How To Remove Fiberglass From Clothing
Things Needed
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Plastic bag
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Laundry detergent
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Hand soap
Tip
When working with fiberglass, wear clothing you don't intend to wear for regular day-to-day use; stick with old clothing that you will not miss dearly if the fiberglass cannot be completely removed after working on your project.
Warning
Wear a respirator, gloves and eye protection when working with fiberglass to minimize exposure to your body and reduce chances of breathing in fine fiberglass particles. A hat helps keep the fibers off your head if you're working overhead, such as when insulating an attic.
Fiberglass, when cut or disturbed, becomes airborne, eventually landing on nearby surfaces and sticking to them until washed away. Working with fiberglass products such as insulation inevitably results in fiberglass strands getting on your clothing, which can cause an uncomfortable itchiness. Fully covering yourself with loose-fitting clothing when working with fiberglass is a must to help prevent the irritant from coming into contact with your skin. Removing fiberglass from your work clothes is simply a matter of washing it, but you must take care not to contaminate other clothing or future loads of laundry.
Step 1
Place the fiberglass-tainted clothing in a plastic bag when removing it, rather than placing it on the floor or on a hook or hanger, where it may contaminate other items in the room.
Step 2
Deposit all the work clothes exposed to fiberglass in the washing machine and fill the machine according to the care label on the clothing. Add your favorite laundry detergent. Do not add any other clothing or laundry to the load, to avoid cross contamination. Discard the plastic bag.
Step 3
Wash and rinse the clothing as you normally would. If you wish, wash and rinse it a second time for added assurance, without removing it from the washer between loads.
Step 4
Wash your hands and forearms thoroughly with hand soap after touching the affected clothing.
Step 5
Dry the clothing in the dryer or on a clothesline, as you normally would.
Step 6
Run wash and rinse cycles on the washing machine without soap, which helps rinse any residual fiberglass out of the drum. This extra cycle helps prevent the next laundry load from being contaminated with fiberglass.