How To Get Fiberglass Out Of Clothes

How to get fiberglass out of clothes? Once you get fiberglass all over your clothes, you will want to remove them as soon as possible. If your house is near a construction zone, this might happen frequently and cause skin irritation to you.

In this post, I will give you a detailed guide on removing the annoying fiberglass and provide some preparations to prevent them from contaminating your clothes. So, if you have some fiberglass on your clothes, let’s remove them.

Why Are There Fiberglass Splinters On Your Clothes?

Before tackling fiberglass-contaminated clothes, you should understand the nature of fiberglass. Check the following information about this material.

Well, fiberglass is not a strange material, in fact, it is more common than you think. Glass fibers are used to strengthen plastic materials. In construction, this material is used in roofing shingles, carpeting, and even more applications.

While being processed, fiberglass can become airborne and float in the air of the surrounding area. Then, the airborne fiberglass will land on other objects; your skin and clothes are not an exception.

Depending on how it is cut, fiberglass particles can be visible or extremely tiny that you can barely see with normal eyes. All you can see is a white powdery layer covering your garment.

As the particles are sharp, they will root under the garment, and removing them is not a simple task.

Reasons To Remove Fiberglass Immediately From Your Clothes

One reason you have to get rid of those glass fibers is that they can irritate your skin. Once the particles stab your skin, it could cause the feeling of itching. Your skin will turn red, or worse; the affected area will start bleeding.

Inhaling a large amount of fiberglass can also cause respiratory problems like coughing, wheezing, or even harm your lungs ⁽¹⁾ .

The damage from fiberglass to your health is massive, so you better follow my guide precisely to eliminate the fiberglass out of your garment.

If you got some fiberglass particles on your skin, this method might help you.

This Is How You Should Get Fiberglass Out Of Your Garment

Let’s begin with some preparation before you remove all the particles out of your clothes. You have to prepare properly unless the damage from fiberglass will be out of control.

Pre-Washing

First thing first, you need to take all the fiberglass-contaminated clothes off. Find an empty room with fewer objects, such as a bathroom or an empty garage. Don’t take off the clothes in the bedroom unless you want the fiberglass particles to land on every item in your room.

Also, don’t just put the clothes on the floor; cover the floor with a big plastic bag and place the affected garment on top of it. This is to avoid the fiberglass splinters dropping on the floor; it is hard to differentiate the fragments if the floor is white or bright yellow.

Separate the affected garments with others. You will only want to deal with fiberglass-tainted clothes alone, not let the particles land on other garments.

Fiberglass splinters have jagged edges on every side, so they can attach to the surface tightly, and your body will be an ideal place for them. You will want to protect yourself with a mask, a pair of gloves, and goggles.

Now, remove the excess fiberglass particles with one of the following options. These options are usually available in your house, so you don’t have to worry.

Option 1: A Stiff Brush

Use a spare toothbrush to brush most of the particles off the garment. Brush gently to let the particles land on the plastic bag that covers your floor.

Option 2: Duct Tape Or Electrical Tape

A tape will work like a charm on dealing with the particles from the fiberglass. Duct tape or electrical tape is great because they are endurable and won’t rip. Wrap the tape around your hand, make sure the sticky part is on the outside to collect the particles.

Start blotting on the surface of your garments; the tape will take out most of the particles on your clothes. Blot gently because the tape might harm the fabric if you press too hard. Throw the used tape in a trash bin right after you use it.

Option 3: A Lint Roller

A lint roller is designed for picking up lint, dust, or hair, so the sticky part is not too strong to damage your fabric. Just roll the lint roller on the surface of the garment a couple of times; the fiberglass splinters should be mostly taken out of your clothes.

All the used disposable adhesive sheets should be put in the trash bin to avoid spreading the particles into the nearby area.

Note: Don’t shake the affected clothes because the particles will fly into the air and contaminate all the surrounding areas.

Let’s Wash The Fiberglass Particles

Washing will be the best way to remove all the particles out of your garments. However, the process is just simply throwing the garment into the washing machine; Here is how you should do it.

Preparation

• A large tub or a large bowl
• Laundry detergent
• A vacuum

Instructions

Step 1: Fill the tub with water.

Step 2: Submerge the fiberglass-tainted garment into the tub. Make sure all the surfaces of your garments are covered in water.

Step 3: Gently agitate the garments to make the particles fall out of your clothes. Repeat the process a couple of rounds to get rid of most of the fiberglass splinters on your clothes.

Step 4: Put all affected garments into the washing machine. Avoid overstuffing the device; you can divide the garment into smaller portions and wash it multiple times. Make sure the machine is empty before placing the clothes inside.

Step 5: Launder your garments with water and the liquid detergent that is suitable for the fabric.

Step 6: After the wash cycle is done. Dry your clothes with the dryer or air-dry them.

Step 7: Launder the washing machine again with a large amount of water. This time, the water will flow the excess fiberglass from your clothes away. Just run the machine with water, don’t put any garment into the machine at this step.

Step 8: Vacuum the area to collect all the remaining fiberglass particles.

Hey! Here Are Some Vital Advice While Dealing With Fiberglass

Fiberglass impacts badly on your skin and respiration, so you better prevent it. Let’s see what you can do to protect yourself and your clothes from this harmful material.

Wash Your Clothes Immediately

After the clothes are tainted with fiberglass, you should wash them as soon as possible to avoid spreading them around the house. In case you are busy at that time, put the garments in a plastic bag and place them in a spare area in the room.

Choose Loosen Outfits

If you have to pass by or work in the area where you might have high exposure to fiberglass, wear loosened clothes with long sleeves and pants. Additionally, choose clothes that are tightly woven to avoid the fiberglass particles reaching your skin.

Protect Your Hands

You can use gardening gloves or lightweight work gloves to prevent fiberglass from harming your hand. These gloves are designed with durable fibers, which reduce the chance those sharp fiberglass splinters touch your hands.

Don’t Forget To Wash Your Hand

Whether you wear gloves or not, wash your hands thoroughly with soap after washing the fiberglass-contaminated clothes. Vinegar and water is also recommended to sterilize your hand.

Take A Shower, Why Not?

Taking a bath with cold water is also a must to get rid of the fiberglass from your body and hair. It is suggested that you wash with cold water first, then rinse again with warm water. Each stage should only take you 2 minutes.

Don’t take a hot shower first because the spores will open and let the particles enter deeper into your skin. Remember to use soap to loosen the particles and allow them to fall out from your body.

FAQs

There are many questions that are related to fiberglass particles. I will help you clear these wonders to understand this material better.

Be Careful With Fiberglass

You can easily expose yourself to fiberglass, especially for those who work with insulation. Therefore, you should follow my instructions precisely to deal with the material.

Fiberglass is not a life-threatening material, so don’t panic if you have them on your clothes. Your clothes and skin should be fine with proper preparation. Hey, if you have further tips, please share them with me. Thank you for your time, and I wish you all the best.

Reference

1. Doh.wa.gov. 2021. Fiberglass. [online] Available at: https://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/AirQuality/IndoorAir/Fiberglass
2. Newboatbuilders.com. 2021. Much ado about ethanol!. [online] Available at: https://newboatbuilders.com/docs/Ethanol.pdf