Parents love to keep their children busy with fun-filled DIY projects, but most of these projects require the use of glue which kids can stick to their clothes. This part is not much fun for the parents because removing glue from clothes can prove a little tasking.
10 Ways to Get Glue Out of Clothes
Different glue responds to different treatments, and getting fresh glue to come off your clothing is easier than getting dried-on glue off. Here are ten methods to help you get glue out of clothes.
1. Use Dish Soap
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Dish soap does an excellent job of removing glue from clothes. All you have to do is mix some dish soap with cold water and soak the glue-stained clothing in it for about eight hours, then peel away the solidified glue.
Note: Do not use hot water because the heat would change the chemical structure of the protein ingredients in the glue and make it even harder and difficult to get rid of.
2. Use Nail Polish Remover
The key ingredient in most nail polish removers is acetone; it dissolves chemical-based glues. It would readily dissolve solidified super glue, nail glue, and hot glue.
Acetone gets rid of glue easily and quickly, but it isn’t without its downside. The risk of using this chemical is it can sometimes discolor the fabric. So, before applying the acetone, test it on a hidden part of the clothing, and watch out for any form of discoloration. Here’s how to use it below:
Step 1: Cut out a piece of the cotton ball; soak it in the nail polish remover. Use the soaked ball to dab at the stain carefully from the outside to the inside of the stain so that you don’t spread the stain throughout the entire cloth.
Step 2: Repeat the process with a fresh cotton ball and acetone as the stain comes away on the cotton until no more glue is coming off.
3. Freeze Clothes
When you freeze glue, you can easily peel it out of the cloth. For small clothing, you can do this by putting it in a bag and throwing it in your freezer for five to six hours. For bigger items like carpets or upholstery, you can cut out cubes of ice, put them in a bag and place it on the glue to harden.
Note: the glue might not peel away instantly, but when it’s completely frozen, you can break it off piece by piece without damaging the fabric.
4. Use Rubbing Alcohol
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Rubbing alcohol is a powerful stain remover. With glue stains, it acts as a solvent; it does a great job of getting glue residues from stickers or tape off your clothes.
Just like acetone, rubbing alcohol could damage some kinds of fabric, so carry out a test on a small part of the fabric to see its reaction before using this method.
Step 1: soak a cotton ball or a piece of cloth in the alcohol. Hold this over the stain for a minute. Saturate the cotton ball again and begin dabbing at the stain, moving from outside the stain towards the inside.
Step 2: use a blunt knife or the edge of an expired credit card to peel the glue away from the cloth. Apply as much alcohol as necessary. When you are satisfied, rinse the cloth with cold water to get the alcohol out.
5. Use Laundry Detergent
Laundry detergent does an excellent job when it comes to breaking down stains, and this sometimes includes some kinds of glue.
Washing your clothes with laundry detergent helps remove adhesive stains, but putting them to dry in the dryer causes the glue to set more deeply into the fabric. You may want to air dry the cloth if you don’t know if the stain has been obliterated.
6. Use Baking Soda and Coconut Oil
Baking soda mixed with coconut oil will readily rid your clothes of the kind of adhesives. Here’s a simple guide to follow for this method:
Step 1: Mix in a bowl half a cup of baking soda and a quarter a cup of coconut oil. Mix until it forms a smooth oily paste.
Step 2: Smear the paste over the glue stained area. Rub it in with your fingers. You could use a glove if you want to avoid the messy feel on your hands. You should feel the glue coming off the fabric as you, massage the paste into the cloth.
Step 3: When the stain is completely removed, rinse the cloth. Put the cloth in the laundry or you could hand wash the area to get the oil out of the cloth to avoid a new kind of stain.
7. Use Iron
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Ironing can help you remove hot glue from your cloth. However, this method is only effective for hot glue and should not be used on some kinds of glue like Elmer’s glue and super glue for it would only make the stain worse. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to use iron to get rid of glue stains on clothes below:
Step 1: spread over the glue-stained area an absorbent cloth or brown paper. Heat the iron for a few minutes and press the area.
Step 2: The glue melts and soaks into the cloth as you iron. As the glue comes off on the cloth, put a new dry section of the cloth over the stain. Repeat this process as many times as necessary until there is no glue left on the cloth.
8. Use White Vinegar
White vinegar is not only a powerful stain remover, it also acts as a solvent on some kinds of glue. It does a remarkable job of getting rid of superglue from your clothes and even your carpets, especially when it is mixed with dishwashing soap.
Step 1: First, use a blunt knife to scrape away as much glue as you can from the surface of the fabric. Pour two tablespoons of vinegar, one teaspoon of dish soap, and a cup of water into a bowl.
Step 2: Soak a clean rag in the mixture and place it over the glue stain for five minutes. Then gently scrub the glue stain with the rag. Repeat the process until the glue is completely gone.
9. Use Stain Remover
For really stubborn glue stains, using a stain remover specifically designed to handle that kind of glue stain produces the best cleaning results. Stain removers normally do not contain dangerous chemicals, but make sure you go through the directions for use before you use the product.
Note: more often than not, the chemical used in these products can harm your fabric even more than the glue.
10. Use Goo Gone
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Goo Gone is a commercial remover, but it is non-toxic and will not destroy your fabric as other commercial removers would. Goo Gone is made from citrus, a natural strong adhesive remover.
To use this, pour some Goo Gone onto a piece of clothing and dab at the stain with it until the glue completely dissolves and comes away on the clothing.
Goo Gone can work on pretty much any glue stain, but might not readily dissolve tougher adhesives like super glue.
How To Get Dried Glue Out Of Clothes
Removing dried glue from fabric is simple. Remove as much dried glue as you can with a knife or hard edge. Then soak the clothes in cold water to remove the residue. Ideally, leave it to soak overnight.
Use a wet sponge to scrub the stain out. You can also try adding some laundry detergent. Then wash the fabric in the washing machine as normal.