How to Remove Screen Printing from a Shirt Easily?
Screen printing is one of the most versatile techniques. It is used in a number of different industries, with the fabric being the most popular one.
The technique is extremely efficient as it allows easy reproduction of a design multiple times.
However, if you are new to screen printing, you will inevitably make mistakes. But everyone does, so it is completely okay.
At the same time, you might just want to change a design or use the shirt for a different purpose. That’s why you need to learn how to remove screen printing from a shirt easily.
And you can do that by following any of the methods mentioned below.
How to Remove Screen Printing from a Shirt Easily | Efficient Methods
Let’s teach you the process of removing screen printing from a fabric. Here are the most efficient methods you can follow.
Paper Bag and Sugar
Wash the shirt immediately with cold water. Emphasis on cold because the ink will dry otherwise. Ice water is most preferable.
Rinse the shirt with warm water after the fresh ink has come off. And wash only after all of the fresh ink has come off, because warm water will help set any ink to the fabric.
Allow the shirt time to dry completely. Once dry, lay it down on a flat surface. Place the glossy side of a paper bag on top of the area with the remaining ink and dry iron the part, as the heat will cause the ink to transfer to the paper. Continue till no more ink can be removed.
For the last step, take some sugar and very gently scrub any leftover ink stains away.
Wax Paper
Put a towel on a flat surface and place the shirt on top with the print faced up.
Cover the printed area with wax paper and iron it at extremely high heat, so the ink melts and transfers to the paper. Continue till a sufficient amount is removed and use a dull knife to scrape off the rest.
Towel
Lay the shirt down on a flat surface. Place a dry towel under the area with the print but above the opposite side of the shirt, so the towel is between the two sides of the shirt; otherwise, the ink will seep from one side to another.
Take another clean towel and wet it with water. Wring the wet towel dry and place it over the area with the print.
Get an extremely hot iron and press it down on the area. Apply pressure and hold for a few minutes for the heat to reach and melt the ink.
Once the wet towel dries, remove the iron. Take a knife and carefully scrape off the print. Another way is to pry off a corner and pull off the melted ink.
Repeat till the print is removed.
Chemical Solvents
A number of chemical solvents can be used to remove screen printing, i.e., rubbing alcohol, nail polish remover, adhesive remover, etc.
The first step is to test the solvent on a corner or a hidden area of the shirt to check for damage. Apply a drop or two and wait for any noticeable damage or discoloration. If there are none, then it is safe to use.
To start, turn the shirt inside out, so the back of the print is up top. Lay it down on a flat surface and pour out enough solvent to wet the area with the print. Wait till the fabric is completely soaked.
Next, turn the shirt right side out and wait till the ink is loose. Pry off a corner with fingers or a dull knife and pull off the rest.
Thoroughly wash the shirt well to remove any trace of the chemical solvents.
High-Pressure Gun
Remove screen printing from the shirt with spotting fluid using a high-pressure gun. It is extremely important to remember to use protective gear and work in a sufficiently ventilated space to avoid the harmful effects of the chemicals present in the spotting fluid.
Be careful not to let any stains remain from the liquid. Wash the shirt well before use.
Detergent
Wash the shirt repeatedly with plenty of detergents. It is advisable to wash by hand and focus on the area with the print.
While detergent does not completely remove screen printing from the shirt, it helps the print fade. And if washed often enough, it may be possible for it all to slowly fade away.
A Piece of Advice: Do Not Iron
This one is more about preventing the print from setting in. Do not iron the shirt, especially not the part with the print you want to remove, as the application of heat will only embed the ink deeper into the fibers of the fabric. And once heat-set, the print becomes pretty much permanent, thus impossible to remove.
Long story short: Do not iron.
Conclusion
So, as you can see, not all hope is lost when you wish to get rid of the ink on your shirt, no matter what your reason is. It is completely possible to easily remove the screen printing.
And now that you have learned how to remove screen printing from a shirt easily, it shouldn’t be a problem for you.
