How to Remove Glue from a Dryer

Even though some items can make it through the washing machine in your pocket, many things will melt in the heat of the dryer and make a big mess. Luckily, there are several methods that can work to safely remove glue from a dryer. Select a method below and follow the steps to remove the glue, then use the guide How to Remove Superglue Stains to remove the glue on your clothes.

You Will Need:

• A hair dryer
• A plastic scraper
• Dish liquid
• Water
• A cloth

Steps to Remove the Glue:

Most adhesives can be softened with heat, and once soft, they can easily be scraped or scrubbed off a surface.

1. The easiest way to heat the glue in this situation is simply to turn on the dryer for a few minutes, but you have to be careful that you don’t soften the glue so much that it starts to run and spread.
2. Another option is to use a hair dryer to soften the glue. To do this, put the hair dryer on the warm setting and hold it 4-6 inches away from the glue.
3. A steam cleaner can also be used to heat the glue if you have one with an upholstery attachment.
4. Once the glue is soft, scrape it off with a plastic scraper or an old credit card. Do not use a metal scraper or you could scratch the dryer.
5. Once you have scraped off as much as possible, wet a cloth with some soapy water and scrub off the rest of the glue. It may help to soften the glue again with heat before scrubbing it off.

You Will Need:

• Paper towels
• Water
• Plastic wrap
• Tape
• A plastic scraper
• Dish liquid
• A cloth

Steps to Remove the Glue:

With this method, water will be used to soften the glue so that it can be scraped off.

1. Fold a paper towel into halves or quarters so that it is thicker.
2. Wet the paper towel with warm water.
3. Turn the drum so that the glue area is in the bottom of the dryer.
4. Lay the paper towel over the glue.
5. If there are multiple areas that have glue in the drum, you can put a piece of plastic wrap over the paper towel and tape it in place to hold the paper towel against parts of the drum that are facing the ceiling or side walls.
6. Leave the paper towel in place for an hour, then test to see if the glue has softened. If not, leave the paper towel on longer, adding more water if needed. It may take several hours for the glue to soften.
7. Once soft, scrape off the glue with a plastic scraper or old credit card. Do not use a metal scraper as it could scratch the dryer.
8. Once you have scraped off as much glue as possible, scrub off any remaining glue with a soapy cloth.

You Will Need:

• A non-flammable solvent, such as
  • Klean-Strip Odorless Mineral Spirits
• A plastic scraper
• Dish liquid
• Water
• A cloth

Steps to Remove the Glue:

You have to be very careful with this method. Many solvents and their fumes are flammable, so only attempt this with the ones that we recommend or ones that you are certain are not flammable.

1. Use a cotton swab to apply a small amount of Klean-Strip Odorless Mineral Spirits onto the glue. (Do not use regular mineral spirits as they are flammable.)
2. Let the solvent soak on the glue for 30 minutes or as long as needed for the glue to soften, then scrape off the glue with a plastic scraper or an old credit card.
3. Once you have removed as much glue as possible, scrub off any glue that remains with a soapy cloth.
4. Once the glue is removed, wash the area with soap and water to remove any residue from the solvents. This is important to ensure that the residue does not get onto the next load of clothes that are put in the dryer.

• Always use extreme caution when working with solvents. Wear gloves and follow any safety precautions that are on the label of your selected product.
• If there are tiny holes along your dryer drum and you think that the glue has seeped out through the holes, you will need to remove the drum to clean the outside of it as well. Otherwise, the glue may seep back in through the holes later while drying your clothes.