Removing putty from a PUL nappy cover

Founding Clean Cloth Nappies admin Anastasia rescues a beloved cloth nappy with stubborn putty residue and marks.

This nappy was sent to me because the owner had given up on trying to remove the putty. I took on the challenge.

Washing alone is not usually enough to remove non-biological stains like pen, ink, silicone or nail polish. They often require a solvent.

Different stains require different solvents. 

Due to the time lapse between making this post on Facebook and transferring it to the website I can’t remember exactly what solvent I used. It would have been hexane, ethanol or acetone

Removing the putty from this item required additional care as the putty was directly on the polyurethane laminate (PUL) cover. It was important to limit the solvent exposure to the PUL. Prolonged contact with solvent will damage the glue used to stick the polyurethane to the fabric.

Removal process

• Dab the stain with the solvent using cotton wool pads
• Immediately rinse with warm-hot water and detergent
• Repeat dab and rinse until it has been removed
• Immediately machine wash on a standard main cycle

I successfully removed the putty and ensured that the PUL didn’t delaminate. 

A note about good quality PUL

PUL will delaminate if it is exposed to solvent or excessive heat (above 60°C), if it is old or if it was cheaply made PUL to begin with. These factors affect the glue used to stick the polyurethane to the fabric.

Good quality PUL is less likely to delaminate, so it is worth investing in nappies that use good PUL that can withstand standard 60°C laundering for years.