How to Get Rid of a Design on a Shirt
How To Remove Vinyl From A T-Shirt
By Shirtspace | Dec 26, 2019 | Updated Nov 23, 2021
If you are in the world of clothing decoration, your main actions are steps that allow you to add things to t-shirts. Screen printers and garment creators alike strive to make cool designs by adding ink, vinyl, and other materials to t-shirts. What they create is their own piece of art.
But like with all other types of art, mistakes are sometimes made in garment decorating. Ink can smudge or it may not cure all the way, designs blend together, and vinyl doesn't go on correctly. One of the blessings of vinyl that ink doesn't have is that vinyl can be removed. By removing the vinyl from the t-shirt, you can save the shirt and start over.
Removing vinyl may seem tricky, but it really isn't! Keep reading to find out exactly to remove vinyl from t-shirts.
What is Vinyl?
Vinyl is a man-made plastic that is used in screen printing, auto part manufacturing, and much more. It is one of the most versatile types of plastic. The vinyl used in garment decoration is thin and is used to create designs on all different types of clothing. In most cases, heat transfer vinyl is used to create cool designs on tees.
When is Vinyl Used on a T-shirt?
Vinyl is used on t-shirts in a variety of different situations. Most commonly, vinyl is used when you want to add a little extra bling to a shirt or don't want to go through the whole screen printing process. Vinyl is a quick way to get a shirt decorated when you have a simple design. Because it is so simple, vinyl is the go-to for people who are short on time. It can be used for pictures, wording, sports numbers, and more. It is a simple and effective way to create an awesome piece!
How to Add Vinyl to a T-Shirt
Adding heat transfer vinyl to a t-shirt is relatively easy. You need to:
• Come up with your design.
• Create your design. You can do this either by hand or by designing on computer design.
• Transfer your design to the vinyl by either printing it or hand-drawing it.
• Cut out your design on the vinyl with an Exacto knife.
• Use a heat source (like an iron or heat press) to transfer the vinyl onto the t-shirt.
If you want a lengthier how to, you can check one out here.
Why Would You Want to Remove Vinyl From a T-shirt?
No one wants to mess up their designs on t-shirts, but it does happen. And even though it sucks, sometimes you have to start over. Thankfully with Vinyl, you can remove it from the t-shirt and use the t-shirt again. That is not something that is possible when you are using ink! So if you mess up while adding Vinyl to a t-shirt, take the time to remove it.
Materials Needed to Remove Vinyl
Removing vinyl from a t-shirt is pretty simple! You just need a few handy tools. Make sure to have these items on hand:
• Exacto knife
• Tweezers
• Rubbing alcohol
• Iron
How to Remove Vinyl From A T-Shirt
Step one
Get your work station set up before trying to remove the vinyl. This will save you time in the long run. Lay your t-shirt out and place the Exacto knife, tweezers, and rubbing alcohol to the side of it. Plugin your iron and give it time to heat up. Make sure to check and see what material your shirt is and turn your iron onto the setting that corresponds with the type of heat the material needs. Some types of fabric can melt if you heat it up too much.
Step Two
Open your shirt up and place it over the iron. The iron should be directly on the shirt where the backside of the vinyl lays.
Step Three
Tighten the shirt around the iron so it makes it easier to pull the vinyl off. You can tie the shirt off with a hair tie or a rubber band.
Step Four
Run your Exacto knife or tweezers over the vinyl on the t-shirt. The vinyl will start to pick up and pull off the shirt. It is going to come off in small sections at a time, so be patient. In a lot of cases, the vinyl will start to stick to the tool you are using. Using the alcohol to clean off your tools and then continue rubbing the vinyl off the shirt.
What if the Steps Above Don't Work?
Most of the time, the above steps will do the trick to get all of the vinyl off of your t-shirt. In some cases, you may have some vinyl that is still stuck to the shirt. Not to worry though! We have an easy way for you to remove the rest of that pesky vinyl.
If you have some residue left from the vinyl on the t-shirt, break out the petroleum jelly. Rub the petroleum jelly over the vinyl to loosen it. Then grab a t-shirt detergent and rub it over the same spot. Hand wash the mixture off of the shirt and the vinyl will be gone.
What Do I Do When the Vinyl is Fully Removed?
Once the vinyl is removed, you should fully wash the t-shirt. Follow the directions for that specific fabric and then allow the t-shirt to fully dry before reapplying vinyl or printing on it.
Remember to be Patient
While removing vinyl from t-shirts is relatively easy, it can take a bit of time. Be patient and stick with it because the vinyl will come off the shirt and then the shirt can be reused. No one likes to throw away a perfectly good tee!
Get the Perfect Shirts for Vinyl Transfers
While we don't sell vinyl here at ShirtSpace, we do sell the perfect t-shirts to transfer vinyl onto! From cotton tees to tri-blends, and more, we've got you covered! If you have any questions on what shirt is right for your needs, don't hesitate to reach out to us! We are happy to help get you started.
How to Get Rid of a Design on a Shirt
Source: https://www.shirtspace.com/blog/how-to-remove-vinyl-from-a-t-shirt