How to neatly remove rhinestones from clothing
Have you ever been in a situation where you found a nice item in a store—your size, color, and style—but the manufacturer went overboard with the rhinestones? Everything should be in moderation. And I believe it’s not quite right to release the same models for size 38 and size 58.
You have to refine the design. One of the most challenging tasks is removing rhinestones without damaging the fabric. I will share various ways to remove glued-on rhinestones.
White Spirit
A wonderful solvent! It dissolves glue quickly. However, unfortunately, it can also dissolve the fabric or ruin the color. Therefore, you must first test it by wetting the fabric in an inconspicuous area. If everything is fine, moisten the reverse side of the area with the sparkles. Wait a few minutes. Done—the sparkles fall off on their own! Clean off any remaining glue with the same White Spirit.
Cold
As a rule, glue starts to crumble at sub-zero temperatures. And we need it to lose its properties. So, place the item with the rhinestones in the freezer for an hour. Then take it out and shake off the rhinestones! This method is especially convenient if you need to remove many small rhinestones. However, keep in mind that glue particles will still remain on the fabric. And those will need to be removed with some chemical agent.
Rhinestone Applicator (Hotfix Tool)
It is advisable to use this method if you need to remove hotfix rhinestones. But, again, the glue will still remain. However, if you just want to replace one rhinestone with another, this is not a problem. Melt the glue with the heated tool. Then, using tweezers (not your fingers, you could get burned!), remove the rhinestone.
Iron
The principle is the same as with the hotfix tool—you need to melt the glue. Therefore, heat up the iron and press the reverse side of the fabric area with the rhinestones. You need to heat the fabric to the glue's melting point. Then quickly remove the rhinestones before the glue hardens. If you didn't manage to do it in one go, repeat the procedure.
For this method, it is also advisable to first check whether the hot iron will leave marks on the fabric.
Before using heat, steam, or solvents, always test the method on a hidden area first: synthetic fabrics and unstable dyes can deform, melt, or lose color.
For another simple clothing repair, see the guide on fixing a stretched-out neckline.
Oh, and I thought I was the only one who had been in such situations! I know another effective method that doesn't harm fabrics at all, but you'll need to wait a little while for the rhinestones to come off. Take equal parts of regular table vinegar (every housewife has it in the kitchen), boric acid (sold in any hardware store, costs pennies), and ammonia (pharmacy name "ammonia"). I want to warn you right away that it's better to work in a ventilated room, because ammonia doesn't have a very pleasant smell (to puShow full quoteCollapse