How to Get Pointe Shoe Glue Out of Fabric
Pointe shoes are elegant and light shoes worn by ballerinas and those studying ballet. The shoes have thin soles and long ribbons that lace around the lower legs to keep the shoes in place. One of the things used by dancers to keep the shoes in good condition is pointe shoe glue, but this is also very sticky. You can easily get pointe shoe glue out of fabric, but you'll need a few household ingredients. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Scrub brush
- Cotton balls
- Nail polish remover
- Dish washing soap
- Warm water
- Baking soda
- Laundry detergent
Instructions
-
-
1
Scrape off as much of the glue as possible with a scrub brush once the glue has dried. Using anything on the glue while it's still wet and sticky will result in even more of a mess. Rub the brush roughly across the fabric to get rid of the upper layer of glue.
-
2
Dip a cotton ball in nail polish remover, preferably one with acetone. Dab the cotton ball against the fabric, letting it slowly soak into the glue. This should work at removing a large amount of the pointe shoe glue, but it will still leave behind some.
-
-
3
Rub a small dab of dish washing soap on the glue and add enough water to make it soapy. Dancers are warned to keep their shoes away from water because it can actually cause the paste in the shoes to disintegrate. Rinse the fabric off, and you'll find that most of the glue has come off.
-
4
Combine 1 part baking soda with 2 parts water. Mix the two until it forms a thick paste. Apply this paste directly to the fabric and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then rinse off the paste using fresh water and check for signs of the pointe shoe glue.
-
5
Treat the area with laundry detergent and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Then wash your clothes according to the label directions. Examine the spot to make sure the glue is gone, and if you see any, try using the nail polish remover again before drying. You'll find that all traces of the pointe shoe glue are now gone from your clothes.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Soaking the fabric in warm water might be the only thing you need to get rid of the pointe shoe glue. If it's the same type of glue used in the creation of the shoes, try this step first. Let it soak for at least 1 hour, and the water should cause the glue to dissolve.
Always test a small patch of fabric before using nail polish remover to be sure it doesn't take the color out.
