You found the perfect attire for your evening out and made no delay in buying it. You come home and put it on, but to your stark disappointment, you find the security tag still attached to that dress. There are no home appliances that can get rid of the security tag. Would you drop the idea of wearing this lovely outfit? Certainly not! This article will guide you on how to remove security tags at home so you can fix the problem using things available at home. Over here, we are going to see different ways to detach different types of security tags used by apparel stores.
Different types of security tags
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Before learning how to remove security tags, identify the type of security tag. Apparel stores use different types of security tags to prevent shoplifting. The moment these security tags pass through the exit gates, the tag will sound an alarm which alerts the personnel working in the store. They are fastened to clothes, accessories, toys, and sometimes to spectacles. There are mainly four types of security tags –
- Magnetic security tags (alarming tags)
- Mechanical security tags
- Ink security tags
- Security labels
How to remove security tags with magnetic lock
A security tag has two sides – the pin side (the flat side) and the ink cartridge side (the rounded side with a dome-like shape). When a store puts security tags with magnetic locks, they use an electromagnetic device to remove them during billing. You can use the same method by using a high-powered magnet at home. All you need to do is keep the high-powered magnet on a flat surface and then firmly place the security tag (the ink cartridge side) on the magnetic device. If you hear a click sound, then it means that the tag has is deactivated. Now you can pull the pin with your fingers. With a little effort, you can pull out the ink side as well.
How to remove security tags with mechanical locks
Security tags with mechanical locks are easier to remove than magnetic ones. The pin is usually pierced through the garment and fastened into a lock on the other side – which generally contains the ink. It is put on apparel or other items made of soft materials usually.
Let us see how to remove security tags of this kind. First, check if it has an ink cartridge. Even if you don’t see one, it is better to imagine that there is one which is not visible, and then accordingly place the tag in such a way that the ink vial is facing away from the garment. Now all you need is a strong rubber band that should be thin enough to slip between the security tag and the garment.
Wrapping a rubber band loosens the tag, making it easy to pull it apart. But before you do that, you might want to keep the garment in your freezer for around 2- 3 hours to let the ink freeze. Doing this ensures that even if there is any mistake while pulling the pin, the ink won’t spill and spoil that lovely outfit, as the ink is frozen (though some websites suggest that the ink has antifreeze technology).
The next step is to hold the top of the tag and turn it sideways to snap it off. At this stage, you can add more rubber bands or keep twisting the same rubber band multiple times over it until it becomes loose enough to come off. Keep turning the tag sideways to check if it comes out. Add layers to the rubber band until you remove the tag successfully.
By Using Fork
You can also use two forks to detach alarming tags. The trick of two forks is quite simple but requires a bit of physical strength. First, place one fork between the tag and the garment. Insert it a way that the fork faces the garment and also creates a space between the security tag and the cloth. Once you do this, insert the other one along with the first one, but the second one should be facing the opposite direction – facing the tag. Now, using brute force, pull the forks away from each other. If you hear a pop sound, that indicates that the lock is coming apart and the tag is about to come off. Keep pulling the forks against each other till the mission accomplished.
By Using Fire
At the cost of sounding oxymoronic, another cool way is by using fire. You can use a lighter or a candle to melt the plastic dome. Once the plastic softens, use pliers to get rid of the plastic. Soon you will see a spring and a pin behind it. Remove them to take off the security tag. However, a word of caution – while using fire to heat the plastic, be careful not to leave it unattended as you might end up burning the garment.
Conclusive Insight
The best way to get a security tag removed is by visiting the store once again. But that is not feasible every time as the store might be very far away or you might have lost the receipt (in which case you might get suspected as a shoplifter). Or maybe you bought it online, and the product got delivered along with the security tag. Whatever your reason is, if you need to remove security tags at home, you can use the above methods and still enjoy your outfit without running from pillar to post. This article on how to remove security tags easily at home is purely for information purposes. We do not encourage the crime of theft or shoplifting.
