How to clean Velcro fastener without any available tools?
When the Velcro tape, also called Velcro, becomes clogged, it loses its fastening properties. Such a fastener will constantly open, causing inconvenience. To renew the bond between the surfaces, foreign objects must be removed.
Without any auxiliary objects at hand, you can work on the surface of the fastener manually. Using your fingers to pluck threads and other debris, clean the surface with small hooks. Then you need to quickly connect and disconnect the surfaces of the fastener several times to remove any remaining dirt.
How to clean Velcro on shoes?
Fasteners located on shoes become clogged faster and require more thorough cleaning. This can be done using the appropriate tools:
- tweezers;
- nail scissors;
- large needle with a rounded end;
- spoke;
- crochet hook or other pointed object.
Gently move along the rows of hooks, prying up debris, and then remove it with your fingers or tweezers. This labor-intensive method requires some time investment, but it is very effective.
How to clean Velcro at home: an overview of methods
Comb (the most common)
A good way to clean Velcro is with a comb. With its help you can successfully deal with the fastener. The comb should be thick: only then will it have a chance to remove unnecessary debris. The Velcro is combed until all the dirt is removed and a brighter, closer to the “native” color of the fastener is seen.
If this was not enough, you can put a piece of material with Velcro in water with dissolved soap and, holding it there, start combing it with a comb again. Water will make it easier to remove stubborn stains.
Sharp object
A needle, toothpick or something similar, sequentially moved between rows, does a good job of removing debris. What you managed to pull out from there can be finally removed with your fingers or tweezers.
Adhesive tape
Another practical answer to the question of how to clean Velcro on clothes, shoes, belts, bandages, and other items is adhesive tape or tape.
It needs to be a good one that's really sticky and not just some cheap cheap tape because otherwise it may not help as much as it should. How to clean this way?
Cut a piece the size of Velcro from the prepared tape. Glue it firmly to the “object” and tear it off with a sharp movement. Dirt, fibers, etc. should come away with the tape (especially if you “pinch” the Velcro with your hands before doing this).
If necessary, when there is a lot of dirt, you can use the tape several times, making sure to use a new piece each time.
Animal brush
If you have a furry pet in your home, you can use its grooming accessory – a special fur brush. Perhaps there is also a roller in the house for cleaning clothes from animal hair - it will also do a good job of cleaning Velcro.
Toothbrush
To act as a whisk, the toothbrush must be dry and stiff enough.
Knife
You can also clean the sticky fastener using a knife.
This product works best on narrow Velcro, which are usually used in shoes. This is a good way, because our shoes, sandals, etc. a lot of dirt sticks, which the adhesive tape cannot remove.
Other ways to clean Velcro
To remove dust, animal hair, clothing threads and other foreign objects from the surface of the fastener, you can use an old toothbrush with stiff bristles. To begin, remove large debris by hand, and then run the brush over the hooks several times in one direction.
Tip: Instead of a toothbrush, you can use a fine comb or brush to clean your clothes.
This option for removing stains will be more effective if done before washing. Before work, apply foam to the surface of the Velcro, clean, and then put the clothes in the washing machine. If you cleaned your shoes, wash their surface by hand.
By regularly removing debris from the surface of the fastener, you can extend its service life and maintain its fastening properties. All processes must be carried out carefully, since when exposed to sharp objects, the hooks can be damaged and break off. This will lead to the need to completely replace the Velcro fastener.
Non-standard methods
Fluff, dust, particles of grease and dirt between the Velcro hooks can be cleaned with water and soap. Prepare a soap solution and use an old toothbrush to comb through the Velcro. If you need to work on the soft side of the Velcro, do it with your hands without a brush.
Sometimes ordinary adhesive tape helps to clean out debris between the Velcro hooks. To do this, you need to stir up the stuck fluff by lifting it with a brush, needle or knitting needle, apply the adhesive side of the tape to the hard surface of the Velcro and tear it off with a sharp movement.
Using your fingers
The fastest way to clean the Velcro fastener from small debris or hair is to simply pull it out with your hands. This method is convenient because it allows you to quickly restore the normal functioning of Velcro on shoes or clothes at any time, even on the street or in another public place. However, it is worth noting that only small minor stains can be removed with your fingers.
Important! Velcro on shoes may not fasten well not only due to accumulated dirt, but also if there are particles of fat on its surface. For example, a child ate a fried pie and washed his hands poorly, after which he began to put on sandals. To avoid such situations, you should periodically wipe the fasteners with medical alcohol or vodka.
Total information
Linden resin is a special chemical compound consisting of polymers that eat into any material. So how to wash poplar and what to use for this? It is pointless to remove stains with means such as powder, since they are aimed only at removing dirt or greasy stains, and poplar resin does not lend itself to them.
Housewives think that if she once washed with powder or soap, then next time these cleansers will also help. But in fact, only fresh contamination can be eliminated using this method. Others mistakenly assume that soaking will help to wash poplar buds, but the resin trace cannot be dissolved in ordinary water or soap solution. How to remove stubborn stains?
To cope with poplar stains, you will need acetone or other fairly aggressive agents.
In order to know for sure how to remove linden from clothes next time, you need to follow certain tips:
- if we notice poplar resin on clothes, then remove it as soon as possible, since it very quickly seeps into the structure of any material;
- To ensure that soiled clothing does not deteriorate, but everything is washed, it is necessary to check the effect of the aggressive agent in a limited area. That is, try to clean off the trace of resin from one edge. After the aggressive substance has been applied, you should wait about half an hour, since during this time all possible destructive effects should appear. If everything is in order with the clothes and traces of poplar resin have been eliminated, then you can safely begin cleaning.
Since a solvent is used to remove this kind of stain, after washing clothes or other items, they will smell extremely unpleasant; this problem can be solved by airing.
Using sharp objects
If the Velcro loops on shoes are too small, or dirt is too tightly lodged between them, cleaning is carried out with any sharp object, for example, a needle, knitting needles, or wire. The method of application is simple:
- unfasten the fastening on sandals or sneakers;
- clean the gaps between the loops with the item chosen for cleaning;
- remove the extracted contaminants with tweezers;
- repeat these steps until the fastener is completely cleaned.
The cleaning method considered is quite effective because it allows you to thoroughly remove particles of dirt and dust.
Using a toothbrush
If you have poor vision, it is quite difficult to clean the Velcro on your shoes using a sharp object. To make this task easier, you can use an unnecessary toothbrush. To carry out the hygienic procedure, you need to walk the bristles over the Velcro several times until traces of dirt completely disappear. It should be taken into account that cleaning should be carried out strictly in one direction.
By washing
If you can’t clean the Velcro properly using other methods, wash your shoes completely. When washing such items, you need to take into account the following simple recommendations:
- Before carrying out the hygiene procedure, you will need to wash off all the dirt from the sole.
- All Velcro must be fastened. It is only allowed to unfasten them briefly, while cleaning.
- The water temperature should be between thirty and forty degrees.
- Among laundry detergents, it is worth giving preference to liquid or gel-like formulations, since they are much better rinsed out of fabric fibers.
- For more intensive cleaning of shoes, including Velcro, it is necessary to use special shoe brushes during wet processing of the product.
It is worth noting that one of the points of proper shoe care is drying on a balcony or in a well-ventilated area, but in no case on a radiator or heater.
Some things with Velcro, for example, a bandage, are quite problematic to completely wash. In such situations, you can prepare a soap solution and carry out local cleaning of the Velcro using the hard side of the sponge.
With the help of other small household items
In fact, there are many more options for cleaning a sticky fastener. Here are some of them:
- roller for cleaning clothes (just roll it over the dirty area);
- A shoe brush will also help solve the problem.
But you can use a very simple option - dry cleaning. Using special tools, specialists will remove any Velcro on your shoes for a nominal fee. Although all of the above methods will help you solve the problem just as well as professionals.
If you want to maintain the quality of Velcro for a long time, then you should keep it fastened as often as possible, including when you wash the item in the washing machine. During washing, threads and spools that come off the items can easily clog the hooks of the fastener and not only fail to clean it, but also ruin it!
With these simple methods you can easily achieve the desired result and quickly bring a dirty fastener into a presentable appearance. The main thing to remember is that if you want to clean it using one of the indicated methods, try to be careful, since a dirty product can be cleaned, but with a broken one, things are more complicated.
Using adhesive tape
You can clean the Velcro fastener from small particles of debris and fluff using regular tape. This method is very convenient because it can be found in every home. Let's figure out how to clean Velcro with adhesive tape:
- if dirt has accumulated at the base or in the middle of the hooks, you will need to pick them out with a needle or toothpick to move them closer to the top layer;
- wrap the tape around the fingers of your working hand (sticky side out);
- Carefully clean the mounting surface with your fingers.
If, after carrying out these steps, there is still debris on the fastener, the procedure can be repeated.
Assorted brushes
Brushes will help revive sticky fasteners on shoes. This could be an old toothbrush with stiff bristles, or a pet brush, if you have one in the house. The brush does not need to be moistened, just use mechanical movements to clean the fastener from dirt.
If you don’t have a clothes roller at hand, then you will definitely find a brush for cleaning suede shoes! Wash it off any remaining shoe polish, dry it, and start restoring the sticky parts of the fastener.