In our hectic day to day life we are often rushing to get things done. On such occasions, it’s not uncommon for a glass to slip through our fingers and smash causing a big mess.
Have you ever wondered how tiny pieces of glass end up at the opposite end of the room? Or in corners you can’t quite explain?
That is because fiberglass shards are so thin, they are airborne and extremely difficult to spot once broken up. Small fibers of glass are even more difficult to spot if they end up in your clothes.
Take your clothes off in an open isolated area to prevent fiberglass pieces transferring. Using a soft bristled brush scrub the clothes, then soak it in hot water.
After leaving your clothes for up to 15 minutes in the hot water, wearing gloves, rub your clothes to remove and loosen the fiberglass pieces. Place your clothes into the washing machine and wash as normal, without adding any other clothes in.
Read on to find out in detail how you can free your clothes from these fine fibers of glass!
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What Is Fiberglass?
Fiberglass is a man-made material used for many of the day to day items we use in our homes and at work. It is used in products such as windows, kitchen glassware, bathtubs, cars, and also used for home insulation in roofs and walls.
Fiberglass is made by heating glass until melted molten, after which is it poured through extremely fine holes. This creates fine filaments that are very thin.
Due to this reason, it is a highly irritant material. If fiberglass gets into your skin, eyes, nose or throat it can become extremely difficult for you, causing breathing difficulties.
How Does Fiberglass Get Into Your Clothes?
Because of it’s fine composition, fiberglass can get through the holes in the fabric and stay stuck in there. How much fiberglass gets through into your clothes, depends on how much fiber you were exposed to when the glass broke/erupted.
You could be getting some work done in the house, re-doing the roof or getting a new bathtub. Airborne cut fiberglass from construction work is the most common cause of fiberglass getting into your clothes and breathing passages.
How Can You Tell If You Have Fiberglass In Your Clothes?
The fibers of fiberglass are light yellow, pink or white, therefore making it extremely difficult to spot it in your clothes. Furthermore, the fine size of the fibers makes them even more difficult to spot.
When fiberglass gets into your clothes, you may feel slight pricks on the surface of your skin as it juts out in different directions from your garment. You may even see some small fibers of glass on the surface of your skin.
After coming in contact with your skin, fiberglass can cause a rash. Look out for a patch of small blisters with flaky dry skin. Fiberglass can cause your skin to irritate for days, leaving it red and sensitive.
How Can I get Fiberglass Out Of My Skin
To get fiberglass out of your skin, use a duct tape and press down firmly on the area where the fibers are. As you pull off the tape, the fibers should come out with it.
Alternatively, if the fiberglass particles are embedded deeper into your skin you can use tweezers. Use good lighting and be very gentle as you don’t want to push the fibers deeper into your skin.
Can You Get Fiberglass Out Of Your Clothes?
Yes, fiberglass shards can be removed from your clothes very easily.
Unlike stubborn stains, fiberglass washes out of the clothes conveniently. This is because, when exposed to water, fiberglass degrades and dissolves.
However, since the fibers of the glass are so fine, they can easily be airborne. For this reason it is important you take off your clothes somewhere where the shards can not transfer to anyone else, or any other clothes, furniture or on to the carpet.
Once you have taken all the safety precautions of removing your clothes, the process of removing the actual fibers from your clothes is straightforward.
How Can You Remove Fiberglass From Your Clothes?
Below are the steps you can take in order to get rid of the fine fibers from your clothes. Below are some other products recommended which you can use to remove the fiberglass shards.
1) Remove clothes in an isolated area
You can remove your garment in a bathtub or somewhere the glass fibers can’t transfer onto anything else. Remove the item of clothing as slowly and delicately as you can, to avoid the shards flying off due to any abrupt movements.
2) Scrub the clothes using a dry soft bristled brush
Place your garment in an open area, away from other pieces of furniture, clothes and carpet. Ideally, inside the bathroom on the floor or inside the bathtub would be a suitable place so any flying fiberglass fragments can stay contained in one area.
Using a scrubbing motion, gently rub your clothes with the brush. This will help the tiny shards to escape from the fine fabric holes.
At this stage you can also use a duct tape to pull out the fibers of glass. You can wrap duct tape around your hand with the sticky side out and use it like you would remove lint. Press down the tape on the clothes and pull out the shards.
3) Fill your sink with hot water
You can either fill your sink up with hot water or use a bucket to do this step. Leave your clothes soaking in hot water for up to 15 minutes, as it will loosen your garment and prepare it for the next step.
4) Using gloves, rub your clothes together and loosen the fiberglass pieces
You will need to wear gloves for this step in order to prevent shards pricking into your skin. Rub the clothes together using your hands, this will help to remove the trapped fibers of glass.
5) Drain the water immediately and place your clothes into the washing machine
You will need to discard the hot water as it will have tiny remnants of fiberglass in it. Take your clothes and place it into the washing machine, washing it as normal.
Remember to wash these clothes on their own and do not mix them with any other clothes, as any remaining fiberglass shards may transfer to the other clothes in the washer.
Apple cider vinegar is a great natural alternative to harmful chemicals. It is ideal for dissolving fiberglass particles from your clothes.
Fill a bucket or your sink with 3 parts cold water and one part apple cider vinegar. Soak your clothes with fiberglass in the solution.
Leave the clothes in the solution for at least 15 minutes, then drain the solution and wash the clothes with warm water and soap. Rinse off the soap, whilst rubbing the clothes together using your hands.
Alternatively, instead of soaking your clothes in a vinegar solution, you can pour vinegar directly on to the clothes and let it sit for 15 minutes. Once ready, wash it off with cold water.
Finally, put your clothes in the washing machine and wash as normal.
Like apple cider vinegar, alcohol containing ethanol, is also great at dissolving fiberglass. However, since alcohol isn’t suitable to be used on all types of fabrics, this should be used as the last resort.
To prevent your clothes from getting damaged, make sure you dilute one part alcohol with two parts cold water. Soak your clothes in the solution for 15 minutes and then drain out the solution.
Soak your clothes in warm to hot water for another 15 minutes. Drain the warm water and whilst wearing gloves, rub the clothes together tp remove remaining fiberglass shards from your clothes.
How To Remove Fiberglass From Your Washing Machine
It is imperative that you make sure all the fiberglass remnants have been removed before you use your washing machine to wash your non contaminated clothes. If there are any fibers left over in the washing machine, they will transfer over to the rest of your clothes that you are planning on washing.
To thoroughly clean your washing machine, wearing gloves, wipe clean with a warm damp cloth. Rinse the cloth under a hot water tap and then leave it inside the washing machine.
Using your usual laundry detergent, and some vinegar run a cold wash cycle.
Useful Tips
- Where you can, wear an apron covering your clothes when working with fiberglass.
- Once fiberglass has gotten into your clothes, remove them in an area where there are no other clothes or fabrics, such as upholstery or carpet.
- Be careful to keep children, pets and family away from you whilst you have fibers in your clothes as it can transfer from your clothes to theirs.
- Do not put your clothes with fiberglass in the laundry with your other clothes as the fiberglass can transfer from your clothes into the other clothes.
- Remember to thoroughly wash and rinse the washing machine itself after washing a garment with fiberglass in it.
- Remember to visit a doctor at first instance if you have a skin reaction to fiberglass or if you feel the fibers may have entered your breathing passage.
- Remember to use safety goggles, gloves and a mask when working with fiberglass, including when washing fiberglass out of your clothes.
- Apply petroleum jelly before working with fiberglass may help to protect your skin from the shards.
- If working with fiberglass, wear full sleeved tops and try to cover exposed skin and hair as much as you can. Ideally, wear fiberglass protective clothing
- If you are working with fiberglass, then wear loose clothing to avoid close contact between your clothes and your skin. This will ensure pieces of fiberglass remain in the clothes and do not prick your skin.
- If you are not sure whether there is fiberglass in your clothes or not, then run your hands slowly over your clothes. If you feel sharp pricks then most likely you have fibers of glass trapped in your garment.
In Summary
In this article there are many useful instructions and techniques that should help you. Removing fiberglass from your clothes is pretty straightforward once you have taken all the precautionary steps to avoid transfer and spread of the fibers.
Be careful not to mix fiberglass contaminated clothes with your other laundry, especially in the washing machine. If you’re not able to wash and remove the pieces of fiberglass from the clothes immediately, then make sure you put the clothes in a plastic bag and knot it up since cut fibers of glass are airborne.
Once you have washed your clothes, your clothes should hopefully be as good as new!
