Most parents are more than familiar with their little ones causing mess and mayhem; and sometimes it’s easy to clean up after them, and sometimes it isn’t.
Unfortunately, many parents at one point or another will find themselves asking the inevitable question of “How to get crayon out of carpet?” – and how much of a headache it can be!
The good news is, there are multiple ways to tackle the colourful addition to your stain – all of which with products you’ll find in your kitchen.
This article will show you five proven ways on how to remove the stains yourself, without paying for a hefty carpet-cleaning company (or a new carpet!) – and to do so while keeping your sanity intact!
Please note: these methods may take more than one attempt.
There may be affiliate links in this article. You can read more about this in my disclosure.
How to Get Crayon Out of Carpet
There are several methods for you to choose from, but first of all, you will need some trusty tools to get you started…
Method 1:
Tools:
Please note: you may not need all of these tools, as it depends on the severity of the crayon stain, but it won’t hurt to have them on standby.
- Dull-edge knife
- Washing-up liquid
- Clean cloth
- Ice cube/s
- Plastic bag
- Vacuum cleaner
- Paper towels
What to do:
- STEP 1 — First, use your dull-edge knife (such as a butter knife) to scrape away any of the hard excess crayon residue from your carpet. If the crayon doesn’t scrape off easily, put an ice cube inside the plastic bag and gently rub the carpet. The ice will freeze and harden the crayon, making it easier to scrape away.
- STEP 2 — Next, mix your washing up liquid with some warm water.
- STEP 3 — Before applying the soap and water solution to the crayon stain, you’ll want to first test it out on an inconspicuous area of the carpet to make sure it won’t discolor the fibers. If this isn’t an appealing option, it’s recommended to use clear colored washing-up liquid, such as Ecover.
- STEP 4 — Apply it to the crayon stained area. To do this, you’ll want to pour it directly onto the stain using the spoon and let it sit for at least five minutes. The more notable the stain, the longer it is best to leave the soap on for.
- STEP 5 — Finally, clean and rinse the area using a wet cloth, rag, or paper towels. It is important to blot instead of wiping or rubbing. When you’re finished, you can use a hoover to remove any excess crayon from the carpet.
Method 2:
Tools:
- Iron
- Washing-up liquid
- Warm water
- Clean cloth (preferably white or light-colored, so that you can see the effectiveness of the process)
- Tablespoon or teaspoon
- Paper towels
What to do:
- STEP 1 — Because you’ll be using an iron on the carpet, it’s important to make sure that your carpet fibers won’t melt when coming into contact with your iron. So, similar to how we tested the soapy water in the first method, gently test the iron (on a low setting) on an inconspicuous area of the carpet. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, look into one of the alternative methods to remove the crayon.
- STEP 2 — Place the clean cloth over the crayon stain, then gently press the iron (still on a low heat setting) into the stain. This will allow for the crayon to gently loosen from the carpet and onto the cloth instead.
- Note: If the crayon has already melted, you may need to dampen the clean white cloth with warm, soapy water first. However you do it, be sure not to accidentally transfer crayon wax from the cloth back onto other areas of the carpet.
- STEP 3 — If you still see some crayon on your carpet after completing the above, blot at the area with a cleaning solution in the same way as method 1 using a cloth or paper towels. (See above.)
Method 3:
Tools:
- Carpet cleaner (Rug Doctor or a similar brand should do the trick)
- Dull-edge knife
- Clean white towel or cloth
- Clean water
- Rubber gloves
What to do:
- STEP 1 — As with the first method, try to remove as much crayon wax as possible from the carpet fibres (gently does it!) using a dull-edge knife, such as a butter knife.
- STEP 2 —Spray the area with your carpet cleaning solution. As always, remember to test the solution on a small, inconspicuous area first to check for staining. With most cleaning chemicals, you may need to wear protective gloves – always check the product label.
- STEP 3 — Blot the area with a clean white towel or cloth. Depending on the carpet cleaning product you use, you might have to rinse the area with a little water first. Always follow the instructions as directed on the product packaging.
Method 4:
Tools:
- Dull-edge knife
- Grease absorbent paper (grease blotter)
- White paper towel
- Water
What to do:
- Again, scrape the crayon off the affected area with your dull-edge knife.
- Press the grease-absorbent paper down onto the stain and hold it firmly, allowing it to absorb all the wax grease.
- Replace the grease absorbent with a wet paper towel. Dab gently.
- If the stain persists, repeat the steps. This method is generally only effective on lighter stains.
Method 5:
Tools:
- Dull-edge knife
- Stiff bristle brush
- Sponge
- Paper towels
- Water
- WD-40
- Washing-up liquid
What to do:
- Again, to make your life easier, scrape as much of the crayon marks as possible using a dull-edge knife.
- Spray the stain with WD-40 and let it sit for a few minutes.
- With your stiff bristle brush, try to remove what remains of the crayon, the blot with paper towels.
- Respray the stain with WD-40 and use a small amount of washing-up liquid on the sprayed area.
- Work the mixture in with the brush. Let it sit for a maximum of 2 minutes.
- Wipe away with a damp sponge.
- If the stain remains, repeat the steps until the stain has fully vanished.
If These Methods Don’t Work
If you’ve exhausted these methods and that tough crayon stain is still peeping through, you are advised to seek advice from a professional carpet cleaning company.
They will either be able to point you in the direction of some heavy-duty carpet shampoo, or will send one of their cleaners out to sort the stain for you.
Before You Begin
If you’re hellbent on tackling the stain yourself, it is important to keep in mind the following:
- Cleaning (particularly with chemicals) should be done out of the reach of children and pets.
- If you will be using any type of detergent or rubbing alcohol, make sure to first try it on a small, concealed patch of carpet to prevent damage. If you’re unsure of this – seek advice from a carpet cleaning professional.
- If using rubbing alcohol, dilute it: 1 part alcohol, 2 parts water.
- If using any type of substance, it’s recommended to open the window and allow the room to air out later. Good ventilation is crucial when handling potent or toxic chemicals.
- When using a detergent or other chemicals, make sure that you wear cleaning gloves, and wear old clothing or PPE.
Conclusion
So, the good news is if one of your little one has left a great big Crayola mark on the carpet, there are multiple ways to tackle the stain without forking out for a carpet cleaning carpet – or a new carpet!
As stated, it is important when handling any chemicals to do it in a well-ventilated area, and to make sure the chemicals are kept out of the way of children.
If you’ve exhausted all the above methods (and then some), your only option is to seek advice from a professional carpet cleaning company, who will either advise you on a good carpet shampoo to tackle the “artwork”, or will send over one of their cleaning team members to do the honors for you.
We hope this article has proved helpful for your colorful dilemma! To prevent any further staining, it is wise to keep crayons out of the way of children when not in use and supervised!
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