How to Remove Iron-On & Vinyl Labels from Your Clothes

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Plus, how to remove sticky residue so your clothes look like new

Co-authored by Rani Gorgis and Dan Hickey

Last Updated: May 24, 2024 Fact Checked

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• Using an Iron
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• Using Vinyl Letter Remover
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• Removing Adhesive Residue
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• Video
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• Expert Interview
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• Tips

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If there's an ironed-on label on your item of clothing that you'd like to remove, you can quickly remove it using a couple of quick and easy methods. By reheating the label with an iron or applying a vinyl letter removing solvent, it becomes super easy to pull it right off the fabric. If there's sticky residue left on the clothing from the label, try using dish soap or rubbing alcohol to remove it.

Quickest Way to Take Off Iron-On Labels

Lay the garment on an ironing board or heat-proof surface with the label facing up, then cover the label with parchment paper. Iron the label over the paper for 10 seconds, then quickly peel off the label with tweezers while the adhesive is still hot. Remove sticky residue with dish soap and water or rubbing alcohol.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Removing Labels with an Iron

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1. 1
   Place the clothing on an ironing board with the label face up, if possible. Since you’ll be using an iron to heat up the label, it’s safest to place the piece of clothing flat on an ironing board. Spread the item out flat with the label face up and in the middle of the ironing board.

   • If you don't have an ironing board, lay a thin towel out on a flat, heat-proof surface like a kitchen island to act as a makeshift ironing board.
2. 
   2
   Cut a square of parchment paper and place it over the label. Tear a piece of parchment paper that’s large enough to cover the entire label with space on each edge to spare. Place it flat on top of the label so the iron will be able to cover it.
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3. 
   3
   Iron on the parchment paper for 10 seconds to heat up the label. Turn your iron on and let it heat up. Once it’s hot, place it on the parchment paper for 5–10 seconds, letting it heat up the adhesive on the label.

   • Set the iron to roughly 300 °F (149 °C).
   • Move the iron around in circular movements on the parchment paper to make sure the clothing and label don’t burn.
   • Laundry and cleaning specialist Rani Gorgis says, "I usually heat up the fabric in the dryer for a few minutes" beforehand to pre-soften the adhesive.
4. 
   4
   Use a kitchen knife or tweezers to pull off the label while it’s still warm. Remove the iron and parchment paper, then immediately start pulling the label off using a dull kitchen knife or a pair of tweezers. Gently tug the label off slowly to ensure you get all of it.

   • Or, use your fingers to pull the label off. Just be careful not to burn yourself.
   • Laundry and cleaning professional Rano Gorgis adds, you can also "brush the iron-on transfer using a lint or wire brush, or it may peel off on its own and you can just scrape it off using a [dull] utensil."
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Removing Labels with Vinyl Letter Remover

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1. 1
   Purchase vinyl letter removing solvent to take off the labels. This type of solvent is designed specifically for vinyl labels that are ironed on to clothing and other fabric. Look for vinyl letter removing solvent online or at craft and hobby stores.

   • Vinyl letter removing solvent comes in the form of a liquid in a bottle.
2. 
   2
   Test the solvent on a small section of the clothing. To make sure the solvent doesn't stain or ruin the item of clothing, dab a dot or two of the solvent on an inconspicuous area like the armpit of a shirt or the inside of a sweatshirt. Wait a minute or two to check that the solvent doesn't cause the fabric to change color.

   • Safety tip: When you use the solvent, work in a well-ventilated area due to the chemical fumes.
3. 
   3
   Apply the solvent to the back and front of the clothing label with a cotton swab. Dip a cotton swab in the solvent so that it's saturated but not dripping (dip directly into the bottle or pour some solvent into a cup for easier access). Dab the solvent on the back of the clothing where the ironed-on label is and directly on top of the label. This ensures both sides of the label are damp, which makes removing it easier.

   • The entire label area should be covered with the solvent.
4. 
   4
   Pull the ironed-on label off with tweezers. Take a pair of tweezers and begin gently pulling on the label, tugging it off of the piece of clothing. Continue pulling the label off slowly until it's entirely removed.

   • If the label is still sticking to the clothing, dab another layer of solvent onto the label to saturate it more.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Removing Adhesive Residue

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1. 1
   Put the clothing with sticky label residue in the freezer for 45–90 minutes. Once it’s frozen, take it out of the freezer and use your fingers or a pair of tweezers to pull off the hardened glue patches.

   • Putting the clothing in the freezer will make the glue harden so that it’s easier to pull off.
   • Set a timer so you know how long the clothing has been in the freezer.
   • This method is best for synthetic fabrics.
2. 
   2
   Rub dish soap onto the sticky spot to clean off excess glue. Dab warm water onto the spot with the label residue. Rub 1 or 2 drops of dish detergent on the spot, using a washcloth to wash it using circular motions. After you’ve applied dish detergent, wash the piece of clothing in the washing machine on a regular cycle.

   • Dry the clothing normally once it’s washed.
3. 
   3
   Opt for a product designed to remove sticky residue if it still won't come off. There are several products you can buy at local big box stores that help dissolve and remove residue from labels. Look for cleaning products with labels like “adhesive remover” or that say they clean up sticky messes and follow the product instructions.

   • Generally, you’ll soak the sticky spot in the residue remover for a few minutes, peel or rub the residue off, then rinse the garment.
   • Popular products that works well on label residue include Goo Gone and Carbona Stain Devils No. 1.
4. 
   4
   Dab rubbing alcohol on the stain to get rid of super sticky spots. Wet a washcloth or clean cloth with rubbing alcohol. Gently dab the rubbing alcohol on the entire spot with sticky residue until it’s damp. Wash the item of clothing in the washing machine according to its care instructions to wash out the rest of the residue.

   • For natural fibers, you can also try acetone (nail polish remover) in place of rubbing alcohol.
   • Test the rubbing alcohol on an inconspicuous spot of the clothing to make sure it doesn’t fade the color before applying it to the entire sticky spot.
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Tips

• If you don't have an iron, a hair dryer set to high heat can work as well.
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  Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
• Check to be sure the sticky residue left from an ironed-on label is completely gone before putting the item of clothing in the dryer. Use tweezers to remove any small bits of adhesive residue that may remain on the garment.
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  Helpful 2 Not Helpful 1

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• If you don't have an iron, a hair dryer set to high heat can work as well.
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  Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0

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