3 Ways To Remove An Iron On Transfer From Clothes - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow How to Remove an Iron on Transfer From Clothes PDF download Download Article Explore this Article methods 1 Using Chemical Solvents to Remove Transfer 2 Using Heat and Steam to Remove Transfer 3 Removing a Transfer With An Iron Other Sections Questions & Answers VideoWATCH NOW Tips and Warnings Related Articles References Article Summary Co-authored by Rani Gorgis

Last Updated: August 16, 2024 Fact Checked

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This article was co-authored by Rani Gorgis. Rani Gorgis is a Laundry and Cleaning Specialist and the Owner of Park Blvd Laundry & Dry Cleaners in San Diego, California. With several years of experience in the laundry and cleaning industry, Rani specializes in dry cleaning, wash-n-fold, shirt laundry, and servicing smoke-damaged clothes. He holds a BS in Accounting and a CPA certification. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,624,071 times.

Iron-on transfers can be a great way to express your own personal style, and make a cool addition to many different items of clothing. However, you may decide after having an iron-on transfer for a while that you are tired of looking at it. Unfortunately, most iron-on transfers are permanent. However, you can try to remove the transfer using one or more of the approaches in the steps below.

Things You Should Know

  • Spray the back of the patch with a solvent like acetone, rubbing alcohol, or Goo Gone. Stretch the fabric and peel or scratch the patch off, then wash.
  • Alternatively, loosen the patch with heat from a hair dryer or steam from a hot, wet towel. Scrape the patch off with a sharp knife and wipe away any residue.
  • If it’s still stuck, grab an iron on high heat and place a sheet of parchment paper over the patch. Iron it with quick strokes to melt the adhesive.

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 3:

Using Chemical Solvents to Remove Transfer

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  1. Step 1 Purchase a chemical solvent made for removing lettering. 1 Purchase a chemical solvent made for removing lettering. There are solvents made for this specific purpose,[1] but you could try household solvents such as nail polish remover, rubbing alcohol, or an adhesive remover such as Goo Gone.
  2. Step 2 Place your garment in the dryer. 2 Place your garment in the dryer. Putting the item in the dryer on high heat for a few minutes will heat the adhesive and possibly loosen it a little.[2] Advertisement
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Remove an Iron on Transfer From Clothes 3 Turn your garment inside-out. The transfer should be on the inside. You should locate the area of the transfer and place your garment so that the inside of the shirt with the transfer behind it is facing up (so that if you could see through the shirt, you would see the back side of the transfer).[3]
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Remove an Iron on Transfer From Clothes 4 Test an area of the garment. Before applying solvent all over the garment, test a discreet area to be sure that the chemical does not damage the garment.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Remove an Iron on Transfer From Clothes 5 Saturate the garment with the solvent. Apply the solvent liberally to the areas of the garment that have the transfer on the other side. [4] The idea is that the solvent will soak through the fabric and loosen the adhesive between the fabric and the transfer.
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Remove an Iron on Transfer From Clothes 6 Stretch the fabric. Stretching and wiggling the fabric will help the solvent soak through the fabric and penetrate the adhesive. After stretching, you may want to apply more solvent. [5]
  7. Watermark wikiHow to Remove an Iron on Transfer From Clothes 7 Peel the transfer away. If the solvent has worked, you should be able to peel the transfer off of the garment. You may need to encourage the transfer to peel off by using a knife to scrape it up or by applying additional heat with a hair dryer.
  8. Watermark wikiHow to Remove an Iron on Transfer From Clothes 8 Remove any glue residue. After the transfer has been removed, you may find some adhesive left over. You can try removing it with rubbing alcohol or an adhesive remover such as Goo Gone. Be sure to check a discreet corner of the material for reaction before using any chemical on the fabric.
  9. Step 9 Wash the garment by itself. 9 Wash the garment by itself. Wash the garment alone, either by hand or in the washing machine. Washing it with other garments may cause the solvent to damage other items of clothing. Be sure to wash the garment well, using extra detergent, before wearing to avoid skin contact with the solvent.
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Method 2 Method 2 of 3:

Using Heat and Steam to Remove Transfer

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  1. Step 1 Place the garment on a flat surface. 1 Place the garment on a flat surface. An ironing board or tabletop covered with a towel would work. Be sure the surface that you are using is not sensitive to heat.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Remove an Iron on Transfer From Clothes 2 Put a towel inside the shirt. Placing a small towel or rag inside the shirt may help prevent any damage to the other side of your garment. If the towel is making your work surface difficult because it is too soft, try a piece of cardboard or very thin plywood instead.
  3. Step 3 Check the garment care instructions. 3 Check the garment care instructions. Heating the garment beyond recommended settings may cause damage to the material. Some materials, such as polyester, may actually melt if overheated.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Remove an Iron on Transfer From Clothes 4 Use a hairdryer to heat the transfer. A hairdryer on its hottest setting, held very close to the letters, may heat the adhesive on the back of the transfer enough for it to become malleable and be removed.[6]
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Remove an Iron on Transfer From Clothes 5 Use steam to heat the transfer. Alternately, you can use steam to treat the transfer. Place a wet towel over the transfer and put a very hot iron on top of it. [7] The steam may heat the adhesive on the back of the transfer enough for it to become malleable and be removed.
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Remove an Iron on Transfer From Clothes 6 Use a sharp knife to peel up the transfer. Once the transfer has loosened with the heat, scrape a sharp knife along the edge to pry up the iron-on transfer. [8] Once part of the transfer has been pried up, it should be easier to continue pulling up the transfer a little at a time.
  7. Watermark wikiHow to Remove an Iron on Transfer From Clothes 7 Continue heating areas of the transfer and removing the transfer. You may need to do one very small area of the transfer at a time to keep it very hot in order to keep scraping it away.
  8. Watermark wikiHow to Remove an Iron on Transfer From Clothes 8 Be patient. This method may take a long time. Put on some of your favorite music and challenge yourself to stick with it until it is all finished.
  9. Watermark wikiHow to Remove an Iron on Transfer From Clothes 9 Remove any glue residue. After the transfer has been removed, you may find some adhesive left over. You can try removing it with rubbing alcohol or an adhesive remover such as Goo Gone. Be sure to check a discreet corner of the material for reaction before using any chemical on the fabric.
  10. Step 10 Wash the garment as usual. 10 Wash the garment as usual. After you have removed the transfer and residue, launder the garment as you normally do. Be sure to do this if you used any kind of chemical to remove leftover residue, as chemicals may irritate or harm your skin.
    11. Advertisement
Method 3 Method 3 of 3:

Removing a Transfer With An Iron

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Remove an Iron on Transfer From Clothes 1 Place the garment on an ironing board. Be sure that the transfer is facing up, and lay the garment out completely flat. If you do not have an ironing board, you can lay a towel across a hard surface such as a table, counter, washing machine, or dryer.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Remove an Iron on Transfer From Clothes 2 Put a towel inside the shirt. Placing a small towel or rag inside the shirt may help prevent any damage to the other side of your garment. If the towel is making your work surface difficult because it is too soft, try a piece of cardboard or very thin plywood instead.
  3. Step 3 Check the garment care instructions. 3 Check the garment care instructions. Heating the garment beyond recommended settings may cause damage to the material. Some materials, such as polyester, may actually melt if overheated. This method involves direct heat and runs a higher risk of damaging the garment than other methods.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Remove an Iron on Transfer From Clothes 4 Heat your iron. The iron should be as hot as possible. This may mean that the iron will be hotter than the care instructions for the garment allow. If you are worried about damaging the garment, you may want to try a different method. You could try starting with a medium heat and slowly turning the iron hotter to find the right temperature that will remove the transfer but not damage the garment.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Remove an Iron on Transfer From Clothes 5 Lay parchment paper over vinyl letters. If the transfer is made of vinyl, place parchment paper over the letters and iron directly on the parchment paper. The vinyl transfer will essentially melt and stick to the parchment paper, and you can peel the letters away from the shirt by removing the parchment paper. This only works with vinyl transfers.
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Remove an Iron on Transfer From Clothes 6 Apply the iron to a corner of the transfer. The heat from the iron should essentially melt the transfer away. [9] Start with a corner and work your way across the transfer.
  7. Watermark wikiHow to Remove an Iron on Transfer From Clothes 7 Use quick strokes of the iron to remove the transfer. Once a corner has come off, make quick movements with your iron in the direction of the transfer. [10] It should continue to peel up and possibly burn off as you go.
  8. Watermark wikiHow to Remove an Iron on Transfer From Clothes 8 Continue until the transfer is gone. Repeat the strokes of the iron directly on the transfer until it has been completely removed. If you garment appears to be getting damaged, you may want to turn down the heat a bit.
  9. Watermark wikiHow to Remove an Iron on Transfer From Clothes 9 Remove any glue residue. After the transfer has been removed, you may find some adhesive left over. You can try removing it with rubbing alcohol or an adhesive remover such as Goo Gone. Be sure to check a discreet corner of the material for reaction before using any chemical on the fabric.
  10. Step 10 Wash the garment as usual. 10 Wash the garment as usual. After you have removed the transfer and residue, launder the garment as you normally do. Be sure to do this if you used any kind of chemical to remove leftover residue, as chemicals may irritate or harm your skin.
    11. Advertisement

Community Q&A

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  • Question Is there a way to remove iron-on transfer paper if it gets stuck to a shirt? wikiHow Staff Editor wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow Staff Editor wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer If paper gets stuck to the shirt, that usually means that the transfer didn’t completely take. Try laying the transfer back down and pressing it again. If you notice a few pieces of paper still sticking, spritz the shirt lightly with water, lay a sheet of Teflon over the transfer, and press it again. The remaining fragments should come off. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 9 Helpful 3
  • Question How do you remove iron-on transfer glue from fabric? wikiHow Staff Editor wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow Staff Editor wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer If there’s still adhesive sticking to the fabric after taking off the decal, you might be able to remove it by blotting the area with a cloth or cotton ball soaked in acetone (nail polish remover). Next, blot the area with a clean cloth to try to pick up the glue. If you’re worried about the acetone staining or damaging the fabric, an alternative method is to put the garment in the freezer to freeze the glue, then scrape it off with a spoon or a dull knife while it’s still brittle and hard. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 2 Helpful 5
  • Question How do you take off an iron-on patch? wikiHow Staff Editor wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow Staff Editor wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer Iron-on patches are applied with heat-activated glue. Put a piece of cloth or parchment paper over the patch and run your iron over it to heat it up and soften the glue again, then carefully peel off the patch. You can then use a fabric-safe adhesive remover to take off any glue residue. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 4 Helpful 7
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Tips

  • Combine several of the methods above if desired. You may need to use more than one approach to remove your transfer. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 0
  • Your ability to remove the transfer partly depends on the type of transfer and the adhesive that was used. Remember that most transfers are meant to be permanent. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1
  • Be aware that the effectiveness of transfer solvents is diminished the longer the transfer has been on the clothing. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 4
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References

  1. ↑ https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.1c04435
  2. ↑ Rani Gorgis. Laundry & Cleaning Specialist. Expert Interview
  3. ↑ https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.1c04435
  4. ↑ https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.1c04435
  5. ↑ https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.1c04435
  6. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9z4aemfDdAc
  7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9z4aemfDdAc
  8. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9z4aemfDdAc
  9. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9z4aemfDdAc
More References (1)
  1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9z4aemfDdAc

About This Article

Rani Gorgis Co-authored by: Rani Gorgis Laundry & Cleaning Specialist This article was co-authored by Rani Gorgis. Rani Gorgis is a Laundry and Cleaning Specialist and the Owner of Park Blvd Laundry & Dry Cleaners in San Diego, California. With several years of experience in the laundry and cleaning industry, Rani specializes in dry cleaning, wash-n-fold, shirt laundry, and servicing smoke-damaged clothes. He holds a BS in Accounting and a CPA certification. This article has been viewed 1,624,071 times. 18 votes - 68% Co-authors: 19 Updated: August 16, 2024 Views: 1,624,071 Categories: Adhesive Stains Article SummaryX

You can often remove iron-on transfers from clothes with simple household solvents. Choose a solvent such as rubbing alcohol, nail polish remover, or an adhesive remover like Goo Gone. Put your garment in the dryer on high heat for a few minutes to soften the adhesives in the transfer. Then, turn the item inside out so the transfer is on the inside. Spray the back of the garment where the transfer is located with your solvent until the cloth is saturated. Next, stretch and wiggle the fabric with your hands to help the solvent soak in. Turn the clothing right-side out and peel the transfer off. You can also remove stubborn fragments by scraping them off with a knife. If there’s still any gooey residue left, scrub it away with a soft cloth soaked in your solvent. When you’re done, launder the garment by itself with a little extra detergent. For tips on getting rid of additional adhesive or using steam to remove an iron-on, read on! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Reader Success Stories

  • Alexa Y.

    Alexa Y.

    Nov 5, 2016

    "This article was a lot of help, because you gave me different ways to take off the transfer. I looked on the..." more
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Did this article help you?

Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Rani Gorgis Co-authored by: Rani Gorgis Laundry & Cleaning Specialist 18 votes - 68% Click a star to vote Co-authors: 19 Updated: August 16, 2024 Views: 1,624,071 Alexa Y.

Alexa Y.

Nov 5, 2016

"This article was a lot of help, because you gave me different ways to take off the transfer. I looked on the..." more Dienie Muller

Dienie Muller

Oct 17, 2017

"I did everything as in the article. The wet towel created steam and the vinyl letters came off. Had to do it over..." more Ann Smith

Ann Smith

Mar 8, 2016

"Method 3 made it a breeze to remove my iron-on mistake. I wish I had tried this before I used the adhesiver..." more Rayan Annobi

Rayan Annobi

Jun 25, 2017

"Thank you so much, I wanted my clothes to be plain so I tried searching online and this site gave me the best..." more Rated this article: Zo Lapostolle

Zo Lapostolle

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"I want to get rid of a print on my pullover hoodie that I thrifted, and it gave me 3 ways! Yay! " Rated this article: Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories

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