How to Remove an Iron-On Patch From a Suit Jacket

Many people use iron-on or "heat seal" patches---patches with heat-activated adhesive on the patch backing---to quickly repair or decorate suit jackets. Some also sew the patch in addition to setting the adhesive with heat to guarantee against future adhesive breakdown and patch peeling or to spot-repair an area of the patch where the adhesive didn't set or as decoration. Removing these patches is a relatively easy process.

Things You'll Need

• Seam ripper
• Cotton fabric
• Iron
• Adhesive solvent (optional)
• Microfiber cloth (optional)

Instructions

1. Gently rip out any stitching around the patch with your seam ripper. Skip this step if the patch wasn't sewn.

2. Preheat your dry iron to the highest setting approved for your suit's fabric type.

3. Place your suit jacket on a hard, flat surface with the top of the patch facing up. Lay a piece of thin, 100 percent cotton fabric on the patch to protect the fabric from scorching or other heat-related damage. Iron the patch in short strokes for approximately 30 to 45 seconds to re-heat the adhesive used to attach it to the jacket.

4. Peel the patch away from the fabric by grasping one corner of the patch and gently pulling upward. As the adhesive can reseal and set quickly as the heated patch cools, repeat Step 3 over any remaining attached portions of the patch as needed while peeling.

5. Remove any adhesive remaining on the fabric with an adhesive solvent like rubbing alcohol. Blot the solvent onto the cloth with a lint-free microfiber cloth.

Tips & Warnings

• If the patch didn't loosen in Step 3, set your hot iron down on the area (jacket and cotton press fabric) for an additional 20 to 30 seconds to apply direct heat. If the patch remains firmly attached to the fabric, turn the jacket inside out so that the bottom of the patch---adhesive side and attached fabric---faces up. Place your cotton cloth on the area and reheat in short strokes for 30 to 45 seconds. If needed, repeat with direct heat.

• If a solvent doesn't remove the adhesive, turn your iron on to the setting for your fabric type, place a clean cotton cloth over the sticky area and reheat the area to transfer the adhesive from your jacket to the cloth.

• Never pull harshly on any threads around your patch when you cut through the threads with your seam ripper. Doing so can widen the original sewing holes in certain fabrics, possibly causing permanent damage to the fabric weave.

• Be sure not to rub solvent into the adhesive remaining on your fabric; the adhesive may smear across clean areas or be pushed into the fabric thread weave, making removal difficult.

References

• Clothing Dictionary: General Fabric Care Guide