Anyone with young children knows how frustrating crayon stains on clothing can be. We’re here to help! You will be able to remove these annoying stains and restore your clothing to its original state using the right methods. Our tips and clear instructions can make the job less stressful.
Understanding Crayon Stains
Crayons consist of wax, mixed with the colour pigments. Each component represents a challenge to get the coloured marks out. The wax is attracted to fabric fibres. The pigments remain embedded and adhere to the fabric. Both components must be treated to remove crayon stains from clothing.
Types of Crayon Stains
Crayon stains vary depending on type of fabric and colour of crayon you have used: 1. Dried mid-brown crayon on a beige wall 2. Mid-blue crayon on light-blue cardboard 3. Shadow on pale-yellow sink from crayon 4. Dark green crayon on gloves 5. Mid-blue crayon on black clothes.
Solid Crayon Marks: These are usually the result of direct contact with the crayon.
Crayon melt marks: caused by melted crayons accidentally left in pockets, and then ironed into that china plate.
Preparation and Initial Steps
There are a few things you should do before you try to get rid of the stain, starting with these preliminary actions:
Gathering Supplies
You’ll need the following supplies for effective crayon stain removal:
Butter knife or spoon
Paper towels or clean cloth
Liquid dish soap
Rubbing alcohol
Stain remover spray
Old toothbrush
Washing machine
Scraping Off Excess Crayon
Start by removing the excess crayon using a butter knife or a spoon. Use these tools to scrape any excess from it off. Be careful not to tear the fabric mesh when doing this. The next step is important; this step stops the crayon from spreading further.
Blotting the Stain
Lay a paper towel or clean cloth over the stained area to wick up any excess crayon residue, then blot it from the top. Repeat this process with another dry paper towel or cloth to completely lift the stain from the fabric. Don’t rub, as that will only push the crayon further into the fabric.
Step-by-Step Crayon Stain Removal
Before doing that, you are going to have a pre-stain treatment on the stained area, and below are those methods so you will know how to do them.
Method 1: Using Liquid Dish Soap
Liquid dish soap works great to manage a crayon mess, and it is probably already in your kitchen.Here is what you need to do:
Rub with liquid dish soap : Rub a small amount of liquid dish soap directly on to the stain.
Scrub with an old toothbrush: Gently rub the stained area with an old toothbrush in a circular motion to begin to break down the wax and pigment.
Hot water wet rinse: Run warm water over the fabric to rinse out the soap and loosen the crayon residue.
If stain still visible: ‘Repeat if Nec’essary’: We appreciate your reading this far.
Launder as Usual: Place the garment in the washing machine as per the garment’s care label.
Method 2: Using Rubbing Alcohol
A third method of getting crayon stains out is rubbing alcohol. Here’s how to use it:
Step 6: Rubbing Alcohol Rubbing Alcohol: Put a dab of rubbing alcohol on your clean cloth or cotton ball.
Blot the Stain: Blot it using an alcohol-soaked cotton wool – the alcohol dissolves the wax and pigment.
Cold Water Soak: Soak the fabric in cold water to further remove the alcohol and the loosened crayon.
Repeat Step 4 if the stain still appears. Repeat this process until the stain is no longer visible.
Launder as Usual: Wash in the washing machine using care label instructions.
Method 3: Using Stain Remover Spray
There are special stain remover sprays that clean most stains, including the crayon marks.Checkout the followings steps to know how to clean crayon marks on your couch:
On to step 4. Ready to be applied: stain remover spray rubbed over the stain.
That’s it: Let It Sit: Let the stain remover ‘sit’ on the fabric according to the instructions (check product label for instructions).
Scrub Butt Gently Scrub: Take an old toothbrush and scrub the stained area.
Whereas, Rinse with Warm Water: rinse the fabric under warm running water to remove the stain remover and loosened crayon residue.
Repeat if necessary: If the stain is still visible, repeat the procedure until it is no longer visible.
Wash as normal: Machine wash according to care label inside garment.
Method 4: Using an Iron and Paper Towels
[And if the crayon stain does happen to be a bit stubborn, you can try to use an iron and some paper towels to transfer the wax from the material to the paper towels.]
Put Down Some Paper Towels: Lay several bent layers of paper towels over the stained area.
Steam the Iron: Turn the iron on to its lowest setting without steam.
This will help the stain transfer to the paper towels. Iron the Stain: Add three paper towels over the stain, and iron over them. The heat of the iron will melt the crayon wax, and the paper towels will adsorb it.
Leave them be: while the paper towels absorb the wax, merely place a new one on top of the old ones until no more wax is being absorbed.
Add stain remover: After wax is removed, spray some stain remover to the area to get out pigment stains.
Launder as usual: Put the garment in the washing machine with any other clothes you have to wash, and follow the care labels instructions.
Method 5: Using WD-40
If a child scribbles with crayons, WD-40 can be very effective in removing the stain, since it is a solvent. Here is a recipe:
WD-40: Spray WD-40 on both sides of the crayon stain and let it sit.
Blot: Blot the area with a clean rag or paper towel to lift the crayon wax and pigment. The crayon should have transferred from the painted surface on to the rag or paper towel.
Rinse with Warm Water: Rinse the fabric to remove any residue from WD-40.
Dish Soap: Dish soap will dissolve the calcium and eliminate the stain. You can gently brush the area with a toothbrush.
Launder as Usual: Machine-wash the garment according to the care label.
Method 6: Using Baking Soda and Vinegar
Baking soda and vinegar create a powerful cleaning combination. Here’s how to use them:
Make a Paste: Mix baking soda and vinegar to form a paste.
Paste Treatment: Apply paste on to the crayon stain, let it sit for 15-30 minutes.
Scrub the Stain: Use a soft brush to gently scrub the stain.
Rinse and Wash: Rinse the fabric and launder as usual in the washing machine.
Additional Tips and Tricks
The following are more tips and tricks to help you wash away crayon stains from clothes with the best results:
Act Quickly
The earlier you handle the crayon stain, the better. It will be easier to remove at the beginning, way before it seeped into the fabric fibres.
Test Cleaning Solutions
Always spot-test before applying any cleaning solution. To date, there’s no sure-fire way to get blood out, other than feigning surprise. When washing, dipping a clean LIGHT fabric into hydrogen peroxide and then gently dabbing the stained area with a clean and dry cloth often works: hydrogen peroxide removes urine stains other methods may leave behind. But beware! If you overdo it, or leave it on the fabric, it can harm fabrics such as wool, cotton and lycra, leaving them looking awful. Blood can be a bother, too. To get rid of it once and for all, make sure you use a spot-remover. The solution can also be applied directly onto the skin, thereby avoiding skin damage. In the past, women learned about hygiene from their mothers, who would clean their daughters with a damp cloth after breastfeeding, to avoid infection. A wise mom would pass on this knowledge to her daughter.
Avoid Heat
Avoid water or high heat, because the wax in the crayon can melt and become harder to remove from the fabric.
Be Gentle
Do not rub vigorously. Rubbing a stain vigorously can damage the warp and weft of fabric, causing the stain to spread.
Repeat as Needed
In some cases, you may need to repeat the process until the stain is entirely gone – don’t be deterred if it doesn’t come out the first time, it likely will on the second or third try.
Preventing Future Crayon Stains
Prevention is always better than a cure. Here are some tips for preventing future stains by crayons on clothes:
Supervise Art Activities
Don’t let children use crayons when they are wearing clothes that they might mark.
Use Protective Clothing
If your child uses crayons, an old shirt or apron is great to use as protection for regular clothes that can get stained. Here is an instruction that describes a task, paired with an input that provides further context. Write a response that appropriately completes the request.
Check Pockets
If you are doing laundry, always check the pockets before tossing the load in the machine. Then have a look inside – a stray crayon might have found its way into your pocket, and melting in the washing machine can stain everything in the load.
Conclusion
While it may seem difficult to get crayon out of clothes, it’s perfectly possible if you do it the right way and take your time. After reading through these steps, you’ll know all you need to know about how to get crayon out of clothing.
Make sure to act fast, be gentle and repeat as necessary.