Velcro comes from the two french words Velour and Crochet. Simply, this is a fabric, consisting of hook-and-loop fasteners. Nowadays, each house has at least one pair of shoes with velcro. What is more, it has found wider use in attaching carpets, pictures, and other useful items around the house. Velcro uses nylon fibres to create a two-piece self-attachable fastener with one soft, fuzzy side with loops, and one rough side with scratchy hooks that attach to one another. Even though they create a strong bond when connected to each other, they can still be pulled apart.
The good news is that velcro is washable as long as it is attached to fabrics that are also washable.
How to wash velcro
1. Read the item’s care label – While velcro is indeed washable, some of the fabrics it is attached to are not. It is important to take care of the care label of the fabric recommendations. If they say it is ‘’dry cleaning only’’, you can remove the fibres of the velcro but not wash it out.
2. Close the velcro before cleaning – The most important thing when cleaning velcro fabrics is to close each fastener before hand-washing or tossing them in the washing machine. This will prevent accidental snagging of the fabric and reduce the amount of lint that gets trapped in the velcro.
3. Dry – After washing the velcro, check for all the fasteners. They should be closed, especially if you are using an automatic tumble dryer. Follow the instructions on the label when drying the particular item. If you are air drying the item, open the fasteners to speed up the drying process.
How to remove lint from velcro
Cleaning all lint, fibres and other strings from the velcro will ensure that it is closing properly and securely. What is more, it will make the velcro look neater.
1. Use a toothbrush or a fine-toothed comb – Use an old, stiff-bristled toothbrush, or a fine-toothed comb to lift all fibres and debris stuck in the velcro. Work on a flat surface, use short, swift strokes starting at one end of the fastener, and moving to the other. Lift any larger, loose debris with your fingers. Make sure you clean both sides of the velcro.
2. Use tweezers – For stubborn and hard-to-remove lint, use tweezers to pull it out.
3. Use packaging tape – To remove lint and debris, wrap a piece of packaging tape around your hand to pick up any lint and fibres that are deeply embedded in the velcro. Keep moving to a clean area of the tape as the fibres transfer to its surface.
4. Use a lint roller – A strong lint roller will be able to lift any fibres and lint that are deeply stuck in the velcro. Lay the fabric flat on a flat surface and roll over it with the roller. Always work from one side to the other and go over both sides of the velcro to ensure proper removal of the lint and fibres. Change the sheets of the lint roller as lint and fibres transfer to its surface.
Extra tip: If you are in a hurry and your velcro is full of fibres and debris that prevent it from sticking properly, use another hard velcro side on your other stiff velcro piece. That will loosen the debris and help it stick better.
Treating stains on velcro
1. Remove loose dirt and debris – Before attempting any type of cleaning of your velcro, make sure you remove any loose dirt and grime from its surface. Do that on both sides.
2. Mix a cleaning solution – In a small bowl, mix very warm water and a few drops of liquid laundry detergent or enzyme-based stain remover. Dip a stiff-bristled toothbrush in the solution and carefully scrub both sides of the velcro.
3. Rinse and wash as usual – Dip a microfiber cloth in cold plain water and remove any soapy residue left on the velcro surface. Close the fasteners and wash them as usual (make sure you follow the care label instructions).
Tips for keeping your velcro clean for longer:
• Always close the velcro fasteners, even when storing, in order to reduce the amount of lint and fibres that get stuck to both sides of it.
• Close the velcro fasteners when washing items in the washing machine in order to prevent damage, unwanted snags, and lint.
• Spray velcro fasteners once they are clean – Spray clean velcro with anti-static spray in order to help prevent lint.
• Make sure you do regular cleaning of your velcro – Monthly removal of debris and lint will ensure that your velcro does not get clogged with grime and works properly.
• Do not iron items if the velcro fasteners are closed. Make sure you use a pressing cloth to prevent them from getting heat damage.
• Repair your velcro when needed. If the stitching around the velcro has become loose, make sure you fix it using a machine
• or by hand-stitching it.