How to Remove a Security Tag from Clothing

This article was reviewed by Melissa Young. Melissa Young is a Freelance Fashion Stylist based in Atlanta, Georgia. With over 10 years of professional experience, Melissa's objective is to elevate people's confidence and comfort through the power of fashion. Her professional background is in commercial styling and she has extensive experience in styling for editorial, television, and film. She has styled for brands including Diageo Crown Royal, Hilton Hotels, IHG Hotels, and Getty Images, and has been featured in several publications, including PUMP Magazine, Moevir Magazine, and Upscale Magazine. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of South Carolina.

This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.

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You buy something new and bring it home only to realize the cashier forgot to remove the security tag. Ugh! Fortunately, you can get a security tag off at home without taking a trip all the way back to the store. We've put together an entire list of easy methods to safely and effectively remove different types of tags, whether you've got an ink or magnetic security tag. From using rubber bands to magnets, read on to find a method that'll work for you.

Using Rubber Bands

Place the ink cartridge of the tag face-down. The ink cartridge is the part of the tag that juts out of the plastic. It is on the opposite side of the pin, which is the round part of the tag.

Pull the part of the clothing with the tag away from the rest of the clothing. Move it as far away as possible so the ink doesn't ruin the clothing as much if the sensor cracks.

Slip a rubber band around the pin of the security tag. The rubber band should be large and thick enough to be strong, but thin enough to fit around the pin. This will loosen the pin.

• If the rubber band didn't loosen it enough, try again with multiple rubber bands.

Using a Screwdriver

Slide the pin away from the tag. The pin should easily slide through the now-free hole and the tag should be removed.

Using a Magnet

Find a high-powered magnet. You can use a hard drive magnet or a rare earth magnet since most tags are deactivated in stores with electromagnetic devices.

Pull the magnet away from the tag. The two parts of the tag should separate. If they don’t separate on their own, apply a little force. For instance, if you’re using a security tag that has a pin on the back, you may need to simply pull the pin out. [2] X Research source

Freezing the Tag

Step 2 Rip open the tag." width="460" height="345" />

Rip open the tag. You can just use your hands, pliers, or the rubber band method. This will ensure that the ink won't spill everywhere if you make a mistake -- ink can't spill if it's frozen.

Hitting the Tag

Gently pull the tag away from the clothing a few times. Do this ten or so times, until it loosens the pin a bit.

Find a large nail. The nail should be bigger than the tag, and the head of the nail should be at least as wide as a penny.

• Be careful not to hit it too hard, or the tag will be more likely to burst open.

Using Needle-Nose Pliers

Gently bend each side of the tag down using the pliers. Don't bend too hard or the tag will crack in half and spill ink everywhere.

Using Brute Force for Electro-Magnet Tags

Many modern tags actually contain an electro-magnet, not an ink pouch; upon breaking it open, you will see for yourself that there's no ink inside it.

Put something between the tag and the head of the pin to give it some slack." width="460" height="345" />

Burning the Tag

Burn the dome-like portion of the tag with a lighter. After burning it for few seconds, it will, most likely, catch fire as it’s plastic. [3] X Research source

As you keep scooping in, you will find a spring and tag will pretty much pop out.https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PT-y0k4O1Es Advertisement

Community Q&A

This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

Many security tags are deactivated in-store with an electromagnetic device. To remove them at home, use a high-powered magnet, such as a hard drive magnet. Place the magnet on a flat surface and lay the tag on top of it with the ink dome or cartridge facing down. You should hear a click letting you know the tag has deactivated. Wiggle the pins in the tag up and down to release them.

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

Most garment security tags have 1 or more pins inside that secure the cartridge to the body of the tag. You may be able to cut the wire if you can manage to get a wire cutter between the 2 halves of the tag, but these pins are thick and may be difficult to cut. Another option is to use a Dremel tool, but either method could damage your garment.

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Use a hammer. A bit neanderthal but as long as there is no ink, it works in 3-4 smashes. Turn security tag sideways for better efficiency.

Take a piece of cardstock and cut it with scissors just enough to slide it under the ink part of the alarm that way the ink won't spread all over the garment when you try taking it off. This works for the rectangular tabs with the round pin fastener.

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1. ↑https://youtu.be/WJENcL2Uaos?t=37
2. ↑https://youtu.be/WJENcL2Uaos?t=37
3. ↑https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PT-y0k4O1Es

About This Article

This article was reviewed by Melissa Young. Melissa Young is a Freelance Fashion Stylist based in Atlanta, Georgia. With over 10 years of professional experience, Melissa's objective is to elevate people's confidence and comfort through the power of fashion. Her professional background is in commercial styling and she has extensive experience in styling for editorial, television, and film. She has styled for brands including Diageo Crown Royal, Hilton Hotels, IHG Hotels, and Getty Images, and has been featured in several publications, including PUMP Magazine, Moevir Magazine, and Upscale Magazine. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of South Carolina. This article has been viewed 10,082,636 times.

If you brought an item of clothing home from the store only to find that the security tag is still attached, don’t fret. There are a few different ways to get those tags off without damaging your items. If it’s an ink tag, hold the larger part of the tag, which contains the ink cartridge, facing down. Pull it as far away from the surface of the clothing as possible so you don’t accidentally get ink on it if the cartridge breaks. Wrap a rubber band around the pin that holds the tag in place. This will help loosen the pin. Grab the larger side of the tag with one hand and the smaller part with the other, then firmly pull the two sides apart. If it still isn’t loose enough, try wrapping a few more rubber bands around the pin. If you don’t have any rubber bands, hold the cartridge facing up and carefully pry off the pyramid-shaped cap with a flat-head screwdriver. Peel off the foil seal underneath, then use the screwdriver to pry off the metal plate that holds the pin in place. Then, you should be able to simply slide the cartridge up off of the pin and release the tag. Whichever method you use, it can also be helpful to put the garment in the freezer overnight to freeze the ink so it doesn’t spill when you pull off the tag. If you’re dealing with an electromagnetic tag instead of an ink tag, you may be able to get it off with brute force. Wedge something between the tag and the head of the pin holding it in place, such as the edge of a flathead screwdriver. Grab the tag and wiggle it back and forth until the pin breaks, then break open the tag and pull it off. If you have a powerful magnet, such as a hard drive magnet, you can also try laying the tag flat on top of it. Listen for a clicking sound as the tag deactivates, then gently wiggle it free from the pins to release it from your garment. For more tips, including how to remove a security tag using rubber bands or pliers, read on!