How to Remove Hot Glue From Clothing

Avoid getting hot glue on your skin or clothing.

Glue guns use heat to melt the glue, creating a durable, invisible bond that is perfect for hand-crafted dolls or jewelry, or for fixing a broken vase, but unwelcome when it gets on your favorite shirt or jeans. There is no 100 percent effective way to remove hot glue marks from clothes, but there are some things you can do to minimize the damage.

Things You'll Need

• Freezer
• Butter knife
• Old toothbrush
• Clean white cotton cloth
• Hot iron
• Ironing board
• Acetone
• Cotton balls

Instructions

1. Place the garment containing the dried hot glue spot in the freezer for 30 to 60 minutes. Remove the garment from the freezer when the glue spot is dry and brittle. Gently scrape away the brittle glue with the butter knife until all the glue is removed. Brush any remaining glue with the toothbrush to loosen the particles from the fabric, then wipe them away by hand.

2. Place a piece of clean white cotton cloth on the ironing board. Lay the garment on top of the cloth, glue side down. Press the hot iron onto the spot for 10 to 20 seconds to loosen the glue from the garment, then remove the iron. Carefully peel the garment from the cotton cloth. Repeat as necessary using a fresh spot on the cotton each time until all the glue has been transferred from the garment to the cotton cloth. Discard the cotton cloth.

3. Moisten a cotton ball with acetone. Dab the acetone on a hidden portion of the garment to check for colorfastness. If the garment is not damaged or discolored by the acetone, use additional cotton balls and acetone on the hot glue marks. Apply acetone to a cotton ball and press the cotton ball on the glue. Blot the area with a clean cloth to remove any dissolved glue. Repeat as necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not use the steam function when using the hot iron.

• Do not wash the garment containing the hot glue marks in the washing machine; the glue may come off on other garments or the inside of the machine.

References

• Stain Expert: Tidy Up Time; Arts and Crafts