How to Get Melted Rubber From Car Doors Off Fabric

A car trip with family members can be a very enjoyable outing but unexpected situations do happen. For example, casually exiting the car and finding out that there is melted rubber from the car door on your favorite outfit. Here are some steps you can take to get the melted rubber off of your favorite garment. Remember, some cleaning fluids may change the color of the dyes in your garment or damage the material. When you are removing the stains from your garment remember to check labels. Read and follow all directions for the label on the garment you want cleaned as well as the label on the cleaning fluid of choice.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• ice
• butter knife
• dry cleaning solvent
• liquid detergent (not for dry clean only)
• sponge

1. Apply ice to harden the sticky rubber residue. Then using the back edge of the butter knife, gently scrape the soiled area taking off as much rubber as possible.
2. If the garment label says it must be 'dry cleaned only' take garment to the drycleaners as soon as possible.
3. If garment label says that it can be laundered; first dissolve any sticky or greasy residue by gently sponging on dry cleaning solvent and then letting it air dry.
   
   (Remember to read and follow all label instructions and do a spot test on your garment before using any solvent or detergent.)
4. Next, to launder garment, apply liquid detergent directly to the dry fabric and launder as usual.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember, as soon as you scrape the rubber off of the 'dry clean only' garment take it to the dry cleaners ASAP.
• Test any cleaning fluid by turning your garment inside out and trying it on a spot that cannot be seen before using it on the problem spot.