How To Get PVC Glue Out Of Clothes (What A Sticky Mess!)
PVC glue is a tough chemical solvent that won’t come out very easy despite the best of efforts.
In fact, this glue is designed to bond plumbing pipes together. PVC glue is also handy for craft projects.
That’s why the question of how to get plumber’s glue out of clothes comes up so often.
But don’t worry, all hope is not lost and you won’t have to buy new clothes just yet. I have a few ideas on what you could do to deal with this difficult problem.
And as a mother of three, I’ve seen it all, so you can trust that I’ll be comprehensive!
PVC glue should come off of clothes with a little bit of effort. The glue is meant to be permanent so you might not find an ideal solution or one that removes it entirely.
But, let’s not look at what could go wrong and instead focus on what you can do.
Before We Start
Let’s go simple because some of what I’ll suggest could even cause damage to your clothes.
First try washing the item of clothing in the laundry on high heat settings.
It might just do the trick.
(In fact, I even have some suggestions for some great eco-friendly laundry detergents!)
If you’ve already tried that then it’s okay to move on to the first suggestion (or the second one as neither involves using chemicals).
Okay, but let’s get to it, how to get PVC glue out of clothes.
Freezing The Glue
You’ll need:
- A freezer or access to one
- A razor blade or something similar
Okay, maybe this sounds ridiculous, but I promise you that this might work.
By placing your shirt or another item of clothing in the freezer (I can’t believe I’m typing this) the glue will freeze.
That’ll give you a chance to scrape it off using the razor blade or other sharp object.
Ideally, you’d want to leave it in the freezer for at least one hour before giving this a try.
Heating The Glue
You’ll need:
- An iron & ironing board
- Paper towels
Now, remember that you can use a combination of different techniques.
So, if freezing doesn’t work for you, there’s no issue with going straight to attempting to heat the glue.
To do this you need to put the paper towels on top of the glue stain.
Using a heated iron, press on them.
Ideally, what should happen is that the glue melts and goes onto the paper towels.
Repeat this with as many paper towels as needed.
Try Some WD-40
You’ll need:
- WD-40
- A dry cloth
Start by simply spraying the affected area with WD-40, and then let it be for about an hour.
After this, scrub it with a clean cloth.
Rinse it out with water.
A lot of the PVC glue should have come off.
If this doesn’t work, let’s try this next potential solution!
How About Some Goo Gone
You’ll need:
- Goo Gone
- A dry cloth
Just like with WD-40, you should spray the affected area.
But this time, only let it soak for about 10 minutes.
Then attempt to wipe the glue away with your cloth.
You may want to repeat this if it doesn’t work initially.
You Could Also Try Acetone
What you’ll need:
- A cotton ball
- Acetone
First, you’ll want to soak the cotton ball in acetone.
Then, start rubbing it onto the affected area.
Continue as much as needed, but not for too long.
You don’t want to let too much get on the fabric.
Acetone can deteriorate it.
(This is just a last resort if you still weren’t able to get the glue off if I’m honest.)
If All Else Fails
If you still weren’t able to get it off after all these different techniques, then it may be time to throw in the towel.
It may be best to just take this as a learning moment and to use old clothes when using PVC glue.
And if you haven’t started yet, I wish you the best of luck!
I hope I was able to effectively show you how to get pipe glue out of clothes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will rubbing alcohol remove glue from fabric?
Rubbing alcohol might help, but it also could leave dye stains. It is comprised of ingredients other than just alcohol. So, although it may help, it may also leave you with a secondary issue.
What will dissolve glue on fabric?
Heat might help to dissolve glue on fabric by melting it. Otherwise, you could also try something like WD-40 or even acetone. Though you should use the latter sparingly and with caution.
Can you use Goo Gone on fabric?
You can use Goo Gone on fabric. Goo Gone is a substance that is safe to use on most surfaces. Just don’t use it on leather or silk.
