# I just melted a non-woven polypropylene to my heat press platten.



## theTSHIRTman (Aug 8, 2007)

Like an idiot, I tried to press a non-woven polypropylene at too high a temp WITHOUT TEFLON sheet! So, it turned to melted liquid goo on my upper heat platten. I turned the press off and let it cool. Now I'm trying to scrap it off with a plastic scraper. Any know know of a better/faster/safer way?


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## hubindustries (May 21, 2012)

A heavy duty razor blade scraper might work better.


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## theTSHIRTman (Aug 8, 2007)

I was using a metal scraper at first, which worked better, but I'm worried about scratching the teflon. :-/


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## proworlded (Oct 3, 2006)

That's a tough one. Maybe a plastic putty knife. You do not want to damage the Teflon coating.


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## sben763 (May 17, 2009)

Re heat the press get an ove glove or something to protect hand and use a wooden ruler without the metal edge to remove. I have melted plastic and some kind of synthetic materials to my platen so this comes from experience.

It will come off much easier as it starts to heat so keep trying it will start to come off before fully heated.


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## theTSHIRTman (Aug 8, 2007)

sben763 said:


> Re heat the press get an ove glove or something to protect hand and use a wooden ruler without the metal edge to remove. I have melted plastic and some kind of synthetic materials to my platen so this comes from experience.


Interesting! So its better to deal with this soft than it scrap it dry?


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## proworlded (Oct 3, 2006)

That sounds like good advice.


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## sben763 (May 17, 2009)

Yes sir. Plus it will help release the material from platen when warm to hot temps.


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## theTSHIRTman (Aug 8, 2007)

sben763 said:


> Re heat the press get an ove glove or something to protect hand and use a wooden ruler without the metal edge to remove. I have melted plastic and some kind of synthetic materials to my platen so this comes from experience.
> 
> It will come off much easier as it starts to heat so keep trying it will start to come off before fully heated.


FYI - This worked like a charm! After, I cleaned platten with a steam iron cleaner I bought from joanne fabrics... good as new!


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## sben763 (May 17, 2009)

Glad to see ya got it fixed. The steam iron cleaner is a good idea since they are usually Teflon also.


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## Mabuzi (Jul 3, 2007)

Who has not made that mistake with a heat press. I prefer hot clean and you should buy a Teflon sheet cover the fits over the platten as well as always have a non contact thermometer at each press and use before pressing.


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

Mabuzi said:


> Who has not made that mistake with a heat press. I prefer hot clean and you should buy a Teflon sheet cover the fits over the platten as well as always have a non contact thermometer at each press and use before pressing.


Pretty sure some cave man did it long ago!....lol....


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## bleeder (Jan 8, 2010)

Great, looks like I will be doing this tomorrow....stupid stupid stupid. I blame the gov't shutdown for this one.


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## lben (Jun 3, 2008)

Glad to hear it came off. My heat press didn't have a teflon coating and I had to scrape it off. It never did come all the way off.


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

My usual:

Don't scrape it off cold, as that may score the metal, and then the material will be much harder to remove fully. Heat it back up and use EZ-Off iron cleaner. If you need to scape, use a teflon pancake turner. Use in a well ventilated area. The fumes from the cleaner are non-toxic but they are unpleasant. Never clean the top platen of a heat press with alcohol or other flammable liquid, for obvious reasons.


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

You do not need a scraper of any kind......Anything you melted to get on there, can be melted to get off....Just increase the heat and wipe off with a soft cloth.....


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## Bre68nda (Oct 8, 2013)

Glad to see ya got it fixed. The steam iron cleaner is a good idea since they are usually Teflon also.


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## smurf2003 (May 8, 2014)

I was trying to scrap the melted fabric off the top part and have some scratches at the top now. Little scratches but all of the fabric is off. Will this mess up my heat pressing experience and quality?


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

Use Grafixgone and alcohol with a cotton rag. It will come off


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## hans1236cocoj (Mar 24, 2015)

I need to print sponsors logo's onto a TriathlonShirt made up of 67% Polypropylene, 18% Polyamide 9% Polyester and 6% Elasthanne, what is the best way to print this item. The shirt is all white in colour. Thank you .


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## rabluck (Jun 7, 2015)

hi... so it seems like it is possible to print non woven polypropylene with this heat press platen printer? May someone share if any specific paper and ink I need to use? How many degree do I have to set the printer to?
Thanks so much in advance.


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## samanthat43 (Oct 5, 2015)

wow. this post has come in handy.. i just did this the other day..


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

I haven't come across anything I couldn't remove with heat and rags. What melts on, must melt off.


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## Andrew Kalistus (Mar 6, 2017)

can one print a plastic material in the heat press machine? and to what temperature, especially in some of the plastic phone cover materials.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

Andrew Kalistus said:


> can one print a plastic material in the heat press machine? and to what temperature, especially in some of the plastic phone cover materials.


Not any plastic. It has to be the type that can withstand a heat press. Like Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic which a lot of items used for sublimation is made of.


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