Pick a small, inconspicuous part of the item not easily visible during normal use. Place wax paper or a thin dish towel on top of the area. Press down with a pre-heated iron on the small area you’re testing. Hold it for about 15 seconds. Remove the iron and check for damage or discoloration on your item. If you are treating a delicate item, make sure the iron is on the proper setting. If you don’t have experience ironing this type of fabric, the adhesive remover method is probably a better idea.
If the glue does not appear to have softened, apply the iron again. Keep adding heat until the adhesive melts.
Hold onto the item with one hand and peel with your other. You can use your fingers to do this, but be cautious, as the adhesive will be hot. If you have trouble lifting up the first part of the patch, try using tweezers or a butter knife. Tweezers will be able to slide between the patch and your item and grip the patch well. If you don’t have tweezers, slip a butter knife between the patch and your item. Lift up to start the patch and remove the rest of it with your fingers. If the patch is large, you may have to make a few passes with the iron. Peel up large patches section by section. [1] X Research source
Rubbing alcohol can also be an effective alternative. [2] X Research source
Find a small, inconspicuous area on your item that is not easily visible during normal use. For example, the inside back bottom edge of a hat or jacket would be a good choice. Dab a small amount of adhesive remover onto this spot. Work the adhesive remover into the fabric using your fingers or a clean rag. Rinse off the adhesive remover and check for discoloration.
Turn the item right-side-out. Hold it with one hand. Grip the edge of the patch between the index finger and thumb of your other hand. Pull back to lift the edge of the patch up and off your item. Work your way around the patch until it has been entirely peeled away.
Reapply the adhesive remover however many times it takes to completely remove the patch. However, if the glue remover you used has not softened the adhesive at all, you will likely need to try a different one. If you don’t plan on keeping the patch, trim off what you’ve already peeled off with a pair of scissors. This will make it much easier to work with and keep the patch from sticking back onto your item.
If you used the adhesive remover method, launder your item first. This may remove the adhesive completely on its own.
You can also make your own adhesive remover at home. Just mix two parts baking soda with one part coconut oil and a few drops of orange essential oil. [3] X Research source This all natural adhesive remover works well at removing residue but not for removing the patch itself. It is a thick paste that is unable to easily soak through fabrics.
If the item is machine wash safe, go ahead and throw it into your washing machine with a normal load of laundry. Hand soak delicate items using cold or room temperature water with a small amount of detergent. If the glue seems especially stuck-on, try scrubbing it with a soft toothbrush after the adhesive remover has been worked in. Apply some liquid laundry detergent directly to the residue patch as a pre-treatment. If there is still some residue left after you’ve washed your item, try repeating the process with more adhesive remover. It may take a few tries to totally remove the stain. Do not place the item in the dryer until the stain has been completely removed. Doing so may set the stain and make it harder to clean. [4] X Research source
Before soaking, first try saturating the spot with white vinegar and wash as normal. This works well for delicate items with caked-on glue from the iron method. If spot treatment doesn’t work, try soaking your item overnight. For white items, you may use undiluted vinegar. To keep colored fabric from bleeding, dilute the vinegar in water using one cup of vinegar per gallon of water. While white vinegar is generally safe to use on clothing, always be sure to do a patch test first to be sure. Use white vinegar only. Other types may stain clothing.
