The only thing that wood glue bonds better than wood is fabric. So how can you get wood glue and wood glue stains out of those work shirts that need to stay presentable? An SMCreeker said: “Over the past year I’ve had a more than a few cases of regular yellow glue smearing and then drying into the fabric of my work shirts. Anyone know a trick for removing it?”
Some helpful suggestions followed… for those of you who get glue on the wrong clothes!
Helpful suggestions:
1) Use Titebond:
One of the reasons I use regular Titebond whenever I can……which is for about 99+% of my work. I run a glueline – smooth and spread it with my finger – wipe finger on pants – do the clamping. When the pants go through the washer (and somethimes there’s enough dried glue to make a real stiff patch) it’s never failed to all come out.
2) Try Vinegar:
Try white vinegar first. If that’s ineffective, try amonia, but do it first in an inconspicuous inside area to be sure that the fabric color is not damaged. It’s generally best to get the glue out immediately with water before it cures, but if it’s hard, it’s not easy. White glue is usually water soluble. Type II PVA is water resistent; hence the vinegar, etc., recommendation. Type III PVA will be even tougher…
3) Suggestions from a Pro Dry-Cleaner:
a. take an old rag that is clean, lay it over the stain, and hit it with an iron on it’s hottest setting. If the glue can be heated up to the point of re-liquifying, you may be able to wipe most of it off.
b. There is a product in our industry we use for plasticized adhesives called amyl acetate. If you can soak the stain with this stuff for hours, then maybe it will start to break it down. If it works, then just flush it out with naptha or mineral spirits in a rag.
4) Boiling Water:
Put the area with the glue into boiling water. Boiling water softens PVA adhesive and a stiff bristled brush like a fingernail brush should remove the softened glue.
5) De-Glue Goo
De-Glue Goo (a solvent that smells suspiciously of vinegar and costs more…)
From the thread: Removing dried glue . . . from your shirt?
Also note, according to another SMC thread on clamping time you have about 20 minutes before that glue sets ;)
I tried the drycleaner’s suggestion re: hit it with an iron. I did exactly as printed, however after repeated hits, my iron broke into several pieces and there was a lot of sparks flying. Some of the sparks lit onto the cloth, which then set aflame. The firemen said that the amyl acetate acted as an accellerant, and thats why my house burned to the ground. :-(
Dear Brian says, you must have misunderstood. You were supposed to hit the old rag with the iron’s HOTTEST setting. This is the little white button hidden under the handle. Next time try to get it right and you will avoid a burnt down house. Good luck.