Last Updated on 7 months by Susan Mayrich
Accidents happen, especially when there are children around. In those moments of panic, it’s important to stay calm and try not to exacerbate the situation.
Glass shards are sharp, but the biggest injury threat comes from using the wrong technique and breaking the glass further. The best way to remove glass shards from your clothes is to do it slowly, carefully, and with the right materials.
How To Get Glass Out Of Clothes
If you’ve ever had the misfortune of breaking glass around your clothing, you know that getting the pieces out of your favorite shirt or pants can be a challenge.
And it’s even worse if you get shards embedded deep into the fabric. But there is hope. Here are some simple steps for getting glass out of clothes:
If you can do it safely, the best way to get the glass out of clothes is to use a pair of tweezers to carefully pluck each tiny piece from the fabric. If you don’t have a pair handy, you can also try using a needle or pin to draw the small shards up and out of their place in the fibers.
Wear gloves
To get all of the glass without damaging the fabric, first put on a pair of leather gloves—this will protect your hands from sharp pieces that might still be clinging to the cloth.
Turn the garment inside-out
Then turn your garment inside out and look for any obvious pieces of glass sticking out of it (if there are none, move on to step two).
Use tweezers
Next, carefully pick up any large pieces of glass. Use a pair of tweezers to carefully pluck any small pieces of glass out of the fabric.
Dab with a sponge
After that, dampen a clean sponge and gently dab at the area until all visible glass has been removed. Be careful not to rub too hard—you could end up damaging the fabric or embedding more glass.
Shake off the remaining
Once you’ve removed as much glass as possible, shake out the clothes over a trash can or other container. This will remove any loose shards that are still clinging to the garment.
Vacuum the garment
Next, vacuum both sides of the affected area using a soft-bristled attachment on your vacuum cleaner. This is better than trying to brush off the remaining fragments because it’s impossible to know where they might be hiding and you could end up pushing them further into the fabric.
Wash the clothing
Run your clothing through a gentle cycle in the washing machine to remove any remaining dirt and debris. It’s best to wash your clothing alone so you don’t risk damaging other items in the machine.
Inspect and dry
Inspect your clothing for any remaining glass particles using a flashlight for visibility. If necessary, repeat step 1 until all visible pieces have been removed. Dry your clothing completely.
How To Get Broken Glass Out Of A Washing Machine
So you’ve just washed glass, and the glass broke in your washing machine. How do you get it out? Here are some tips.
- First, remove all of your clothes from the washer.
- Next, get a pair of gloves on—you don’t want to cut yourself!
- Then, let the water drain out of the washer.
- After that, remove the remaining water using a wet/dry vacuum cleaner or by using a turkey baster to siphon it out.
- Finally, use a flashlight to find any pieces of glass that might still be hiding inside the machine.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can you wash clothes that have glass on them?
Yes, you can wash clothes that have glass on them. The secret is: to be gentle. To do this, simply dry brush the glass with a clean, soft-bristled paintbrush to remove any loose pieces of glass (a vacuum will work too), then pop the clothes into your regular washing machine. Wash them at a warm temperature, and hang them to dry.
How do you get glass shards out of blankets?
Use duct tape or masking tape to pick up large pieces of glass. Wear gloves, of course. Then take out your blanket outside over a grassy area and shake (or even better, an area that doesn’t have any plants or grass where the glass could easily be picked up by animals or blown away by the wind).
You can also whack the sides of the blanket from underneath (with a stick or other safe object) while hanging it outside—this should dislodge any stubborn glass that’s stuck in there.
When you’re done vacuuming up all the small pieces of glass and tape that have fallen off your blanket, check for any stray tape residue and remove it with a solvent like paint thinner and then wash your hands again just in case.
What is the easiest way to pick up broken glass?
The easiest way to pick up broken glass is with a soft piece of bread. Place the one soft side of the bread flat against the ground and press it firmly over the broken glass. The small pieces of glass will stick to the soft side of the bread, leaving the floor clean and safe.
Final Words
If you are unlucky enough to find yourself in a situation where you get glass in your clothes, don’t panic. A hole in clothing might seem like the end of it at first sight, but with a little bit of patience and effort, you can save your favorite shirt.
