How to get melted plastic (I think!) off a shirt

Lemonpie · 08-03-2010, 21:27

Just on the off chance anyone has encountered this problem.

One of my OH's shirts seems to have a blob of melted plastic stuck to a fairly sizeable area (a noticeable one, too, so can't really cut it off or owt like that). I have no idea how it got there. The shirt came out of the washing machine, dried and as I set out to iron it, I noticed this thing - whatever it is. I know it wasn't caused by ironing as I hadn't even started to iron it at that point! It has melted into the fabric, so apart from the actual chunk of plastic, the fabric around it feels stiff and like it had glue over it.

What the hell can you do to get the plastic off? Is the shirt ruined (hope not as it's a new and a very nice one!) Is there any chemical you can get to soak it off.

Help please!! Oddly enough, this is not a common problem on old Google so some real (and British, without products only available in the States lol) input would be appreciated.

cgksheff · 08-03-2010, 21:29

What is the fabric of the shirt?

Lemonpie · 08-03-2010, 22:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by cgksheff

What is the fabric of the shirt?

Just checked, it is 100% cotton

sibon · 08-03-2010, 22:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lemonpie

Just on the off chance anyone has encountered this problem.

One of my OH's shirts seems to have a blob of melted plastic stuck to a fairly sizeable area (a noticeable one, too, so can't really cut it off or owt like that). I have no idea how it got there. The shirt came out of the washing machine, dried and as I set out to iron it, I noticed this thing - whatever it is. I know it wasn't caused by ironing as I hadn't even started to iron it at that point! It has melted into the fabric, so apart from the actual chunk of plastic, the fabric around it feels stiff and like it had glue over it.

What the hell can you do to get the plastic off? Is the shirt ruined (hope not as it's a new and a very nice one!) Is there any chemical you can get to soak it off.

Help please!! Oddly enough, this is not a common problem on old Google so some real (and British, without products only available in the States lol) input would be appreciated.

If it is plastic, you will have problems shifting it. The fact that the shirt is cotton might just give you a chance.

You could try freezing the shirt and then chipping the plastic off with a sharp knife. This works for gum, it might work for plastic.

If you get desperate, try a bit of meths, that might soften it enough to shift it.

Other than that M+S do lovely shirts

shanes teeth · 08-03-2010, 22:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lemonpie

Just checked, it is 100% cotton

I don't think the pattern will make a difference.

icon76 · 08-03-2010, 22:36

Personally i'd be less worried about the shirt and more about potential crack addiction. Not saying he's a crack addict, but crackheads do melt plastic bottles to make crack pipes...worth asking the question how it got on their is all i'm saying. Probably nothing.

Strix · 09-03-2010, 00:48

If it won't chip off cold, I'd place a piece of cotton fabric over it and carefully iron it, checking it repeatedly until it's soft enough to pick/scrape off

I've no idea of your chances of getting it back to 100% though

Lemonpie · 09-03-2010, 06:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by icon76

Personally i'd be less worried about the shirt and more about potential crack addiction. Not saying he's a crack addict, but crackheads do melt plastic bottles to make crack pipes...worth asking the question how it got on their is all i'm saying. Probably nothing.

That's the most far-fetched comment I could imagine

I think we can safely disregard this theory in his case

I understand that this is a valid reason for having melted plastic on clothes, but I nearly spat my tea out there

Lemonpie · 09-03-2010, 06:34

Thanks for suggestions. I fear the shirt is doomed tbh..

Will try to freeze it and then scrape the stuff off, and then if it doesn't work will try the method of ironing through a piece of fabric..

Christine Ho · 09-03-2010, 11:12

Did you every find out what caused this? I have found two pieces of clothing with this exact problem. Niether item had been in a tumble drier or ironed. Both only washed on the handwash setting.

Lemonpie · 10-03-2010, 06:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christine Ho

Did you every find out what caused this? I have found two pieces of clothing with this exact problem. Niether item had been in a tumble drier or ironed. Both only washed on the handwash setting.

I honestly don't know Christine, it's a mystery! Certainly as long as we can safely rule out the crack addiction theory suggested above

I may have a look at the other items I washed that day, which are still hanging on the drier, and also rummage around in the washing mashine to see if that brings up any clues