyedropper on a white cloth. Allow the droplet to dry completely and examine the color for a fabric match. If you need to cover bleach spots on a reddish brown or deep maroon fabric surface, chili powder coloring is likely your best option.

Caramel

• Test caramel syrup or melted caramel on a white cloth or paper towel to see if the color matches your damaged fabric. Use your finger or a cotton swab to gently spread the caramel on the white cloth or paper towel. Since caramel has a thicker texture than brown liquid food coloring, you may find that it's too sticky for your bleach-stained fabric. Caramel hardens as it dries, so it might cover a bleach stain on a stiff fabric like carpet or upholstery, but it won't work well on soft flexible fabrics.