How to Remove Crayon From Carpet

Crayon stains on carpet are usually unintentional.

Coloring is a favorite pastime for children worldwide. No matter how many coloring books or sheets of paper children have available, however, they still seem to color on the carpet. Crayons are made of dyed paraffin wax, which produces colorful, waxy blemishes on carpeting. These stains make carpet irrefutably unattractive, and become more fixed within the fibers over time. The key to extracting crayon marks from carpet is to address the mess as soon as possible.

Things You'll Need

• Ice cubes
• Plastic bag
• Dull knife
• White cloths
• Clothes iron
• 1 tsp. dry-cleaning solvent

Instructions

1. Secure a couple of ice cubes in a plastic bag and place it on the crayon stain until the waxy residue freezes.

2. Remove the frozen crayon from the carpet by scraping the residue with a dull knife.

3. Lay a white cloth over the remaining crayon stain. Press a warm (not hot) iron onto the cloth for about 10 seconds to transfer the wax from the carpet fibers onto the cloth.

4. Repeat the ironing process until all of the crayon fragments have been removed from the carpet. Reposition and then replace the cloths as they become stained.

5. Examine the carpet for lingering crayon stains. If any color remains, pour 1 tsp. of dry cleaning solvent onto a clean white cloth and gently blot the stain until it disappears.

Tips & Warnings

• Spot-test the dry cleaning solvent in an inconspicuous place to make sure it won't damage the carpeting.

References

• The Crayola Factory: How Crayola Crayons are Made
• Good Houskeeping: Stain Buster -- Crayon
• FabricLink: Stain Guide for Carpets -- Crayon