How to Clean Velcro (Without Water!)

Image by EvaFilms from Pixabay laundry cleaning velcro

Velcro is a ubiquitous material. From bags to clothes, anything can have these easy adhesives stuck on them.

They are quite strong too. While ordinary adhesives wear out over time, Velcro can last for years.

Their ability to stick is very impressive. No wonder astronauts use them too!

But if there is a fatal flaw to this miracle product: they’re too good at sticking to almost everything!

It isn’t uncommon to hear of people complaining of hair, cotton, pet fur and other things sticking to their Velcro. Sometimes, the blockage gets too much and the Velcro fails to stick as usual.

Not to mention, it can be difficult as heck to remove these annoying little things from the Velcro surface. It can take anywhere from minutes to days just to clean a Velcro manually!

But you don’t have to suffer any longer. In this guide, we are going to help you pull through your Velcro problems and make everything easier for you.

Know Your Velcro laundry cleaning velcro

Everyone knows that Velcro has two sides. But many don’t know their respective names!

The soft side of a Velcro is the loop. This is because they are able to loop per se the other side and keep it sticking.

It doesn’t really stick to other materials. However, it also gets dirty from time to time.

On the other hand, the rough side is called the hook. If you look closely at them, they are composed of tiny hook-shaped attachments.

This is obviously the side that sticks to anything and everything. As a result, they are in constant need of deep cleaning.

The Arsenal laundry cleaning velcro

Now that you know your enemy, it’s time to know your weapon! Er… materials.

The basics are the following: lint roller, masking tape, scotch tape, masking tape… Anything that has the potential to stick and is disposable.

For those that need more power removal, take out your tweezers, needles, and fine-tooth combs. If you have an old but stiff toothbrush on standby, get a grab of it.

Of course, do prepare a container to put your trash in. You’re going to need it a lot!

The Strategy

Of course, you must always start with the easy steps. Take out your tape of choice and stick them to the continuously stick and remove them from the loop.

This will ensure that the dirt and dust stuck on your loop will get removed. Be sure to be gentle though, because if the loop will get all rustled up, it will no longer attach to the hook.

Now, take time to wrestle with the hook side. As always, use your adhesive of choice.

This time though, it is acceptable to be a bit rough. Remember that this is the sticky side (and is pretty tough), so you have a go at it!

When all the dirt no longer sticks to it, its time to bust out your needles, combs, and tweezers. The general rule is that the more dirt, the more teeth.

So, for example, the hook of your Velcro has hair all over. Take hold of where they are rooted and pull the hair away from the material.

If a particular speck of dirt is hard to remove, you may have to use your tweezer or needle. This chore needs a lot of patience!

The Maintenance

Say you’ve won the Velcro battle. What’s next?

First of all, stick the two sides together especially when it’s not in use. This will keep wayward things from sticking.

You should also do this when washing clothes or bags that have Velcro on them. Remember that when you wash, threads or fibres from the other things you are washing can also stick to the Velcro so be watchful!

Also, keep on checking the material where the Velcro is attached. There are times when the Velcro rips off its main body and may damage it irreversibly.

Happy cleaning!

(Read: Services & Prices)