How do you remove the plastic disc type security tags from clothing without damaging the material?

Question

It was a halloween outfit bought by a relative who forgot to get the tag removed. needed for a childs party tonight.

Answer 1

Here's a handful of suggestions from another site:

1) You simply get one of the thicker rubber bands (the type the mail carriers normally uses. You then wrap it under the needle part of the ink dispenser (usually the needle part is on the inside of the garment.You then keep wrapping it around and around and ultimately the slow addition of pressure on the rubber band pops the tag off.

Works like a charm, and there were always security tags found in the dressing rooms and busted rubber bands next to them, so it's obviously not that well-kept a secret.

2) you can heat up the plastic with a lighter, the spring will push the metal cup up aswell as the metal balls, once that is out, you can use a thin pocket knife to pry the tag apart just enough to slide out the pin

3) Their is a much easier way to remove an ink tag that you can do without power tools, all you have to do is melt the top part of the plastic cone part with a lighter and then scrape it off with a knife, then use the knife to pop all the bearings out, after that it slides apart. takes about a minute to get it apart, takes 15 to 30 seconds of melting the plastic with a lighter, after the first bearing comes out the next the next ones pop right out.

4) After shoplifting sessions my brother would use SaranWrap and a pair of scissors to cut them off. The SaranWrap would prevent the ink from staining the clothes if the packet broke. There was just enough room to fit the blades of the scissors and snip the pin that ran between the two plastic pieces. This was in the mid 90s.

5) I didn't read all the comments before me, so I don't know if anyone already posted this. It's really easy to get these sensors off without releasing any ink. Simply take a fork, insert it in between the fabric and one of the plastic ends so that the metal pin is between the metal teeth (or whatever they're called), as far away from the opening as possible. Then, pull straight up. With enough force, the tag is removed without damage.

6) Thanks guys for the ideas. I recently purchased several items from JC Penny. When purchasing the garment the sales lady actually commented on how she would remove all the ink tags so that I would not have to return to the store to have them removed. So I felt pretty safe. But lo and behold when I returned home, there was that pesky ink tag on the blouse that I wanted to wear that same day. So I put off returning to the store that day and with me being the unorganized person that I am, lost the receipt. Needless to say the store would not remove the tag without the receipt. Soooooo, I tried the fork idea, that broke the ink tag (got ink on a small section of the blouse). Then (undaunted) I tried the lighter OHMIGOD! it wok ed instantly. Just scrape the burnt part off and remove the three balls that surround the pen. After that the two sections easily separate. The great part is that the ink, although a bit smelly, is easily removed with Woolite, and I only had a tiny hole in the seam from pulling on the ink tag. The lighter is the way to go guys!

7) wire cutters gets those ones off that have the mushroom head shaped end peice. Used my leatherman to get one of these off a paid for pair of jeans for xmas. cut the wire in between the shroom shaped peice and the block. Yes, I used to work retail, it works very well.

Happy Halloween!

Answer 2

I've never tried the heat before - I'd try that first.

If you can't take it back to the store - you will just have to work at it with pliers- it can be done, but it's a pain! If it is in a discreet place - you might be able to cut it off and then stitch or glue the seam so it doesn't unravel.

I've bought things home only to find out later that there are still tags. (What makes me wonder is why the alarms don't go off when that happens - it always works when I'm shopping anywhere near the door! But I have found the dang tags at home too.)

Best of luck

Answer 3

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Answer 4

Heat the tag with a lighter and it will come undone...I found this out when I purchased a pair of jeans to be worn right a way and the clerk forgot to take the tag off. When I called to complain, she said that instead of driving all the way back to the store, try heat. It worked.

Answer 5

Good luck. I was at a store once where they didn't remove it, but it was scanned, so I could walk out the door. I ruined an expensive pair of pants trying to remove it.

If there's a secret, I'd love to know it.

Answer 6

7) tip above, with pliers worked great for me. no ink but i put the pair of socks inside a ziplock bag just in case. i can't believe i still had them in a box from years ago. pliers worked, no ink.

Answer 7

Security tags are very tricky to remove. Look at youtube or follow this site, there are quality tutorials how to remove security tags.

Answer 8

Easiest way is to burn the top middle portion with a candle and then remove the mid part with plier, the pin will remove easily then

Answer 9

This topic is worth everyone's attention

Answer 10

Sounds like an interested question