Screen printing is a great way to add color and design to clothes, and it is valuable for people to know how to remove screen printing from clothes. The reason is that a screen printer may have gone wrong and wanted to save the shirt being processed. There are also clients who want to remove designs from their clothes. This article will teach you how to remove screen printing from clothing.
Table of Contents
What Is Screen Printing?
The concept of screen printing is to use a screen and a stencil to apply a thick layer of ink to the fabric. This ink is insoluble in water, so it won’t wash off in the washing machine. Inks are usually made with plastisol. Most screen printing companies use this method for screen printing. It works on t-shirts and hoodies.
The process usually starts with someone creating a design. Then use a graphic design program to separate the colors on your computer. Usually Photoshop or Illustrator. Once the colors are separated, the photo negative is created from the image. The photo negative is then fired onto the screen. To burn the image, apply lotion to the screen, then expose the screen to light, and burn the image into it. After burning, wash the screen in the sink. During the washing process, the image is displayed on the screen. The screen is then attached to a screen printing machine and the shirt is placed on the machine’s printing plate. Pull the screen over the shirt and place a decent amount of plastisol ink on top of the screen. Then use a squeegee to drag the ink onto the pattern. When done, the screen will be removed. When removed, the pattern was revealed on the shirt. The ink is still wet, so it must be removed and placed on a flash dryer or conveyor dryer.
It might seem complicated to explain, but once the process has gone through a few times, it’s not difficult at all.
How To Remove Screen Printing
Although screen printing has the advantage of transferring designs onto fabrics for commercial products, you may want to eventually get rid of your designs. Fortunately, this is possible because the thick ink used for this technique is not fully absorbed by the fibers of the fabric. Here are seven effective ways to remove unattractive or outdated screen print designs from clothing and other items.
1. Nail polish remover or acetone
Acetone is a chemical in nail polish remover that is very useful in removing cracks and old patterns from screen printing. You can use nail polish remover or a bottle of pure acetone to dissolve your designs. However, be careful with this chemical as it is a strong solvent.
2. Plastisol remover
Plastisol is one of the most popular ink types used for screen printing. This ink is made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or other similar polymer particles. Like acetone, plastisol is strong, so you must always handle it with gloves and in a well-ventilated area. For this technique, soft cloth is first soaked in plastisol and then placed on top of the design.
Let it sit for about 30 minutes. Then, use a brush to gently remove any flaking and use a soft cloth to remove any remaining plastisol. Wash the product in the normal washing machine cycle (with detergent).
3. Spot remover
Spot Remover Spot remover is also effective for erasing screen-printed patterns. Some spot cleaning guns use an air compressor, while others work like a toy water gun. This type of cleaning item is an excellent solution for removing small stains from your designs. Just make sure to only spray on the pattern, not the normal fabric of the item, as the latter can be easily damaged. As with plastisol, wash the product at the end to remove all chemicals.
4. Rinse with cold water
Old-fashioned cold water rinsing in the washing machine (or by hand) is also effective in removing silkscreen patterns. However, it is strongly recommended that you choose this technology only in new designs.
5. Ironing and peeling
This method involves using an iron to “melt” the print onto a bag (ideally a grocery store paper bag). The remaining ink can be easily peeled off. This is the only technique that involves heat and usually makes removing the ink more difficult. However, make sure you’re not using steam (for example, keep the iron on a relatively low setting). A plastic scraper can also help you remove residual ink.
6. Frosting frosting
Believe it or not, sugar can help gently remove silkscreen patterns, especially fresh ones. If your design still has some residue left after rinsing it in cold water, try adding a tablespoon of regular sugar to your design. Gently wipe your design with a soft cloth or hand.
7. Washing and fading
All prints on men’s laundry will eventually fade, especially after many washes. Therefore, you can also remove the pattern on the product by washing it regularly. Just make sure your garment is facing out so the pattern will erase faster. Also, keep in mind that the color of the clothing itself may also fade.
All of these methods are very effective for removing screen-printed designs. However, keep in mind that some solutions may work better than others, depending on the size of your design, the type of garment (e.g. t-shirts, hoodies, etc.), and the fabrics they are printed on (e.g. cotton, wool, poly Ester fiber, nylon, denim, etc.) and other factors. Be sure to consider how much time and effort you are prepared to spend removing your design.
Final Word
Errors often occur in the screen printing business. Customers will change their minds. The employee did not read the instructions on the work order correctly. Pinholes will appear on the screen. All hope is not lost. Clothes can be recycled. Damage can be repaired.
Be careful not to damage the clothes again. Test chemicals in an inconspicuous place. Do not scrub clothes too hard. This wears away the material.
an inconspicuous place. Do not scrub clothes too hard. This wears away the material.
