How to remove paint from nylon shirts
December 9, 2010 7:31 PM Subscribe
How can silk screen lettering be removed from nylon shirts?
I have several nylon running shirts that have silk screen lettering on the fronts of them.
What is the best way to remove the paint, without harming the nylon?
Alcohol (vodka) worked a little on one of the shirts, the one with the thickest paint, but didn't faze the others at all. Interestingly the letters on the tough ones are already half way worn off.
An idea that is good for cotton, ironing a paper bag on the front, would probably melt the nylon.
Is there anything else that would take off the paint, without harming the nylon?
I have several nylon running shirts that have silk screen lettering on the fronts of them.
What is the best way to remove the paint, without harming the nylon?
Alcohol (vodka) worked a little on one of the shirts, the one with the thickest paint, but didn't faze the others at all. Interestingly the letters on the tough ones are already half way worn off.
An idea that is good for cotton, ironing a paper bag on the front, would probably melt the nylon.
Is there anything else that would take off the paint, without harming the nylon?
I doubt you'll ever be completely successful with this. I know that's a non-answer, but the inks used to screenprint on fabric usually rely on a mechanical bond, which means they're soaked into the threads, and wrapped around the individual fibers so that the print doesn't fall off. There's usually an additional additive used when printing nylon for chemical adhesion as well.
That said, acetone is probably the one available retail solvent that's likely to dissolve the ink. Take care to try a little of it on an inconspicuous part of the shirt to make sure it doesn't melt, but I think acetone won't dissolve the nylon as well. Heat is definitely a bad idea.
posted by Devils Rancher at 8:04 AM on December 10, 2010
That said, acetone is probably the one available retail solvent that's likely to dissolve the ink. Take care to try a little of it on an inconspicuous part of the shirt to make sure it doesn't melt, but I think acetone won't dissolve the nylon as well. Heat is definitely a bad idea.
posted by Devils Rancher at 8:04 AM on December 10, 2010
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posted by zug at 10:25 PM on December 9, 2010