In daily life, you might want to remove the screen printing design from your shirt for various reasons. It is feasible to remove these designs. However, incorrect operation methods may cause irreversible damage to the shirt. You need to understand the relevant operational steps before handling it. In this blog, we will introduce how to remove the screen printing from a shirt and supplement some related knowledge. If you are interested in this aspect of content, please continue to learn more details with us.
Table of Contents:
Removal Based on Acetone
Removal Based on Heat
Removal Based on Plastic Mica Film
Removal Based on Plastisol Remover
Removal Based on Baking Soda and Vinegar
Removal Based on Sugar
Judge the Material of Your Shirt before Removing
- The heat resistance and chemical resistance of different fabrics vary greatly, which directly determines which removal method can be used.
- You can know the material by checking the label on the inside of the shirt. Common shirt materials include “100% Cotton”, “Polyester-Cotton Blend”, and “100% Polyester”.
- If the label is damaged and you cannot directly determine the material of the shirt, you can consult the merchant for relevant information.
- You can also tell the material of the shirt by how absorbent it is.
a. Place a dry tissue paper inside the shirt.
b. Dip a small amount of clean water with your finger and apply it to the unprinted part of the fabric.
c. Observe the moisture change within 30 seconds to determine the material of the shirt.
100% Cotton: Moisture diffuses and penetrates rapidly. The dry tissue paper on the inner side will get wet after pressing.
Polyester-Cotton Blend: The moisture diffusion rate is slow, and only the surface of the shirt is slightly wet. There is a small amount of moisture on the tissue paper after it has been pressed.
100% Polyester: Water forms droplets on the surface of the shirt. And the tissue paper is not wet.
How to Remove Screen Printing from a Shirt
Removal Based on Acetone
Acetone/nail polish remover can dissolve the adhesive in the ink, allowing the ink to separate from the fabric. It is suitable for cotton shirts. Here is the relevant video and specific operating instructions.
Required Objects: Acetone/nail polish remover, coarse sponge/brush.
Specific Steps:
1. You need to dab the screen printing area with acetone/nail polish remover.
2. Wait a moment for the liquid to saturate the area and stretch the fabric around the printed area.
3. Scrub the screen printing area with a coarse sponge or brush.
4. If your design isn’t coming off easily, keep scrubbing and be patient.
5. Repeat the operations of dab, stretch, and scrub throughout the process until the design is removed.
Removal Based on Heat
By heating, you can remove the designs from cotton or polyester-cotton blend shirts. The following is the relevant operation video and specific steps:
Required Objects: Household iron, towel, pincette, acetone.
Specific Steps:
1. Wash the shirt thoroughly and let it dry completely (stains and moisture can affect the melting effect of the ink)
2. Set the iron temperature to cotton or close to the maximum temperature(140-160℃ is appropriate).
3. Place the household iron under the shirt. And place a towel on which the iron can rest
4. Use a pincette to remove the upturned design while heating.
5. In the end, you can also choose acetone to remove the remaining design.
Removal Based on Plastic Mica Film
Polyflex screen printing is suitable for many materials of shirts, the most common of which is polyester-cotton blend shirts. You can find out which printing process is used for your shirt by asking the seller. For polyflex screening printing, you can use plastic mica film to remove designs. Here is the relevant video and specific operating instructions.
Required Objects: Plastic mica film, household iron, HVS paper, water-based ink remover.
Specific Steps:
1. Lay your shirt flat on the table and make sure there are no wrinkles in the design area.
2. Place the plastic mica film flat in the design area and then put a piece of HVS paper on it. You can purchase these materials in stationery stores or on shopping websites. The specific size is determined by the design size on your shirt.
3. Take out the household iron and set the temperature to the maximum.
4. Iron on HVS paper at a constant speed. Make sure the design area is heated thoroughly.
5. Lift one corner of the plastic mica film to observe whether the design has been transferred onto it. If the design has not been transferred to the plastic mica film, you need to continue ironing. If the design is transferred, you can remove the HVS paper and then slowly lift the plastic mica film completely.
6. For the remaining design, you can wipe it with a cloth dipped in water-based ink remover.
Removal Based on Plastisol Remover
Plastisol remover is a cleaning product specifically designed for plastisol ink printing. It can efficiently dissolve the adhesives in the ink. And it is especially suitable for removing screen printing designs from cotton shirts.
Required Objects: Plastisol remover, cardboard, cotton pads, soft brush, mild laundry detergent.
Specific Steps:
1. Place a cardboard inside the shirt to prevent the plastisol remover from seeping through to the back of the shirt.
2. Open the windows or turn on the ventilation fans to keep the operating environment well-ventilated.
3. Dip a cotton pad in plastisol remover and evenly cover it over the design to ensure that every ink area is soaked by the remover.
4. Let the shirt stand for 10 to 15 minutes (for the exact time, please refer to the product instructions).
5. If the ink has softened significantly, use a soft brush to gently brush the design in a clockwise direction.
6. Use a clean cotton pad to wipe off the fallen ink and the remaining plastisol remover. If there is still any residue, you can repeat the previous steps, but no more than three times to avoid damaging the shirt.
7. After removing the ink, immediately rinse the shirt in clean water and repeatedly rub the screen printing area 2 to 3 times to thoroughly wash away any remaining plastisol remover.
8. Soak the shirt in mild laundry detergent for 10 minutes, then wash the shirt again and let it air dry.
Removal Based on Baking Soda and Vinegar
You can also use the acid-base reaction between baking soda and white vinegar to break down the ink. This method is suitable for most fabrics.
Required Objects: Baking soda, white vinegar, bowl, soft brush.
Specific steps:
1. Add 2 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of warm water to a bowl and stir until it becomes a paste. The thickness should be sufficient to stick to the fabric.
2. Evenly apply the paste onto the design to ensure complete coverage, and let it stand for 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Spray white vinegar onto the paste and let it stand for 30 seconds. Slight bubbles will be produced during this process, which is a normal reaction.
4. Gently scrub the design in a clockwise direction with a soft brush. If the design does not fall off, you can repeatedly apply the paste and scrub.
5. After scrubbing, rinse the shirt thoroughly with clean water.
Removal Based on Sugar
If you want to remove screen printing in a milder way, you can try scrubbing with sugar. The sugar has a fine and hard crystal structure. At the same time, the sugar dissolves slightly when it comes into contact with water, which can soften the adhesive in the ink. Although this method works better on newly manufactured screen printing designs, you can also try it on old screen printing designs.
Required Objects: Sugar, cloth.
Specific Steps:
1. Rinse the shirt with cold water.
2. Add one tablespoon of sugar to the center area of the design.
3. Use a damp cloth to scrape the sugar in a circular motion.
4. After the design is removed, rinse the shirt again with cold water. If there are any remaining designs, you can also remove them by other means, depending on the material of the shirt.
Post-Removal Care for the Shirt
After removing the screen printing from a shirt, you need to take proper care of the shirt, which can extend its lifespan. Especially for the removal methods that involve chemical reagents, proper care is indispensable. Here are some tips for care.
1. No matter which removal method is adopted, the shirt should be washed with mild laundry detergent to avoid the residue of chemical reagents or other objects.
2. Do not use bleach when cleaning. Bleach may damage fabric fibers, causing damage to shirts, especially dark-colored ones.
3. If the shirt becomes hard, you can add an appropriate amount of conditioner when washing it. Soaking a shirt in a mixture of laundry detergent and conditioner can soften the fibers and restore the shirt to its original state.
4. Let the shirt air dry naturally after washing. Keep the shirt in a well-ventilated place and avoid direct sunlight. Exposure to intense sunlight may cause the fabric to fade.
FAQs about Removing Screen Printing from a Shirt
1. Which removal method should I choose?
You can choose the specific removal method based on the fabric of your shirt. Generally speaking, removal methods involving chemical reagents are more suitable for cotton shirts. The method of using sugar, vinegar, and other materials for removal can be applied to most shirts.
Before you start the operation, you can select the inconspicuous design part for removal testing. This can greatly reduce the possibility of damaging your shirt.
2. Are precautions necessary when removing screen printing?
Yes, you need to take proper precautions. When handling chemical reagents, you should carefully read the specific product instructions and operate in a well-ventilated environment . At the same time, it is best to wear rubber gloves when performing the relevant operations.
3. How to deal with the residue at the edge of the design on the shirt?
You can try using a cotton swab to dip a small amount of petroleum jelly or baby lotion and gently apply it to the remaining area. Let the shirt stand for 5 to 10 minutes, then gently wipe it in a circular motion with a clean cloth. This method is suitable for removing small designs. If your shirt is made of 100% cotton, you can try to treat it with a cotton swab dipped in acetone.
4. Can the screen printing on a shirt be completely removed by the above method?
The screen printing on most of the shirts can be removed according to the above method. However, the specific removal effect is also influenced by factors such as the material of the fabric and the degree of fabric aging.
Conclusion
With patience and care, you can remove the existing screen printing from your shirt and thus obtain a unique one. You can continue to add new designs to the shirt or keep its simplest style. In fact, this approach can greatly exercise your creativity and practical ability. Hope you can enjoy yourself in this process.
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