posted by Ahijoy on  June 02, 2022

How to Remove Vinyl from Shirts

Vinyl is a material that can be used in many products. It is also used in clothing, especially shirts. Vinyl is a great option because it's durable, inexpensive, and easy to care for. But what happens when you accidentally get some vinyl on your shirt?

Removing the vinyl from a shirt isn't hard, but it's important to do it correctly so you don't end up damaging the garment. So how do you remove vinyl from your shirts without damaging the fabric or leaving behind any unwanted marks? 

In this article, we've got some tips for how to remove the vinyl from shirts so you can get back to wearing your favorite clothes again. Before anything else, let's talk about vinyl. 

What Is Vinyl?

Vinyl is a synthetic plastic often used in clothing, screen printing, auto parts, and much more. There is no doubt that vinyl is an extremely versatile material. Vinyl can be used to make many different types of products, including clothing, bags, toys, picture frames, and more!

Basic Colors Heat Transfer Vinyl

£5.00

Yellow / 12''x 24'' - £5.00 Yellow / 12''x 36'' - £6.00 Yellow / 12''x 48'' - £8.00 Silver / 12''x 24'' - £5.00 Silver / 12''x 36'' - £6.00 Silver / 12''x 48'' - £8.00 Purple / 12''x 24'' - £5.00 Purple / 12''x 36'' - £6.00 Purple / 12''x 48'' - £8.00 Sun Yellow / 12''x 24'' - £5.00 Sun Yellow / 12''x 36'' - £6.00 Sun Yellow / 12''x 48'' - £8.00 Rose Gold / 12''x 24'' - £5.00 Rose Gold / 12''x 36'' - £6.00 Rose Gold / 12''x 48'' - £8.00 Light Yellow / 12''x 24'' - £5.00 Light Yellow / 12''x 36'' - £6.00 Light Yellow / 12''x 48'' - £8.00 Red / 12''x 24'' - Sold Out Red / 12''x 36'' - Sold Out Red / 12''x 48'' - Sold Out Gold / 12''x 24'' - Sold Out Gold / 12''x 36'' - Sold Out Gold / 12''x 48'' - Sold Out Fuchsia / 12''x 24'' - Sold Out Fuchsia / 12''x 36'' - Sold Out Fuchsia / 12''x 48'' - Sold Out Tiffany / 12''x 24'' - £5.00 Tiffany / 12''x 36'' - £6.00 Tiffany / 12''x 48'' - £8.00 White / 12''x 24'' - £5.00 White / 12''x 36'' - £6.00 White / 12''x 48'' - £8.00 Black / 12''x 24'' - £5.00 Black / 12''x 36'' - £6.00 Black / 12''x 48'' - £8.00 Royal Blue / 12''x 24'' - £5.00 Royal Blue / 12''x 36'' - £6.00 Royal Blue / 12''x 48'' - £8.00 Gray / 12''x 24'' - £5.00 Gray / 12''x 36'' - £6.00 Gray / 12''x 48'' - £8.00 Orange / 12''x 24'' - £5.00 Orange / 12''x 36'' - £6.00 Orange / 12''x 48'' - £8.00 Green / 12''x 24'' - £5.00 Green / 12''x 36'' - £6.00 Green / 12''x 48'' - £8.00 Blue / 12''x 24'' - £5.00 Blue / 12''x 36'' - £6.00 Blue / 12''x 48'' - £8.00 Pink / 12''x 24'' - Sold Out Pink / 12''x 36'' - Sold Out Pink / 12''x 48'' - Sold Out Camel / 12''x 24'' - £5.00 Camel / 12''x 36'' - £6.00 Camel / 12''x 48'' - £8.00 Sky Blue / 12''x 24'' - £5.00 Sky Blue / 12''x 36'' - £6.00 Sky Blue / 12''x 48'' - £8.00 Maroon / 12''x 24'' - Sold Out Maroon / 12''x 36'' - Sold Out Maroon / 12''x 48'' - Sold Out Aqua / 12''x 24'' - £5.00 Aqua / 12''x 36'' - £6.00 Aqua / 12''x 48'' - £8.00 Light Green / 12''x 24'' - £5.00 Light Green / 12''x 36'' - £6.00 Light Green / 12''x 48'' - £8.00 Dark Green / 12''x 24'' - £5.00 Dark Green / 12''x 36'' - £6.00 Dark Green / 12''x 48'' - £8.00

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How To Remove Vinyl From Shirts

To be honest, the easiest way to remove the vinyl from a shirt is to heat it, use household items, or use chemically strong commercial removers. Whatever you decide to do, you will need a few tools such as an Exacto knife and tweezers to complete the process.

While some methods take more time than others, if you prefer all-natural products then you may find some methods to be safer for you.It would be a good idea to examine the shirt label closely before choosing your method. Its material may be an important factor in your choice.

8 Best Ways to Remove Vinyl From Shirts

• Commercial Vinyl Remover
• WD-40
• Baby Oil and Lotion Remover
• Rubber Alcohol
• Remove It with a Heat
• Remove It with Ice
• Liquid Detergent
• Use Iron

Let's Explain The Above 8 Methods With Details

1st Method: Commercial Vinyl Remover

The vinyl can be easily removed by peeling or scraping away the adhesive backing with commercial vinyl removers. Such products are usually derived from strong chemicals that produce unpleasant fumes.

When using a commercial product, make sure you work in a well-ventilated area! Wear gloves to protect your hands. Your investment in a commercial remover is likely necessary if you wish to make your own vinyl shirts. As a result, you will save a considerable amount of time and make it much safer to use strong chemicals.

If you plan to use commercial removers, make sure to read the packaging before you begin. Carefully following the instructions will ensure the best results.

However, most products employ the following method:

• The shirt needs to be turned inside out. It needs to be found backside up.
• Remove the decal from the back by applying remover a few drops at a time.
• Now turn the shirt over in order to see its right side.
• By pulling back and forth between your fingers while pinching a small piece of fabric, you can test this for yourself. You will feel your fibers loosen up.
• Finally, you can pick an edge free of the decal using your fingers or tweezers.
• Remove large chunks of vinyl at a time by gently pulling!
• Wash the shirt through the washing machine to remove any solvent and vinyl residue.

2nd Method: By Using WD - 40

WD-40 is another great product that can be used to remove vinyl from shirts because it dissolves adhesives and other sticky substances very easily. All you need is a small amount of WD-40 on a rag or sponge and then rub it over the area of shirt where there is vinyl residue until it comes off completely!

3rd Method: Baby Oil And Lotion Remover

The first thing that you can use to remove the vinyl from a shirt is baby oil. The oil will break the bond between the vinyl and the fabric and make it easy for you to peel off the vinyl. 

However, since baby oil is so gentle on fabrics, there is no reason why you shouldn't just use it as a regular fabric softener.This will also make sure that your shirt don't smell like baby oil after they've been washed!

Baby oil and lotion remover both have a similar consistency and texture to their namesake products—but they're much stronger and more effective at removing sticky substances like vinyl from shirts.

Simply pour some onto your shirt where the tag is and let it sit for about five minutes before rinsing with water or rubbing alcohol (depending on what type of tag is attached). 

4th Method: Rubber Alcohol

Rubber alcohol will help the vinyl sticker to dissolve, so you can peel it off without damaging your shirt. It's best to use rubbing alcohol that contains acetone because it has a higher concentration, making it more powerful than other types of alcohol.

Make sure you're using rubbing alcohol that doesn't contain water or oils because those ingredients can leave stains behind on your shirt after they evaporate from the surface of the sticker.

However, you may find that you can easily remove vinyl decals from your shirt using much milder household products. Rubbish alcohol is safer than many other cleaning products because it does not contain hazardous chemicals.

Camouflage Heat Transfer Vinyl

£5.00

Red / 10''x 24'' - £5.00 Red / 10''x 36'' - £7.00 Red / 10''x 48'' - £9.00 Orange / 10''x 24'' - £5.00 Orange / 10''x 36'' - £7.00 Orange / 10''x 48'' - £9.00 Yellow / 10''x 24'' - £5.00 Yellow / 10''x 36'' - £7.00 Yellow / 10''x 48'' - £9.00 Blue / 10''x 24'' - £5.00 Blue / 10''x 36'' - £7.00 Blue / 10''x 48'' - £9.00 Pink / 10''x 24'' - £5.00 Pink / 10''x 36'' - £7.00 Pink / 10''x 48'' - £9.00 Green / 10''x 24'' - £5.00 Green / 10''x 36'' - £7.00 Green / 10''x 48'' - £9.00

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Rubber alcohol contains no harsh chemicals, so it is completely safe to use. By using this remover you'll also save a lot of money compared to a commercial remover!

The commercial solvent is also not as quick or efficient as this one. Furthermore, this method can protect synthetic fabrics from damage due to the lack of heat.

• You should have a sink or large bucket near your work area so you can prepare your work area accordingly.
• The shirt should be turned inside out, and you should arrange the shirt so that the back of the decal is facing up.
• Make sure you hold the top over a sink or a basin.
• The back of the decal should be covered with rubbing alcohol. Be sure the fabric is soaked!
• Then, with your hands, loosen the fabric from underneath the vinyl by tugging and wriggling it.
• Make sure the shirt is right-side up and that the edges of the design are pryed up with tweezers or a knife.
• When it comes to removing vinyl, you will have to carefully scrape away chunks.
• The shirt can always be soaked in alcohol again should it be necessary.
• The shirt should be rinsed with cool water.
• In case you see a lot of vinyl residue, you might want to try the petroleum jelly method as well in order to get the plastic residue out.

5th Method: Remove It With A Heat

If you don't have ice cubes handy or if they aren't working, try heating up your shirt instead by running it through a hot dryer cycle or ironing it at high heat until the material softens enough for you to peel off with your fingers (or tweezers if necessary).

This method works best for smaller pieces of vinyl like stickers rather than whole shirts with designs printed on them.

6th Method: Remove It With Ice

Another simple method that works well on small stickers is to rub them with an ice cube. This method is simple: place ice cubes over the unwanted material until they melt through or crack off. The ice will help shrink down the vinyl so that it can be peeled off more easily afterward.

Glitter Stripe Heat Transfer Vinyl

£5.00

Glitter stripe 01 / 10''x 24'' - £5.00 Glitter stripe 01 / 10''x 36'' - £7.00 Glitter stripe 01 / 10''x 48'' - £8.00 Glitter stripe 02 / 10''x 24'' - £5.00 Glitter stripe 02 / 10''x 36'' - £7.00 Glitter stripe 02 / 10''x 48'' - £8.00 Glitter stripe 03 / 10''x 24'' - £5.00 Glitter stripe 03 / 10''x 36'' - £7.00 Glitter stripe 03 / 10''x 48'' - £8.00 Glitter stripe 04 / 10''x 24'' - £5.00 Glitter stripe 04 / 10''x 36'' - £7.00 Glitter stripe 04 / 10''x 48'' - £8.00 Glitter stripe 05 / 10''x 24'' - £5.00 Glitter stripe 05 / 10''x 36'' - £7.00 Glitter stripe 05 / 10''x 48'' - £8.00 Glitter stripe 06 / 10''x 24'' - £5.00 Glitter stripe 06 / 10''x 36'' - £7.00 Glitter stripe 06 / 10''x 48'' - £8.00 Glitter stripe 07 / 10''x 24'' - £5.00 Glitter stripe 07 / 10''x 36'' - £7.00 Glitter stripe 07 / 10''x 48'' - £8.00

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7th Method: Liquid Detergent

Detergents are great at breaking down different substances in clothes, so they work well on vinyl too! You just need to soak the shirts in warm water with detergent and let it sit overnight before rinsing out the detergent thoroughly and washing as usual.

You can combine this method with any other method you want as well—it's not like there's going to be anything left after this!

8th Method: Using Iron

The easiest and fastest way to remove vinyl from shirts without using strong chemicals is to use iron. It's only natural that heat would be able to loosen the vinyl.

Although this process can be tricky, you can do it carefully and without damaging your iron. The biggest danger of this method is getting sticky vinyl stuck to your iron!

• Set your iron's temperature to the hottest setting that will work with your fabric.
• Lie your shirt on the ironing board with the vinyl side facing up, followed by a towel inside.
• A large enough piece of paper should cover the decal completely. You can do this by using brown paper bags or printer paper. like wrapping paper, you do not need to use paper that is coated with wax.
• Using the iron, press every part of the decal for 30 seconds on top of the paper.
• The paper should be peeled away. There should be a good amount of vinyl left on the paper.
• Using fresh paper, repeat the process to clean up any remaining vinyl residue.

You can also use a knife to scrape away the vinyl using the iron directly on the decal's backside if the paper process doesn't seem to be effective. The hot iron is near your hands during this process, so use caution!

Final Thoughts

Vinyl is actually easier to remove than the majority of people think. While I’ve shown you several methods of removing vinyl decals, you should always take care when using any of them. It is important that you follow the shirt's care instructions so you can protect yourself from solvents, sharp edged knives, and heat.

Flock Heat Transfer Vinyl

£5.00

Black / 10''x 24'' - Sold Out Black / 10''x 36'' - Sold Out Black / 10''x 48'' - Sold Out Dark Grey / 10''x 24'' - £5.00 Dark Grey / 10''x 36'' - £7.00 Dark Grey / 10''x 48'' - £9.00 Green / 10''x 24'' - Sold Out Green / 10''x 36'' - Sold Out Green / 10''x 48'' - Sold Out Coffe brown / 10''x 24'' - Sold Out Coffe brown / 10''x 36'' - Sold Out Coffe brown / 10''x 48'' - Sold Out Rose Red / 10''x 24'' - £5.00 Rose Red / 10''x 36'' - £7.00 Rose Red / 10''x 48'' - £9.00 Orange / 10''x 24'' - Sold Out Orange / 10''x 36'' - Sold Out Orange / 10''x 48'' - Sold Out Yellow / 10''x 24'' - Sold Out Yellow / 10''x 36'' - Sold Out Yellow / 10''x 48'' - Sold Out White / 10''x 24'' - Sold Out White / 10''x 36'' - Sold Out White / 10''x 48'' - Sold Out Sky Blue / 10''x 24'' - Sold Out Sky Blue / 10''x 36'' - Sold Out Sky Blue / 10''x 48'' - Sold Out Camel / 10''x 24'' - Sold Out Camel / 10''x 36'' - Sold Out Camel / 10''x 48'' - Sold Out Blue / 10''x 24'' - Sold Out Blue / 10''x 36'' - Sold Out Blue / 10''x 48'' - Sold Out Dark Blue / 10''x 24'' - Sold Out Dark Blue / 10''x 36'' - Sold Out Dark Blue / 10''x 48'' - Sold Out Light Pink / 10''x 24'' - Sold Out Light Pink / 10''x 36'' - Sold Out Light Pink / 10''x 48'' - Sold Out Grey / 10''x 24'' - Sold Out Grey / 10''x 36'' - Sold Out Grey / 10''x 48'' - Sold Out Red / 10''x 24'' - Sold Out Red / 10''x 36'' - Sold Out Red / 10''x 48'' - Sold Out

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