How to REMOVE RESIN from CLOTHING

Before starting to remove this residue, we recommend you to know these tips for removing resin from clothing and then follow one of the methods that we will explain.

• Trying to remove resin stains at the moment of detection with just a cloth can be counterproductive. To remove resin stains you will need the help of a chemical agent, whether it is a natural or commercial product, so if you simply rub it as soon as you see them, the only thing you are going to get is that it penetrates more and more into fabric, making it harder to clean later.
• The resin solidifies over time. When it sticks to our clothes by rubbing against a tree, it is a substance similar to honey, although it can vary slightly depending on the tree and the time of exposure to air and light. Most likely, when we get home and if we take a long time to remove it from the garment, it will end up solidifying like glue. Luckily, there are ways you can remove it whether it is hardened or not.
• We must take into account the type of fabric, because to remove a resin stain we will have to subject the fabric to some process that, in general, can deteriorate it, especially if it is a delicate or colored fabric. Our recommendation is that before submitting your garment to the resin cleaning process, look at the label for characteristics of the type: suitable for ironing, high temperature washing, etc. If you have doubts about the meaning of the drawings, you can consult this other oneHOWTO article in which we explain what the symbols of washing clothes mean.
• As we are going to tell you several tricks to know how to remove this residue from a garment, you can choose which is the best for your specific case. However, if what you want to know is how to remove resin from black or colored clothing, what you should take into account is the resistance of the fabric to fading. To do this, before applying to the stain, choose one of the least aggressive methods with the color and, likewise, carry out a small test on a non-visible area of ​​the garment, such as a hem.

If a few days have not passed and the resin is fresh, you can soften it using heat and a suitable product and thus it will be possible to clean the stain without penetrating further into the fabric. If the amount of resin is large, you can remove it little by little with the help of a sponge without rubbing, letting it absorb a part, or using a knife, spatula or similar instrument to remove as much of the resin drops as possible. , until only the smooth stain remains on the fabric. If the amount of resin is small, or once you have reduced it, you can heat it and wash it directly with hot water and plenty of soap, by hand or with a washing machine, but this method is only suitable for heat-resistant fabrics. Take note of these two methods for removing resin with heat.

Dry heat for resin stains

It’s very simple, just apply hot air using a hair dryer (you can also use an iron for clothes). It is better to be patient and not use the maximum temperature so as not to damage the garment. You should also be careful not to apply it too close because it can burn the fabric, especially if you do not move the dryer slightly and you focus the heat a lot.

1. Hold the dryer about 8 inches, moving it so the heat spreads evenly.
2. Do this for the necessary time, until you notice that the resin stain softens.
3. At that moment, begin to remove the product with small touches with a cloth or sponge, but without rubbing.
4. Reapply the dryer to maintain the temperature and the soft texture of the resin and continue to remove it little by little.
5. When you cannot see the resin and only the stain is noticeable, that is, the most embedded part of the residue, it is time to wash. You can choose to wash by machine or by hand, but do so respecting the labeling.

Moist heat to remove resin from clothing

You can also soften the resin stain by soaking the fabric in very hot water. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Heat the water in a saucepan or with a kettle.
2. Place the affected piece of clothing in a basin or bucket.
3. Pour the boiling water over the stain, always being careful not to burn yourself.
4. Repeat the necessary times until you see that the water takes a good part of the resin and only the mark remains.
5. Submerge the stain in hot water and scrub with a fine-bristle brush until the stain is virtually imperceptible.
6. Wash the garment the way you usually do and with the same detergent.

In either case, if when the garment dries you see that the stain persists, it is time to use a more specific product to remove stains than the usual detergent, such as the ones you will see in the following sections.

If you are going to use these products, the first thing you should do is protect your hands with gloves and your clothes with an apron. There are several products that can be used to remove resin from clothing, but you must make sure that they can be used on the fabric you are going to treat, taking special care with delicate or colored garments (other methods may be better for these).

Acetone to remove resin from clothing

This liquid, which is used to remove nail polish, also has other uses and diluting the resin is one of them. The correct way to use it is as follows:

1. Soak a cotton ball or cloth in acetone.
2. Apply it to the resin stain by dabbing on the fabric. Acetone works quickly and also evaporates very quickly, so most of the stain usually disappears in a short time. It is a very fast method but also very aggressive with clothing.
3. Wash the garment as usual.

White spirit for resin stains

White spirit is a powerful solvent commonly used to remove plastic paint stains. It also helps us remove resin on white clothes or very light colors and resistant fabrics. Be careful with colored fabrics because they can fade them and leave marks, ruining the garment. It is applied in the same way as acetone.

Turpentine

Turpentine is used to thin oil paints and in cabinetry to remove some types of varnish. Since the resin has an oily component, we can also use turpentine to remove it from the fabric. To do this, follow these indications:

1. Soak the stain with turpentine.
2. Let it work for about 10 minutes.
3. Remove the turpentine with a cloth or rag.
4. Wash clothes regularly.

Alcohol

If the stain is not very extensive, pharmacy alcohol can also be useful, as well as other alcohol-based cleaners or disinfectants (hand or medical disinfectants and window cleaners). The way to apply it is the same as acetone and turpentine.

Finally, we offer you more tricks to remove resin from clothing, but this time using more natural and less aggressive products.

• Baking soda: It is a very effective home remedy against almost all types of blemishes. The bicarbonate is applied directly on the resin stain if it is recent, or it is mixed with a few drops of hot water if the resin needs to be softened, and it is left to act for an hour or so. Remove it by washing it regularly. In this other post you can learn more about How to use baking soda for stains.
• Ice: It is advisable to use them if the resin is very dry and the way to apply it is the same as to remove a chewing gum. Instead of diluting, the cold will further solidify the resin, so we can remove it with a spatula or a knife. Then we will proceed to wash as usual. This method is very useful for sturdy fabric items such as jeans, but it is not recommended for very delicate items because the fabric could tear. Here you can see the necessary steps: How to remove gum from cold clothes.

If you want to read more articles similar to How to remove resin from clothing, we recommend that you enter our Home Cleaning category.