The process of sublimation printing has gained quite a fame over the past few years. This method is being used widely to print over different materials, as everyone knows how to use a sublimation printer and heat press. What people do not know is how to remove sublimation ink from a shirt that just got printed.
Everyone has made a mistake while printing, but in this method of printing, the margin for error is close to none, which is why people often do not know how to fix their mistakes. If you do not know how to get sublimation ink out of a shirt, worry not; even with a low margin, there is a method for removing sublimation ink from the shirt. I have shared the method in great detail so that you can fix the mistake and get rid of the annoying uneven blotch of ink.
How To Remove Sublimation Ink From Shirt 2022
What Is Sublimation Ink?
Sublimation ink is specialized ink that is used for making sublimation prints. This ink is not poured directly over the fabric; instead, it is added to the printer, and then an image is printed out with this ink. That said image is then transferred to a fabric with a heat press. In sublimation ink, the dye is present in a powdered form on the paper, and with the pressure and heat from the heat press, it is transferred to the fabric.
Can Sublimation Ink Be Removed?
Everyone who has used the method of sublimation printing has come across a situation where they accidentally printed the wrong part, or the ink was either spilled on the fabric and now you are stuck with this mistake. This does not only happens to rookies, sometimes even the most expert printers can make a mistake while using the sublimation method of printing. There are a few methods of removing sublimation ink.
How To Remove Sublimation Ink From Shirt
Method 1
There are a couple of methods of removing sublimation inks from the fabric. The first method of removing sublimation ink from fabric requires a couple of things. First of all, you need a small amount of rubbing alcohol and a clean cloth. Add a small amount of rubbing alcohol over the area where the sublimation ink has spread by mistake; then, you need to press that wet area with a clean cloth to lift the ink and remove it. Repeat this process till the stain of sublimation ink has been removed completely.
Method 2
There is another way that answers the question of how to remove sublimation ink from shirt. The second method of removing sublimation ink stains from fabric requires a lot more time than the first method. This method is mostly used for bigger mistakes. This process also requires a couple of things that include aluminum foil, polymer crystals, denatured alcohol, water, paper towels, and an iron.
First Step
The first step is to lay down a few layers of aluminum on the table or the floor, wherever you are working. This will help in keeping the working area clean. You also need to get a small fan so that instead of waiting for hours for the fabric to get dry, it can get dry quickly.
Second Step
Then you need to take a bowl and pour some denatured alcohol in it and submerge the fabric in it. Make sure that the stained part of the fabric is completely submerged in the bowl. Leave the fabric in the solution for 15 to 20 minutes. This will make sure that the sublimation ink gets broken down slightly, which will make it easier to remove without damaging the fabric.
Third Step
After the fabric has spent 15 minutes in the solution, then you need to remove the fabric from the bowl of denatured alcohol. Take a couple of pieces of paper towels and pat the fabric between them. Keep repeating this process till all the liquid has been removed from the fabric and absorbed into the paper towels.
Fourth Step
After that, put a few more layers of paper towels over and under the fabric and iron it with a hot iron. You need to make sure not to use the iron on its maximum setting as that will only damage the fabric. Also, keep in mind not to press down too hard with the hot iron. Keep moving the paper towels under the iron.
Fifth Step
Once the fourth step is done and the fabric is completely dry, then wrap it in aluminum foil and iron it for a few minutes. Then, take some polymer crystals in a bowl, add some denatured alcohol and mix it well. After that, take a paper towel and lightly dampen it. Then put that in the polymer solution and then pat it onto the fabric. This entire process will make sure that not only do you get rid of the sublimation ink stain, but you also keep the fabric undamaged so that you can work on it in the future.
FAQs
Can sublimation ink be removed?
Sublimation ink is one of the stubborn types of stains that give people a really tough time while removing. However, there are ways for you to remove sublimation ink; the simplest is to use rubbing alcohol and rub the affected area of the fabric with it till the stain is removed.
Is sublimation printing permanent?
Yes, sublimation printing is quite permanent. As this process uses specialized sublimation inks for printing images, then the printed image is then transferred with heat and pressure of a heat press on the fabric; the ink penetrates into the fabric, which makes it quite permanent and hard to remove.
Conclusion
Sublimation printing is one of the best and most interesting methods of printing, that is until you make a mistake and get stuck with a stain of sublimation ink. Do not fret; as impossible as it feels, there are a few methods for removing sublimation ink. If you are wondering how to fix a sublimation mistake on a shirt, I have shared the entire process in the article above. I hope you find it helpful.