How to Remove Silly Putty From Clothing

Silly Putty, which hit store shelves in 1950, is still one of the most popular children’s toys today. While Silly Putty is fun, it can create a headache for parents who have to get this gooey gunk out of clothing. From a mom who sits on Silly Putty left on a chair to a little boy who tries to copy the tractor image from his pajama pants, Silly Putty is bound to end up on clothing at some time. With over 50 years of consumer experience with the product, removing Silly Putty from clothing is a process that has been perfected over the decades.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Rubbing Alcohol
• Cotton Ball or Swab
• Butter Knife

1. Lay the piece of clothing with the Silly Putty on it onto a flat surface and stretch the material until it is taut. It is important to have the material taut as it makes the process of removing the Silly Putty much easier.

2. Depending on the size of the Silly Putty that is adhered to the clothing, you will need to soak a cotton ball or the tip of a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol. Once you have the cotton soaked with the alcohol, press it into the Silly Putty to transfer as much of the alcohol into the putty as possible. If necessary, repeat this step several times until the Silly Putty is thoroughly covered with rubbing alcohol.

3. While ensuring that the material is still taut, gently scrape at the Silly Putty with a butter knife. The majority of the Silly Putty should come off the first time. You may need to reapply more rubbing alcohol and then repeat this step.

4. Once the Silly Putty has been removed completely from the clothing, launder the clothing item as usual.

Tips & Warnings

• For tricky Silly Putty problems, a butter knife with a bit of a serrated edge may work better than a standard butter knife.
• If applying the rubbing alcohol directly to the Silly Putty isn’t working well, turn the clothing inside out and apply the alcohol to that side of the Silly Putty.
• Many web sites will suggest that WD-40 be used to remove Silly Putty from clothing. While this works as well as rubbing alcohol, WD-40 is a much harsher product and can damage some clothing.
• For delicate fabrics, you may want to put a little rubbing alcohol on a hidden portion of the clothing item to ensure that it does not ruin the fabric.

Who Can Help:

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Resources

• The History of Silly Putty