# How to clean ink off top of my heat press?



## mrtoad (Oct 20, 2006)

Can somebody tell me how to get ink off the top of my heat press? I had used an old mousepad I pressed to put under a jacket I was pressing to raise up part and did not realize part of the mouse pad slipped out and touched and then stuck to the top of my press. Now there is ink on there.

It is a Hix Swingman 15" and the ink from the mousepad was from an inkjet transfer.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Mike


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## Robin (Aug 28, 2006)

Mike, there have been many different ways suggested here. Search, "cleaning heatpress"

But....I contacted the distributer I bought mine from. They said to use something like comet, and one of those plastic scrubby things you use for dishes. I havent done it yet...but thats what I plan to do within the next couple days.


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## plan b (Feb 21, 2007)

I saw someone on the forum recommended oven cleaner

R.


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## COEDS (Oct 4, 2006)

I USE A DDAMP TOWEL ON A HOT SURFACE, i HAVE ALSO HEARD OF USING IRON CLEANER FROM JOANN FABRICS. ...... jb


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## mrtoad (Oct 20, 2006)

Thanks all. As it seems that there is so many answers I decided to reach out to Hix just in case being scared that I might damage it. This is what they emailed back in case anybody else has a Hix press and ever has this issue.

"We suggest soap and warm water. If this doesn’t work, apply mineral spirits, allow to penetrate, and wipe clean."

Thanks again,
Mike


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## Robin (Aug 28, 2006)

Thanks for sharing Mike!


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## mrtoad (Oct 20, 2006)

No problem at all and thank your for your replies. As you had mentioned contacting your distributor it is what helped to push me to call Hix. Thanks again!


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## Robin (Aug 28, 2006)

well today is my heat press cleaning day (and my first cleaning for the Brother too) I have mineral spirits, I have plastic scrubbies, and I have rubber gloves!! If one doesnt work, I have the other. Im good to go!


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## mrtoad (Oct 20, 2006)

Good luck, let me know how it goes. I am going to try to get to mine sooner hopefully than later...


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## Robin (Aug 28, 2006)

alright well Im not happy so far.

First I used the plastic scrubby and some comet. Ink came off, but its going to take a jug of that stuff, and some serious elbow grease.

Then I tried the mr. clean magic eraser....its ok if you do a weekly or monthly cleaning.....still lots of elbow grease.

Then I tried a s.o.s. it was good for the heavy thick stuff in the middle, but I was scared to scratch or damage the platen. So I have the really heavy stuff off.

Then I tried the mineral spirits. Nope....then my husband comes over and says "Hey, that stuff is flamable!" So I wiped after a couple minutes, and it just took off a little bit of it.....again....lots of elbow grease involved.

K, then I cleaned and wiped to get the mineral spirits off, then warmed up the press to do what Co-eds suggested. That didnt do a thing for me.

So......tonight will include a trip to Jo-Annes fabrics for some of that iron cleaner that has been suggested here before.

I want to add......I didnt know I was suppose to clean this thing. I didnt realize how bad it was until images started sticking to the top platen (after we got the ink printer) Now I know that I need to clean this thing on a regular basis.

I'll let you know how this other stuff works out.


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## mrtoad (Oct 20, 2006)

How did it all wind up? 



Robin said:


> alright well Im not happy so far.
> 
> First I used the plastic scrubby and some comet. Ink came off, but its going to take a jug of that stuff, and some serious elbow grease.
> 
> ...


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## Shuffy (Sep 3, 2005)

EZ-OFF STEAM IRON SURFACE CLEANER / HOT IRON CLEANER - (eBay item 150150516080 end time Oct-10-07 09:51:38 PDT)

This is the stuff I used

I used it "about" 2 months ago . . and my press STILL looks new
you use it while the press is hot . . be sure to put wax paper or something that catches the drippings . . . 

Diane
;o)


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## Robin (Aug 28, 2006)

> How did it all wind up?


dont know yet, I was waiting for my 40%off coupon for joannes to come in sundays paper  sometimes the scotch in me really shows thru  



> This is the stuff I used


Thanks so much Diane, I had read your orginal post about this when I was trying to figure out how to clean it. But Im not an ebay shopper...dont know why. But if some iron cleaner from joannes doesnt do the trick I just may have to break down and buy from ebay.


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## Shuffy (Sep 3, 2005)

I've been meaning to check the grocery store -- I better put it on my shopping list L*~

but here's another link - besides the ebay link -- 
Ez-Off Iron Cleaner

really really really good stuff . . 
hardly any elbow grease at all . . . it starts working as soon as you apply it . . I used a dry terry cloth towel . . folded it (so I don't get burned) and squeezed the stuff on the towel and ran the towel (ever so softly) across the plate --- man -- I am telling you it's like a miracle LOL*~
. . then I kept applying EZoff with a little bit of elbow grease . . after it was good and clean -- I took a wet terry cloth towel (clean one) and wiped it down with plain water --- I took some old t-shirt and did some pressing the next day to be sure that the residue was gone . .
and the plate looks GREAT --- even after two months . . .

Diane
;o)


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## Robin (Aug 28, 2006)

thanks for the other link Diane. Did you have your heat press on or off?


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## Shuffy (Sep 3, 2005)

Yes . . you clean the press while it is hot




Robin said:


> Did you have your heat press on or off?


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## mumzie (May 9, 2008)

I have read all the suggestions here - do these apply for teflon coated heat elements as well?

We have two presses - one we use the mineral spirits on with great success. The other one (the spare, when the main one broke last weekend) is teflon coated - we're scared to death to clean.

Using it with the DTG leaves ink on it - and mfg. suggests soft scrub and water - we can't do this after every use...


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## mrdavid (Sep 14, 2007)

Ok with EZ-OFF you can use on Teflon coated press this is what I have. It will clean but will not take it all off. If you put the transfer on up side down and close your press then you have A miss it will help to take that off. but if you have old stains then it will clean but will not take it all off ANY BRUNT ON STAIN.


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## COEDS (Oct 4, 2006)

I suggest you ask the flowerboxx how he cleans his press. He will be glad to help you out. .... JB


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## mrdavid (Sep 14, 2007)

This is after cleaning with EZ-OFF. if you seen it before then yes you would have seen the junk that came off.If there is any other way then yes please let us know.


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## knightball (Jun 6, 2008)

I seem to be cleaning my press (HIX C800) way to often...as I ger bownish yellow stains on my shirts if I don't. I would I am cleaning it every 3-6 dozen. I use a lot of closeout transfers that I have been told eventually the ink begins to bleed through the paper and is being ttansfered to the heat platen and then to the shirt. But, even if I use brand new transfers (say customed ordered sheets so I know they are new)..I still get some stains.

At the beginning of every day I clean my presses with GoJo hand cleaner then a dish deterget solution, then water using a green type dish scrubber. Every month or so I clean it with acetone/tolouene solvents.

I still clean it every 3-6 dozen with the dish detergent solution and green scrupper then wiping don with a damp cloth and pressing it off onto an old towel several times.

Any suggestions to prevent cleaning so often. ANYONE ELSE CLEAN THIS OFTEN?

Thanks alot.
knightball


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## talos72 (Nov 4, 2006)

do you use teflon sheets between platen and garment? those things work great...


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## vicgene08 (Jul 9, 2008)

hey everyone,
thaks, you were all very helpful, we need to clean the ink off the top plate of our clamshell press. only had it for couple weeks now, and when we first tried it couple times, we were starting to have trouble with the transfer paper curling up just as soon as you layed it down, barely enough time to line it up straight on the bottom plate. Any suggustions on this one??


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## FlaDude (Mar 8, 2007)

I accidentally left a transfer upside down too. I used oven cleaner with a scour pad. It took a little elbow grease but nothing too bad. I then used a sponge and comet to wipe the whole top off after the ink was gone. The whole process took about 5-10 minutes. The iron cleaner sounds much better if I would have had some.


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## CUSTOM UK (Jun 28, 2008)

Methylated spirit works for me, although I always use a teflon sheet now, so cleaning is a rare occurence.

If you have taken any teflon coating off when cleaning, you can get teflon spray in a can from most of the larger cookware shops. It is designed to reproof non stick pans. It works with my home made curry's, so protecting your presses will be an absolute cinch.


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## knightball (Jun 6, 2008)

Thanks for the info...but doesn't using the teflon sheet slow you down?

I am a high volume printer and have found that using a tflon sheet slows me down a lot as well as, if your not careful, can move the transfer


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## CUSTOM UK (Jun 28, 2008)

The teflon sheet doesn't really slow you down much at all. As with everything else, once you get into a method of working, you can get the shirts flying off your press.

The teflon sheet protects my press and my garments. I use sublimation as one of my methods, which means pressing at high temp for one full minute, so the teflon sheet is only a very small intrusion into those times.


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## mrdavid (Sep 14, 2007)

Here is some pics of using EZ-OFF one rag was for the pad on the bottem and the other was for the top!


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## uncletee (Feb 25, 2007)

be very careful with anything that will scrtch, i would'nt recomment sos


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## mobster (Oct 30, 2008)

i got a mistake after peeling off the paper. i pressed it again(forgot to put teflon sheet) and the residue sticked at the heat press. 
what i did was put some lighter fluid at a face towel and rub it on the affected area and the residue is gone.


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## FlaDude (Mar 8, 2007)

In reference to the teflon sheets - I am surprised there are no sheets that can attach to the top? If there is I could not find one. Last night I purchased sheet 2 inches longer than the top (16X16) and am going to "try" to run a stretchy string across from side to side to see if I can make it stay in place. Not really to save time - but to save the top from forgetting again.


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## 34Ford (Mar 19, 2010)

Ok, just bought it for a great price but look at this. Whatta ya think?


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## fastlinesuk (Jul 21, 2012)

ive just put tranfer paper on wromg side and it stuck to my tp plate what will i do to get rid of glue before i use it again


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## proworlded (Oct 3, 2006)

While the plate is warm rub it with a dry cloth and then use E-Z Off.


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## TheFrameFactory (Aug 20, 2012)

I just used acetone with decent results. It did take off some of the coating but not enough to leave bare spots anywhere. I probably will try the iron cleaner everyone has been talking about for more regular cleaning though.


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

I wouldn't use acetone as it's flammable, and you really need to do this while the press is hot. EZ-Off is cheap, non-toxic, and non-flammable. It's safe for metals and won't remove coatings.


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## personalizeme (Jun 21, 2007)

FlaDude said:


> In reference to the teflon sheets - I am surprised there are no sheets that can attach to the top? If there is I could not find one. Last night I purchased sheet 2 inches longer than the top (16X16) and am going to "try" to run a stretchy string across from side to side to see if I can make it stay in place. Not really to save time - but to save the top from forgetting again.


someone said somewhere to use magnants


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## Kymberlie (May 28, 2021)

I pressed a safety yellow Gildan dry fit 50/50 tshirt with my starcraft 15x15. It left yellow dye from the shirt on the platten and now transfers to other garments even after several times of pressing old shirts and trying to wipe clean the platten. Why would this yellow transfer to the platten and how do I get it off?


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

To get it off, cold press, Grafix Gone followed by Isopropyl Alcohol. Use a shop towel for both.


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## Kymberlie (May 28, 2021)

I'm not sure what grafix gone is. I will Google it.


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## Kymberlie (May 28, 2021)

It says its an adhesive remover.... I didn't stick anything to the platten... the color of the shirt is now still transferring many hot presses later I tried to wipe it with a wet paper towel and a damp cloth but only get the yellowing when pressing a light colored shirt. It's so bizarre.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

You asked for advice, I gave it. Do it, don't do it.

Good Luck.


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## Kymberlie (May 28, 2021)

binki said:


> You asked for advice, I gave it. Do it, don't do it.
> 
> Good Luck.


You're rude!


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## danversatrans (Aug 1, 2017)

There is a space or gap between the platen and the cover of the platen that can get contaminated with dirt and or ink or other foreign substance , use a wet old tee shirt and clean this area very well. That might help.


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