Products Bought Locally ( Heat Transfer Garment ) Wash Instruction's

  • Do not Dry Clean.
    • Most, if not all dry cleaners, use solvent based solutions to clean the fabric. And for those who may not know, solvent liquids are used by many garment decorators to remove Heat transfers  (such as this Solvent or VLR Solvent). So unless you want the image removed from your garment, do not send it to be dry-cleaned.
  • Turn the garment inside out.
    • While clothes are moving around in a washing machine, they rub against each other, and that means there is friction and possible abrasion (scratching or scraping). That friction and abrasion can be damaging to the Heat transfers, especially if the clothes have zippers, buttons, rivets, or any other hard pieces. Even loose change left in someone’s pocket can do damage if it gets loose. So that is why we always recommend turning an Heat transfers decorated garment inside out before washing and drying.
  • Use COLD or WARM water for washing.
    • You may be surprised to know that the water temperature in a washing machine can get hot enough to cause the Heat transfers  adhesive to soften, causing the vinyl to peel. So it’s very important to NEVER WASH USING HOT WATER. Cold is the safest temp to wash, though Warm washes are usually ok too. To be sure, check the HTV’s care instructions for specifics on washing temps.
  • Use mild washing detergent, NO Fabric Softeners, NO Bleach.
    • What is a ‘mild detergent’? Any detergent that promises to ‘Whiten’, ‘Fight Stains’, ‘Brighten Colors’, or that have any other kind of special additives, is not a mild detergent. Those additives can damage the  Heat transfers adhesive, the vinyl, or both. Fabric Softeners can do the same thing, although some manufacturers say only to avoid ‘Liquid’ softeners. Bleach will also damage the vinyl and should be avoided.
  • Tumble Dry - Low  or Hang Dry.
    • Heat in the dryer is just as bad for Heat transfers  as heat in the washer. So assuming your garment’s tag says ‘tumble dry’ is OK, then a low heat will work just fine. Hang drying is the safest, albeit slowest, way to dry your Heat transfers garment. Hang drying also helps reduce the wrinkles in the Heat transfers. Either drying method you use, make sure the garment is still inside out.
  • Do Not Iron directly on the image
    • Applying heat to the image after it is applied will weaken the adhesive and could even ruin the image itself (not to mention the Toner could get stuck to and ruin the iron). This is especially true when using steam. If you must iron the garment, put a cover sheet or a thin cloth over the image first and iron dry (no steam) using a low heat.