How to get slime out of clothes, carpet, hair and other surfaces
For children, playing with slime/silly putty is one of the most interesting ways to spend free time. There are numerous videos out there detailing how to make the hugely popular sparkly, colorful, and at times edible goo. It is usually all fun and games until the slime gets stuck on the children’s clothes, hair, or other surfaces in the house. Have you recently found yourself trying to figure out how to get slime out of clothes? You are not alone.
If you have not yet encountered the dreaded slime stain problem, you might do so soon, especially if your kids love slime. The stuff will inevitably find its way to carpets, seats, clothes, or any imaginable surface. While trying to figure out how to get slime out of clothes can be downright scary, relax. There are numerous effective solutions.
How to get slime out of clothes
Does slime stain your clothes? Yes. Those who have experienced it know that it can result in some of the nastiest stains on clothes. Have you been trying to learn how to remove slime from clothes? Look no further. Here are some awesome, do-it-yourself solutions to give a try.
Use an ice cube and the freezer
Getting rid of a dreaded blob of slime can be as easy as making use of an ice cube and freezer. The low temperature causes the silly putty to harden, making it easier to pull off.
How to get putty out of clothes using an ice cube
- First, scrape the silly putty off the piece of clothing. You can do this using a household scraper or even a knife.
- Freeze any remaining gooey globs by rubbing an ice cube over the stain and any remaining residue.
- Place the garment in a freezer bag.
- Put the bag in the freezer until the silly putty hardens.
- Once the slime is frozen, scrape away as much as possible (without forcing the fabric) before pretreating it with liquid laundry detergent and letting it sit for 10 minutes.
- Afterward, place the clothing item in a large container filled with two gallons of hot water. Let it soak for 30 minutes then wash it as you normally would.
Using vinegar
Vinegar comes in handy as one of the most versatile household cleaning agents today. In this case, white vinegar is used to dissolve slime on clothes. For this method to be effective, try to catch the slime before it dries up.
The good news is that silly putty stays pliable for considerably long, so if you do not catch the mess right away, you will still have a few hours.
How to get silly putty out of clothes using vinegar
- Grab the bottle of vinegar and get ready to put those arm muscles to use! There is no magic formula to this other than pour and scrub.
- Start by pouring vinegar onto your goopy slime spot! It is recommendable to do this over a sink, outside, or even in a container, so you do not add to the mess.
- Next, grab a clean scrub brush and get to work. The vinegar will help to dissolve the silly putty as you scrub.
- Depending on the slime mess level, you may have to repeat this a few times until all the silly putty is removed.
- Once you have removed the silly putty from your clothes, you can give the piece of clothing a good rinse and toss it in the washing machine.
- Wash as normal, and you will be good to go!
Using hot water
How do you get slime out of clothes without vinegar? Well, you could always try using hot water. Keep in mind that hot water can only be used for some types of fabric.
How to get silly putty out of fabric using hot water
- If the piece of clothing is made of cotton or another material that may be more damaged by a spin through a washing machine, you should soak it in hot water.
- Make the water as hot as possible without damaging the fabric of the clothing.
- Soak the clothing item in hot water for at least 30 minutes. This will help remove any loose globs of silly putty from the fibers and shake out any dyes from the slime that have not adhered to the fibers.
How to remove slime from hair
Besides your children staining their clothes with silly putty, they can also get it stuck on their precious hair. Trying to pull it off can be, as you might guess, quite painful. Here are a few ways to get slime out of hair.
Using mayonnaise
Mayonnaise is undoubtedly one of the surprise items on this slime hacks list. To make use of this household ingredient, do the following.
- Use a few scoops of mayonnaise and start applying it to the hair.
- Use a fine-tooth comb to comb through the hair gently.
- Wipe off the silly putty that sticks to the comb.
- Keep on combing the hair gently until all visible silly putty is gone.
- Apply shampoo or conditioner and rinse the hair under warm running water.
Using oil-based products
For this, any oil-heavy product such as baby oil, vegetable oil, olive oil, or peanut butter will do the trick.
How to get slime out of hair using baby oil
- Rub a little amount of oil into the hair.
- Apply the oil as you would shampoo, massaging it into the area with the slime.
- Use your fingers to fully work the oil into the hair, moving in the same direction as hair growth.
- Comb the hair out with a fine-tooth comb, pulling out the slime as you do. Remember to be gentle, as you do not want to pull any hair out.
- Wash the hair with shampoo and conditioner.
- Once the slime is mostly gone, hop in the shower to finish the job. The warm water, shampoo, and conditioner will get the last of the slime out of the hair.
How to remove slime from carpet
Carpets are probably the easiest surfaces for kids to stain when playing with silly putty. The best method to clean your carpet will hugely depend on its fabric and color. Here are some of the most effective solutions.
How to get slime out of carpet using hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide attacks grime and stains with its effervescence and will break the silly putty down into parts, making it much easier to remove them from your carpet or area rug.
Since hydrogen peroxide can bleach fabrics and carpet fiber, only use it on light-colored rugs and carpets, and always spot test your solution in a hard-to-see area first.
- Start by scraping away any big pieces of slime or putty, and vacuum away the debris.
- Mix the peroxide and water in the spray bottle, and spray the stain until wet.
- Spot-test a discrete area for colorfastness. This is important since the agent can occasionally bleach carpets.
- If you own a woolen carpet, do not even think about putting peroxide on it.
- If your carpet is made of other fabric types, apply the hydrogen peroxide, and let it sit for 10 minutes or so.
- Blot with a clean cloth and rinse with warm water.
How to get silly putty out of carpet using hot water
Sometimes, all you need to figure out how to get slime off of carpet is plain old water. Silly putty is usually not water-soluble, but when you combine a bit of scraping with some old-fashioned rinsing action, you will be pleasantly surprised by the results.
One distinct advantage of using this method involves preserving your carpet. Unlike other solutions that involve chemicals, water can be used as a cleaning agent without damaging your carpet.
How to get putty out of carpet using club soda
This method of removing slime is similar to cleaning your carpet with water, but club soda gives the method a bit of a kick.
How to get slime out of fabric using club soda
- Use the scraping tool to break apart the silly putty, and vacuum to remove excess slime.
- Continue scraping and vacuuming until you cannot clear away any more debris.
- Fill a spray bottle with club soda, and spray the stain thoroughly.
- Let the club soda sit on the carpet stain for at least five minutes, then blot the area with a piece of cloth.
Using vinegar
Similar to other fabrics and surfaces, vinegar works wonders in removing slime from carpets. Here is a simple guide on how to use this common household item.
- Pour white vinegar over the stained/slime-covered area.
- Let the vinegar soak in the carpet for 3-5 minutes.
- Scrub the stained area with a scrub brush or a carpet scrubber. The stain should start to disappear.
- Once the stain has been scrubbed out, spray the area with a light mist of water.
- Vacuum up the excess liquid.
Now that you have figured out how to get slime out of clothes, hair, and other surfaces, feel free to try one of the methods the next time you are faced with a slime stain.
READ ALSO: How to clean an iron: best methods
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There are effective do-it-yourself methods that you can use to clean your iron box and make it look like it did when you bought it.
Source: Legit.ng