How to Get Crayon out of Carpet

For parents of young children, messes and stains happen from time to time, and there’s often little you can do to stop it from occurring. When it comes to crayon in your carpet, however, several solutions do actually exist for you to clean it up completely and restore your carpet to its pristine condition.

Each of the methods involves a number of general household items like towels and soap, though you may need to stop by a store if you don’t have the specific tools necessary. With that in mind, let’s get into the three best cleaning techniques for how to remove crayon stains from your carpet.

THREE METHODS FOR GETTING CRAYON OUT OF CARPET

METHOD #1

The first method is the simplest and very often does the trick. It involves just a few supplies.

Supplies Needed:

• Butter knife
• Gentle dish soap
• Clean white cloth

Additional Supplies Possibly Needed:

• Ice cube
• Plastic bag
• Vacuum cleaner
• Paper towels

STEP 1 — First, use the butter knife to scrape away any of the hard excess crayon residue from your carpet fibers. If the crayon does not come away easily, put an ice cube inside a plastic bag and gently rub the affected surface; the ice will freeze and harden the crayon, making it easier to scrape away with the knife.

STEP 2 — Next, use a spoon to mix a little water with some liquid dish soap: about a quarter of a teaspoon of gentle dish detergent and a single cup of warm water should do the trick.

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 stain or discolor the fibers. It’s generally a good rule of thumb to test out cleaning solutions on small discreet sections before applying them to more conspicuous areas of your carpet.

STEP 4 — Once you’ve determined that the cleaning solution won’t stain or discolor your carpet, go ahead and 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.

STEP 5 — Finally, clean and rinse the area using a wet cloth, rag, or paper towels, making sure to blot instead of wiping or rubbing. When you’re finished, you can use a vacuum to remove any excess crayon from the carpet.

METHOD #2

The second method involves using an iron, which may sound tricky but it’s actually very straightforward. Here’s what you’ll need.

Supplies Needed:

• Iron
• Gentle dish soap
• Warm water
• Clean white cloth
• Tablespoon or teaspoon
• Paper towels

STEP 1 — Because you’ll be using an iron on the carpet, you want to make sure that your carpet fibers won’t melt when coming into contact with the heat. Similar to how we tested the soapy water in the first method, you want to gently test the iron (on a low setting) on an inconspicuous area of the carpet.

STEP 2 — Once you’ve determined that the carpet will withstand the low heat of your iron, you can move on to the next step. Place the clean white cloth over the crayon stain, then gently press the pointed end of the iron (on a low heat setting) into the stain itself; this causes the crayon to transfer away from the carpet and onto the cloth instead.

Note: If the crayon on your carpet has already melted, you may need to put soapy water on the clean white cloth 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 Steps 1 and 2, you can 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

This final technique may require you to go to the store and pick up some cleaner, but it’s a great last resort if none of the others works for you.

Supplies Needed:

• Carpet cleaner (certified by the Carpet and Rug Institute)
• Butter knife
• Clean white towel or rag
• Clean water

One quick note on carpet cleaners: in order to keep your carpet warranty valid, only use cleaners that have been certified by the Carpet and Rug Institute. Otherwise, you’ll likely void your warranty agreement and no longer be able to use the resources available to you by the carpet installer.

STEP 1 — In the same way as Method #1, begin by trying to remove as much crayon wax as possible from the carpet fibers (without hurting them) using a dull butter knife.

STEP 2 — Once you’ve gotten up as much as possible, you can spray the affected area with your carpet cleaning solution. As always, remember to test the solution on a small, inconspicuous area first.

STEP 3 — Blot the area with a clean white towel or rag. Depending on the specific cleaner you purchase, you might have to rinse the area with a little water first.

OTHER OPTIONS FOR CLEANING CRAYON OUT OF CARPET

If none of these options works for you and the stain remains, then you will probably want to reach out to a carpet cleaning professional to take care of the job for you. Using advanced methods and tools of cleaning and dry cleaning, pros can deliver excellent results in no time at all.

In the Midlands of South Carolina, people trust Carolina Kwik Dry and our team of carpet cleaners to clean up even the worst stains, whether it’s crayon or anything else.

Get in touch with us today to find out how we can help you make those stubborn crayon stains a thing of the past.