10 Natural Ways to Remove Wood Glue Out of Clothes

Spilling wood glue on your clothes while doing some woodwork can leave a stubborn stain. Instead of throwing away your favorite garment, you can save it by learning how to get wood glue out of clothes. You don’t need to spend a lot because the solution is in your home.

Liquid Soap

When it comes to getting rid of stains, liquid soap is one of the best solutions. Although milder than detergent, it can remove stains, including wood glue.

Using a liquid soap during pre-treatment is better than washing if you use a washer. Because it is soapy, liquid soap leaves suds on the washer that can damage it.

What you need:

• liquid soap
• clean cloth
• warm water

What to do:

Apply liquid soap to the wet wood glue. Once done, rub the stain gently until you have noticed that the glue blended with the soap. Next, rinse the garment with warm water.

Check if there is still wood glue on the fabric. After that, apply liquid soap and rub it again until the stain has been removed.

Vinegar

Since it is acidic, vinegar can remove the wood glue out of the fabric. But be careful in applying vinegar to colored clothes since it causes discoloration.

Before putting on some vinegar, you should perform a spot test first. To do this, apply a small amount of vinegar to the fabric part. Wait for a few minutes and check if there is discoloration.

What you need:

• few drops of vinegar
• dull knife or scrub brush
• soap (optional)

What to do:

Put a few drops of vinegar into the wood glue. If the adhesive is already dry, let the vinegar saturate. Next, remove the wood glue by scraping it off with a dull knife or scrubbing it. If the wood glue does not loosen, wash it with soap on a basin filled with vinegar and water.

Iron

Ironing your clothes can melt dried wood glue. As a reminder, never apply heat directly to the wood glue. You may end up with a burned garment. Also, be careful when dealing with delicate fabrics. If you don’t have an iron, you can also use a hairdryer as an alternative.

What you need:

• iron or hairdryer
• cotton fabric
• bowl of hot water
• soap
• scrub brush or clean rug

What to do:

First, lay the stained part of the garment on a flat area. After positioning it correctly, cover the area with cotton fabric. Using an iron, apply heat to the stained spot for five seconds.

Check if the wood glue has melted. If yes, get a scrub brush or a clean rag and dip it in a bowl of hot water and soap. Gently rub the stained area.

Keep applying heat and rubbing off the wood glue stain until it disappears. Once you get rid of the stain, rinse the garment with hot water.

Lemon Juice and Olive Oil

Lemon juice combined with olive oil does wonder in removing stains like wood glue. The acidity of lemon juice works, and the lubricating olive oil loosens the glue out of the fabric. This solution is also used as a cleaning agent and furniture polish.

What you need:

• one part of lemon juice
• two parts of olive oil
• scrub brush
• undiluted soap
• warm water

What to do:

In a bowl, combine one part of lemon juice and two parts of olive oil. After you have prepared the solution, apply it to the stained area. Leave for a few minutes. Rub it off using a scrub brush once you notice that the wood glue is already dissolving.

If you are dealing with a stubborn stain, you can rub pure soap into the area and hand-wash it in warm water. Rinse the garment with boiling water.

Acetone

 

When it comes to stubborn stains, acetone is one of the best solutions. This method is best used when the wood glue has already been set and dried on the fabric.

However, don’t use it on colored clothes since it may lead to discoloration. Since you are dealing with a strong chemical, wear a pair of gloves.

What you need:

• a small amount of acetone
• dull knife
• clean, dry cloth
• soap and water

What to do:

First, apply a small amount of acetone to a dry, clean cloth. Dab the material to the stained area. Wait until the wood glue loosens up from the fabric.

Next, scrape and break the stain using a dull knife. After removing the glue, wash your garment with soap and water. Washing will eliminate the smell of the acetone and some adhesive residues.

Spatula

For wood glue that dried up on the fabric, scraping it off with a spatula is also one of the ways to remove it. As a warning, never scrape the glue if it is still wet. The stain may spread on your clothes, and it may go deeper into the fibers of the garment.

What you need:

• clean cloth
• hot water
• spatula

What to do:

Soak a clean cloth on a basin with hot water. Next, dab the material into the stained area. Leave it for a while until the wood glue softens and loosens from the fabric.

Once it softens, scrape it off using a spatula. Rinse the garment with warm water to remove residues and wash it as usual.

Baking Soda

Baking soda helps remove wood glue out of bare woods. It also removes the stubborn stain on the clothes. Since it is sodium bicarbonate, it can lift off the wood glue from the fabric fibers. Baking soda is a must-have in your home because it can solve many cleaning problems.

What you need:

• hairdryer
• spatula
• baking soda
• hot water
• hot soapy water

What to do:

If the wood glue has dried up on the garment, soften it first using a hairdryer. Apply heat to the stained area. After the stain has softened, scrape it off using a spatula.

To get rid of the stains that set deeply on the fibers of the clothes, make a baking soda paste. To do this, combine the baking soda with hot water.

After making a baking soda paste, apply it to the stained area and set it for about 10 minutes. Once done, rinse the garment in hot soapy water to remove all residue.

Boiling water

One of the simplest ways to get rid of wood glue stain is by boiling the fabric into the water. Since wood glue is water-soluble, it can soften or liquefy. You can use this method if the stain has already dried up.

What you need:

• stove
• cauldron
• water

What to do:

Fill half of the cauldron with water, then boil it on the stove. Once the water is already boiling, put your garment. If you have loads of clothes with stains, never put all of them on the cauldron since the water may overflow.

Treat the clothes one by one. After the wood glue has softened or liquified, remove the garment from the boiling water.

Cleaner with Amyl Acetate

Amyl acetate is typically is used as a solvent. It can also be found in artificial flavoring. If you wonder where you can find amyl acetate, cleaners in hardware stores have this chemical.

Too much exposure can lead to headaches and dizziness. Don’t forget to wear your gloves and facemask as precautions.

What you need:

• cleaner with amyl acetate
• dull knife
• clean cloth

What to do:

First, make sure that the cleaner won’t harm the fabric by doing a spot test. Apply a small amount of the cleaner to the garment. Check if there is any discoloration.

If there’s none, get a clean cloth and put a small amount of the cleaner. Leave it for two hours. Once the stain lifts off, scrape it off using a dull knife. Rinse the garment and wash it as usual.

Ammonia

Using ammonia is dangerous if not done correctly. If all methods fail, this should be your last option. When dealing with a hazardous chemical like ammonia, never forget to wear your gloves.

Also, put on a facemask to cover your nose. Also, never combine it with other products since it may release toxic fumes.

What you need:

• clean, dry cloth
• a small amount of ammonia
• dull knife

What to do:

Apply a small amount of ammonia to a clean, dry cloth. Next, wipe the material to the stained area. Leave it for about ten minutes. Once it softens, scrape off the glue using a dull knife. Rinse the clothes, then launder your clothes as usual.

Summary

Wood glue can ruin your clothes if you let it set deeply to the fibers. With the help of the home products above, you can remove the stain immediately without spending a lot. Choose the best method how to get wood glue out of clothes and follow the instructions carefully.