How To: Fray Stop

How To use Fray Stop liquid

Handy stuff!

What is Fray Stop?

Fray Stop or Fray Check liquid is a thinned glue that is dripped onto the cut edges of the fabric to stop the fibres fraying.  It remains flexible after application and is great for places where you can finish the rough places with stitching, or on a piece of fabric while you're still working with it.

The white stain is much more
noticeable than in the picture.

It's only suitable to use on fabrics that have a high natural fibre content - the thinner in the liquid is just going to melt artificial fabrics.

Application

Don't pour it on. I only learned this after I'd already finished sealing around the grommets when I was making my first corset. Sometimes I could get the thin stream I needed, and the rest of the time I got great runny gobs of it.  Mostly, this didn't cause problems, with the excess sticking around the grommet holds where it wasn't particularly noticeable, but in one spot it transferred to the main fabric of the corset, unfortunately leaving a visible stain (luckily on the back).

The correct way to use it is to pour a little drop on a small piece of plastic or silicon paper (where it won't absorb in) and then use a pin to transfer small amounts onto the fabric. A fine paintbrush for larger areas would also work nicely, though it would need to be cleaned properly afterwards.

Removal

Acetone is the recommended agent for cleaning up (the active agent in nail-polish remover is acetone*). From the smell of the Fray Stop, the thinner used is acetone anyway.

To clean up a brush, just soak in acetone, working the bristles until the sickness is dissolved away. To clean up a spill on a hard surface, use the acetone on an old scrap cloth and work until the stickiness comes away.

SAFETY WARNING: Spot test the acetone on an inconspicuous surface before using it to clean up hard or soft surfaces. Use in a well ventilated area. EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE. Keep away from naked flame.

To remove from fabric, spot test on a scrap piece first, or an inconspicuous spot on your garment if you have no scrap. Use the Fray Stop and let it dry before testing.  Get an old, colour-fast cloth and soak it in acetone then rub into the Fray Stop until it softens.  Repeat until the stickiness is gone.  The acetone will dry very quickly, so you'll need to soak it repeatedly. Then rinse in water.

THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THIS WILL WORK. 

YOU TRY THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK.

However, depending on the location of the Fray Stop stain, the risk of something going wrong may outweigh the risk of trying to clean up the stain. It's your call.

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* If you're using nail-polish remover, note that the other ingredients may have other impacts on your fabric. Make sure you do the spot tests.

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