Competent actions for excellent results, or how to remove a sticker from clothes
Stickers are an original decoration for clothing, but over time they become covered with a network of cracks, fade, and wear off.
To improve the appearance of the item, it is worth removing the old sticker. To do this, use home remedies or special solutions from the category of household chemicals.
Before cleaning, you need to determine what type of sticker you have and the fabric itself. The correct choice of product makes removal easier and guarantees a high-quality result.
Content
How to remove without a trace at home?
All methods of flattening a pasted image are divided into three types:
- mechanical,
- chemical,
- thermal.
The choice depends on what is available:
- funds,
- time,
- quality of material,
- the nature of the sticker itself.
If there are small traces left from the drawing, then you should start with the simplest and most non-aggressive methods.. Regardless of the product used, the item must be washed in the usual way and dried before removing the sticker. This procedure is also carried out after cleansing.
You cannot combine thermal and chemical methods to remove stickers at the same time!
Heat
Exposure to heat helps dissolve the adhesive and sticker base. An iron or hair dryer set to “hot air” mode helps achieve this goal. A similar effect can also be achieved by washing and drying at very high temperatures (more than 70 degrees).
Removal with an iron proceeds according to the following algorithm:
- The thing is laid out on the table.
- Cover the drawing with a wet napkin.
- Iron with a hot iron.
The thermal method cannot be used on unstable tissues such as polyester, as they may melt.
Cold
Negative temperatures affect the quality of the sticker coating. When exposed to cold, the paint on the fabric begins to crumble, making it easy to remove from the material.
The T-shirt or tank top is packaged in a plastic bag and placed in the freezer for several hours.. Then the cooled item is laid out and the design is removed using a sharp object.
Scotch
To mechanically remove traces of paint, wide stationery tape is often used.
First, the item is heated from the inside out with an iron or on a hot radiator.. Lay it out on a hard surface.
Then pieces of tape are glued to the drawing. In this case, the adhesive tape must be carefully pressed so that no bubbles or folds remain. After this, remove the strip with a sharp movement.
If paint particles remain on the fabric, repeat the procedure.. This method is ideal for small designs and sparkles. It is convenient due to its simplicity, high speed of execution, and the absence of thermal and chemical effects on fabric fibers.
Chemical solvents
Chemicals designed to remove different types of paint and varnish also help remove old print. Strong reagents such as acetone, solvent, nail polish remover are used on:
- dense tissues,
- overalls,
- outerwear.
To speed up cleaning, you can first wet the entire pattern with cleaning liquid and let it sit for a few minutes. and then start deleting. The procedure is considered quite painstaking, but effective.
Alcohol
Alcohol-containing liquids (medicinal alcohol, vodka, alcohol-based antiseptic) act like chemical solvents.
The cleaning technology is also the same:
- the thing is spread out on the table;
- pour a little alcohol onto the drawing;
- a cloth napkin or cotton pad is moistened in the reagent;
- Wipe the sticker, moving from the edge to the center.
The alcohol cleaning method is suitable for wool, denim, and knitwear.
Laundry soap
This product is often used as an additional product after removing paint using other methods.. The method is also suitable if the majority of the sticker has already come off the fabric.
This method requires the usual laundry soap with a high content of fatty acids (72%) without aromatic additives.
Next, the clothes are rinsed and dried. This universal product is good because it is suitable for most fabrics. However, its efficiency is slightly lower compared to its analogues.
Detergent
Liquid dishwashing gels are suitable as a mild cleaner. Their action is less aggressive compared to solvents and alcohol.
To clean the fabric, soak the sticker in detergent and leave for one to two hours.
After this, wash the item in the usual way (manual or machine). If necessary, repeat cleaning.Degreasing gels help to deal with old patterns, most of which have already disappeared.
Special means
If traditional methods do not help to cope with the print, you should use special liquids from the category of household chemicals. Their formula is developed taking into account the chemical composition of the glue and the base of fabric stickers.
The most popular brands include:
Goo Gone
The liquid allows you to remove residues:
- glue,
- resins,
- sticky tape,
- grease stains.
The advantage of the product is its composition, which is based on citrus oils. The downside is the greasy residue, which must be removed by washing. According to the cleaning technology, the item is first soaked in a solution of any detergent. Goo Gone is then applied to the print area.
After a few minutes, roll up the sticker with a cotton pad. After this, the item is washed with an increased dose of washing powder. The price of one 50 ml bottle is on average 350 rubles.
Thermoyed
Spray cleaner designed for removing thermal adhesives. The product wins due to ease of application, but loses due to its high price.
To clean, the solution is sprayed onto the sticker area on both sides of the material. Leave for 1 minute and then clean off the remaining pattern with a napkin. The average cost of a 520 ml bottle is 1800 rubles.
HG sticker remover
Universal product. It is designed to remove stickers, adhesive marks, tape, oil and tar stains. The advantage of this solution is the absence of chlorine. Disadvantages include an unpleasant odor.
The price of a 300 ml bottle is on average 300 rubles.
Features of removing thermal adhesive, vinyl and others
Before removing the pasted decor, it is important to determine its nature. The composition and method of application of the pattern can directly affect the method of removal. To understand the origin of the sticker, you need to study the label and consider the structure of the print.
There are several types stickers:
- thermal sticker;
- thermal printing;
- design on fabric;
- vinyl print.
Thermal sticker is a complete coating through which matter does not shine through. This image is distinguished by a wide range of colors and smooth tonal transitions.
Thermal printing has high adhesion strength to the substrate, as it is applied to the fabric using a heat press. It is not easy to remove it from clothes. It is recommended to use special chemicals or solvents.
If the fabric is visible through the design, then there is a high probability that it is a thermal adhesive.
The stencil design is applied to the fabric layer by layer with paints, so it can withstand a large number of washes.. When an image becomes dilapidated, it is removed with detergents, solvents, thermal methods or special chemical solutions.
Vinyl-based stickers can be removed after exposure to high temperatures.When ironing the pasted image, you must place parchment paper between the iron and the napkin.
In this case, traces of paint will remain on it, and the iron will remain clean. In order to destroy any remaining adhesive traces after the procedure, the area is additionally wiped with vinegar.
Adviсe
The process of removing the pasted pattern will be more successful if you take into account some nuances.
The main recommendations are as follows:
- Don't try to remove fresh stickers. They adhere very tightly to the fabric and it is difficult to remove the adhesive base.
- Before using any method, clothes must be washed and dried. Washing and drying are also required after complete destruction of traces of the image.
- Before choosing a cleaning method, you should study the composition of the fabric and the sticker itself.
- During processing, the item must lie on a horizontal surface. This will prevent the cleaning liquid from spreading.
- It is advisable to test a new pattern removal product first on a small, inconspicuous area of fabric.
You can learn how to remove glue stains from clothes here. Read about removing traces of glue from a sticker on fabric. Here.
Video on the topic of the article
The video will show you how to remove a sticker from fabric:
Conclusion
A wide range of cleaning products designed to remove prints on fabric allows you to choose the most optimal option.
With proper use of the method, the possibility of extending the life of your favorite item is quite high.
