Everyone in their wardrobe has clothes with an inappropriate print or pattern that has lost its visual appeal. What to do if the item itself is in excellent condition and you want to continue wearing it. With some simple manipulations, you can clean a sweatshirt or T-shirt of unnecessary images without damaging the item itself.
Preparing to remove the print
First of all, you need to determine what material the decoration is made of. Typically the manufacturer prints this information on the label. There are these types of stickers:
- Thermal adhesives with a dense texture. They cannot be ironed.
- Thermal printing.
- Applied with viscous paint using a stencil.
- Vinyl based applique.
- Sequins and rhinestones set on glue.
The fabric from which the clothes are made also matters: synthetic or natural.
Before you start working with the sticker, you need to prepare the following tools: iron or hair dryer, white paper or parchment, medical alcohol, tape. All the equipment will most likely not be needed, but should be at hand.
Iron-on adhesive
If the image is bright and colorful, and the texture of the fabric is not visible through it, then it is a thermal sticker. There are the following ways to deal with it effectively. For natural fabrics this method is suitable:
- lay the item on a flat surface;
- place parchment or white paper under the picture and above it;
- iron with a hot iron until the image transfers to the paper.
For synthetics that cannot be exposed to high temperatures, the following method is suitable:
- place the item in the freezer for several hours;
- when the image begins to collapse, scrape it off with a knife.
Important! The method of heating through sheets of paper is suitable for clothes made of cotton or jeans. If you have doubts about thermal exposure, you can start by heating it with a hairdryer or washing in hot water.
Vinyl applique
Vinyl-based images are usually dense, rubber-like. To remove them you need to:
- line the image with paper on all sides (you can put cardboard underneath);
- heat the sticker with an iron or hairdryer;
- While the picture is hot, pull the edge and tear it off;
- remove remaining glue with alcohol or vinegar;
- wash the item.
If the sticker is applied to fabric that does not stretch, you can use tape. You need to stick pieces of tape and tear them off sharply. This method is labor-intensive, but the most gentle on the fabric.
Thermal printing
Pictures made by thermal printing are the most durable images, and their removal is very problematic. To remove the sticker you will need alcohol, laundry soap and a foam sponge:
- moisten the sponge with alcohol;
- saturate the drawing;
- wait for the item to dry completely;
- soap the picture with laundry soap and wash it under running water.
Do not delay washing things, as alcohol tends to evaporate.
If traces of glue remain, they can be removed with alcohol, vinegar, and on white things - with whiteness.
Advice! Before using white, you need to test the product on an inconspicuous area of the fabric.
Remove letters
Inscriptions made with special markers or paint will have to be removed with alcohol, acetone or solvents. To do this, you need to moisten a cotton sponge or sponge with the product and erase the image with swiping movements, trying not to smear the paint. Most likely you will need to perform several approaches, periodically washing the item.
Under the influence of solvents, the appearance of the item itself may suffer, so you will need to apply a new one in place of the old sticker.
Useful tips
If a chemical is used to remove the sticker, it is important to protect your hands (wear gloves) and follow safety precautions.
If after removing the sticker there are still greasy stains on the fabric, then before washing you need to apply dishwashing detergent to them.
It should be noted that modern methods of printing on fabric make it possible to create high-quality images that are resistant to temperature. Therefore, if it is not possible to display the drawing completely, then you can order another image on top of the old one, thereby updating the item.
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