How to get fiberglass out of clothes without spreading it

Step by step: how to get fiberglass out of clothes without spreading it

Safety first. Fiberglass irritates skin, eyes, nose and throat. Wear gloves while handling the clothes, do not shake them indoors, and wash your own skin with soap and warm water. If fibers get in your eyes, flush them with water and do not rub.

1. 1

   Undress carefully and bag the clothes

   Take the work clothes off in the garage, laundry room or another hard-floored space, peeling them inside out as you go. Put them straight into a plastic bag instead of on the floor, a hook or a chair, where fibers rub off onto other things. Tie the bag closed.

2. 2

   Wash your skin

   Shower or wash exposed skin with soap and warm water before you handle anything else. Pat dry; do not scrub, which drives the tiny glass splinters deeper. A strip of tape pressed on and pulled off lifts fibers stuck to the skin.

3. 3

   Lift loose fibers with tape

   With gloves on, take each item out of the bag over a hard floor or outdoors and roll a lint roller or a wide strip of tape over the surface, especially cuffs, collars and knees. Press and lift; do not brush, which pushes fibers into the weave. Replace the tape as it fills.

4. 4

   Wash the clothes in their own load

   Wash the work clothes by themselves with your usual detergent on a normal cycle, using the warmest water the labels allow. Do not add other laundry. Choose an extra rinse if your machine has one.

5. 5

   Run a second wash if they still itch

   If the fabric still feels prickly, leave the clothes in the washer and run a second wash and rinse without taking them out. Moving the wet load around more just spreads fibers.

6. 6

   Rinse and wipe the washer

   Take the clothes out, then run an empty rinse or short wash cycle to flush the drum. Wipe the drum, door seal and lid with a damp disposable cloth and throw the cloth away.

7. 7

   Dry and clean the lint filter

   Dry the clothes as usual or hang them. Afterward, clean the dryer lint screen carefully with a gloved hand or a damp paper towel, since it collects any fibers that came loose.

8. 8

   Clean the spot where you undressed

   Vacuum the floor with a HEPA vacuum or wipe it with a wet cloth or mop. Do not dry sweep, which puts fibers back in the air.

What do health departments say about fiberglass clothing?

Health departments agree on the essentials: remove the clothes, wash them separately from other laundry, and rinse the washer afterward.

The Illinois Department of Public Health says clothing worn while working with fiberglass should be removed and washed separately from other clothing, and that the washing machine should be rinsed thoroughly after the exposed clothing has been washed. It also advises washing exposed skin with soap and warm water and flushing your eyes with water if fibers get in them.

New York City’s health department recommends loose-fitting, long-sleeved clothing and gloves to reduce skin contact, removing and separately washing clothes worn around fiberglass, and cleaning dust with wet mops and cloths or a HEPA vacuum rather than dry sweeping.

How to keep fiberglass off your clothes in the first place

Wear a disposable layer over your clothes, so most of the glass goes in the trash instead of the laundry.

• Disposable coveralls over loose, long-sleeved clothes keep fibers off your shirt and skin. Tuck sleeves into gloves and pant legs into boots or socks.
• Smooth, tightly woven fabrics shed fibers more easily in the wash than fleece, knits or flannel, which trap them.
• Wear safety glasses and an N95 respirator in the attic; both health departments recommend respiratory and eye protection.
• Keep work clothes in their own hamper or bag until laundry day, and never pile them with family laundry.
• After the project, give your laundry area a wipe down; our guide to cleaning a washing machine covers the drum, gasket and dispenser.

When to throw clothes away instead

Throw a garment away if it still itches after two separate wash loads, or if it is heavily coated in insulation. Cheap work clothes are not worth spreading glass to the rest of your laundry.

• Fleece, sweaters and fuzzy knits hold fibers stubbornly; treat them as disposable for insulation work.
• If fiberglass has spread through a bedroom from a mattress or furniture, stop using the washer for that bedding and get advice from the manufacturer or a professional cleaner before you wash it.
• See a doctor if skin irritation, eye pain or breathing problems do not ease after you wash and change.
• If a fiber gets in your eye while you handle the clothes, do not rub it. MedlinePlus says to gently rinse a particle on the eyelid or the white of the eye with water or eye drops, and to contact a health care provider rather than treat it yourself if you have a lot of eye pain, red or painful eyes, or blurred or reduced vision.

Mistakes to avoid

• Shaking the clothes out indoors, which puts fibers in the air and on the carpet.
• Washing work clothes with towels, sheets or children’s clothes.
• Brushing or scrubbing the fabric, which drives fibers deeper into the weave.
• Skipping the empty rinse cycle, so the next load picks up leftover glass.
• Dry sweeping the area where you undressed.