How to Remove Ironed on Labels from Clothing

Co-authored by Rani Gorgis

Last Updated: October 7, 2022 References

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 different methods. By reheating the label or applying a vinyl letter removing solvent, it becomes super easy to pull off. If there's sticky residue left on the clothing from the label, try using dish soap or rubbing alcohol to remove it.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Heating the Labels to Remove Them

1
Place the item of clothing with the label on an ironing board, if possible. Since you’ll be using an iron to heat up the label, it’s best to place the piece of clothing flat on an ironing board. Spread the item out with the label face up and in the middle of the ironing board.^{[1]
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- 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.
- You can also heat up the fabric in the dryer for a few minutes if the garment's care label allows it.
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 the label so the iron will be able to cover it.^{[2]
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3
Rest a hot iron on the parchment paper 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 label.^{[3]
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- 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.
4
Use a kitchen knife or tweezers to pull off the label while it’s still warm. Remove the iron and 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.^{[4]
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- You can also use your fingers to pull the label off, but be careful not to burn yourself.
- A wire or lint brush may also help the label come off.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Vinyl Letter Removing Solvent

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.^{[5]
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- Vinyl letter removing solvent comes in the form of a liquid in a bottle.
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.^{[6]
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- When you use the solvent, work in a well-ventilated area due to the chemical smell.
3
Dip a cotton swab in the solvent. Dip the cotton swab in the vinyl letter removing solvent so that it's saturated but not dripping. Either dip the cotton swab directly into the bottle or pour a little bit of solvent into a cup to make saturating the cotton swab easier.^{[7]
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- Purchase cotton swabs at your local drugstore or big box store.
4
Apply the solvent to the back and front of the clothing label. Dab the solvent on the back of the clothing where the label is, as well as directly on top of the label. This ensures that both sides of the ironed-on label are damp with the solvent to make removing it easier.^{[8]
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- The entire label area should be covered with the solvent.
5
Pull the ironed-on label off using 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.^{[9]
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- If the label is still sticking to the clothing, dab another layer of solvent onto the label to saturate it more.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Getting Rid of Glue Residue

1
Place the clothing in the freezer to make removing the glue easier. Put the clothing with sticky residue from the label 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 glue patches.^{[10]
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- Putting the clothing in the freezer will make the glue harden so that it’s easier to pull off.
- Consider setting a timer so you know how long the clothing has been in the freezer.
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.^{[11]
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- Dry the clothing normally once it’s washed.
3
Opt for a product designed to remove sticky residue if it still won't come off. There are several different kinds of products you can buy at a local big box store 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.^{[12]
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- A popular product that works well on label residue is Goo Gone.
4
Dab rubbing alcohol on the stain to get rid of a super sticky spot. 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.^{[13]
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