Glue, especially the glue used in professional settings, is powerful stuff. Used to attach everything from wood and plastic to ceramic and fabric, glue is an incredibly useful tool. However, the same qualities that make glue an excellent adhesive make it tough to get out of clothes. Once soaked in and solidified, certain types of glue can be almost impossible to remove.
If you’ve recently had a mishap with a glue gun or an accident with an epoxy, don’t fear, even the most glue-stained work clothes should be salvageable. To help you return your shirt to its former glory or revive your favourite jeans, we’ve put together a guide on how to remove glue from work clothes and give your wardrobe a new lease on life.
Let it dry
Although it may seem counterintuitive, the first step in removing adhesive from any type of fabric is to let the glue dry. If you try to rub, blot or wash the glue when it’s still wet, you’ll probably just increase the size of the affected area. So instead of rushing in and making things worse, simply take off the item of clothing, set it to one side, and wait.
How to remove glue from work clothes: Water-based glue
The next step in how to remove glue from a shirt or another item of work clothing will vary depending on the type of adhesive you’ve used. If you’ve spilled water-based glue on your clothes, you’re in luck, as these types of adhesives are generally pretty easy to remove.
The first thing you’ll need to do is scrape off any excess glue from the surface of the fabric. Use a stiff brush or a blunt object like a butter knife. Don’t rub too hard or you could risk damaging the fabric.
Once the excess glue has been removed, soak the piece of clothing in cold water overnight. Avoid hot water as high temperatures can actually set glue, making it even harder to remove. By the morning, the glue should be soft and pliable. Pour some liquid detergent over the stain and then put the item of clothing in the washing machine on a cool, 30˚C cycle. If the item of clothing you need to clean has any Hi-Vis elements, make sure you use a delicate wash.
If there’s any visible residue left when the wash is done, treat the stain again with detergent and put the item of clothing in another wash. Don’t let the fabric dry out before repeating these steps.
How to remove glue from work clothes: Non-water based glue
Unfortunately, a lot of commercial adhesives are not water based. This makes them a lot more difficult to remove from your work wear fabrics.
Before you start looking at how to remove glue from jeans and other work clothes, you’ll need to gather some materials. These include:
- A toothbrush (or another small, stiff brush)
- Acetone (often contained in nail varnish remover)
- Fine grain sandpaper or an emery board
- Cotton wool
- Laundry detergent
In general, it doesn’t matter what type of fabric you need to clean as most textiles will need to be put through the same processes. This means the first step in how to remove glue from t shirt fabric is the same as it is for coats, jeans and polyester.
As non-water based glue won’t dissolve or soften if left to soak overnight, you’ll need to use a solvent to remove the residue. One of the easiest to get hold of is acetone. You can buy it in hardware shops or just pick up a bottle of nail varnish remover from your local chemist. Alternatively, you can invest in a specialist adhesive remover.
Before you soak the glue stain in acetone, put a little on a hidden part of the fabric to ensure the solvent won’t cause the colours to run. This is especially important if you’re looking at how to remove glue from black pants without bleaching the fabric.
If your test patch looks ok, apply the acetone to your cotton wool pad and gently dab both sides of the glue-stained fabric. You should see the glue begin to lift straight away. Next, take a dry cloth or toothbrush and rub the loosened glue until it’s completely gone. You can apply the acetone-soaked cotton wool as many times as you need to effectively remove the glue.
For particularly stubborn stains, you can use fine-grained sandpaper or an emery board. This should help to loosen the surface of the glue and let the acetone do its work. However, you’ll need to be very careful to avoid rubbing the fabric as this can cause permanent damage to its appearance.
The last step in how to remove glue from polyester pants, cotton, denim or other types of fabric is always a cold wash. This should remove all remaining residue to leave your workwear looking like new.
For more tips on caring for your workwear, including how to remove oil stains from work clothes, browse the All Seasons Uniforms blog.
About the Author
Nick Warrick
Nick Warrick is the Sales Manager at All Seasons Uniforms. With over 15 years of experience in the work uniform business, he has worked with hundreds of clients across 20 different industries. Holding bachelor’s degrees in both Business Administration and Information Technology, Nick revamped the company’s online presence, offering its customers a new uniform shopping experience.