An itchy tag is something that can be an annoying part of any day. Trying to shop or carry on a conversation while trying to reach for an itching tag is no way to go about your day. There are a number of ways that an annoying tag can be dealt with, however.

To get rid of an itchy tag, many people reach for the scissors. This can have one of three outcomes. The tag can be cut short and become even itchier, it can be cut even shorter and become comfortable or a hole can be cut in the neck of the t-shirt. Because all tags are not attached the t-shirts in the same way, taking the same approach to removing every tag can result in severe damage to the shirt. To remove the tag the proper way, take a look at how the tag is attached. Only after the tag and the stitching have been evaluated should you actually try to remove the tag.

There are tags that are sewn into the shirt with the same line of stitches that holds the seam together. For these tags, there is little that can be done besides cutting the tag as short as possible. This should be tony with fine scissors so that the tag is not left too long and the stitches are not cut accidently.

For tags that are sewn on with a different line of stitching from the seam, there are more options available. The tag can be cut away from the t-shirt by using a seam ripper. This small device will pull the stitches out of the shirt quickly and efficiently. If you don’t have a seam ripper, however, there are other options. To get the tag to fall away from the shirt, you might cut one or more of the stitches holding it on and then try to pull the thread to pull out the rest of the stitches. You may need to push and pull the thread a few times to do this, but it can be done with many items. Tweezers can sometimes be helpful when trying to remove tags with this method.

You can also use a small pair of hair-cutting scissors in place of a seam ripper. The small points at the end of these scissors will enable you to get a blade in between the tag and the thread. The thread can then be simply cut away from the tag, enabling it to be easily removed.

If the tag does have separate stitching from the seam, and the stitching doesn’t look very tight, you might be able to simply rip the tag out of the shirt. This should of course be done only after assessing the tag and making sure that the seam will not be affected. If it doesn’t work, it may loosen up the thread so that it’s easier to cut it away from the tag. If you do try pulling the tag out, pay attention to how it is affecting the garment. If it looks like the neck is being stretched out, stop pulling and try another method.