How to Restore Velcro Straps

If you’ve come to respect the staying power of Velcro, you probably get frustrated when you reach for a Velcro strap to secure an extension cord, only to find the strap unravel in your hands. Wear and tear and especially an accumulation of hair, dirt and other debris can diminish the wonderful sticky staying power of Velcro. But the condition isn’t permanent. In a few steps, you can restore Velcro straps.

Toothpicks
Tweezers
Masking tape
Packing tape (optional)
Teasing comb
Lint brush or small wire brush
Soap and water
Anti-static spray

Instructions

- 1
  Pull apart the two pieces of Velcro and put them on a table. Notice that one section is soft and the other is rather hard and spiky. This is how Velcro achieves the “hook-and-fastener” technology that makes the straps stick together.
- 2
  Carefully pick out any visible hair, fuzz, string, lint and other debris from both sections with your fingers. If some particles remain trapped, use toothpicks or tweezers to remove them.
- 3
  Roll up a piece of masking tape several times over and use it to remove any remaining debris from the softer section of Velcro. Repeat the dab-and-lift procedure with packing tape for stubborn debris.
- 4
  Comb debris from the hard section of Velcro with your choice of household tools, but start with a teasing comb. The comb is ideal because one side is a fine-toothed comb and the other is a wider-tooth comb, and both sides work well to remove debris from the hard, sticky section of Velcro. If you don’t have a teasing comb, try a small lint brush or small wire brush instead.
- 5
  Wash the two Velcro sections in warm, sudsy water and let them air dry.
- 6
  
  Velcro straps are terrific for bundling TV and computer wires, cords and cables.
  
  Spray the Velcro sections with anti-static spray, which will help repel dirt and debris from accumulating and reducing the staying power of the Velcro straps.

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