How to Remove Pilling From Clothing
Pilling can be unattractive and ruin the look of your favorite sweater of other clothing item. Pilling is caused by small balls of fabric that are released during the washing process that ball up and bond the materials fibers that leave your clothes looking old and unattractive. There are a few simple methods for removing this unsightly problem.
Ways to Remove
- Velcro - Using the sticky side of Velcro is an economical way to restore you favorite clothes to their original condition. Velcro is able to capture the pilling in its gripper side; simply stick and pull until the garment is clear of pilling.
- Battery operated shaver - There are battery operated shavers on the market to remove piling. This shaver will not harm your clothes and has a handy catch bin to catch and hold the pilling as it is removed.
- Duct tape - Duct tape is extremely sticky and can often be strong enough to remove pilling from clothing. Simply stick and pull over the entire surface of the garment. If you have a lot of pilling you may need to use more than one piece of duct tape for the job.
- Fabric comb - A fabric comb is available to purchase at your local fabric store. If using a fabric comb, simply lay out the garment flat and comb away the pilling until it is all removed.
Ways to Prevent
- Wash inside-out - By washing your clothes inside out it is less likely that the pilling of the released fabric particles will be able to attach to the surface of your clothes.
- Wash on gentle - By washing you clothing on the gentle or hand wash cycle it will reduce the risk of pilling on you garments by reducing the amount of agitation.
- Hand wash - If you are able to hand wash your best garments, this is the best way to avoid pilling. Often hand washing is time consuming, but it will keep your clothes looking new for years to come.