How to Clean a Carpet & Remove Crayon

Crayon stains on carpeting can be distressing and frustrating, especially if the carpeting is light colored and the crayon stain is large and obvious. Instead of replacing the carpet or moving a piece furniture over the crayon stain, work to eliminate the stain. With simple household products, you can successfully clean the carpeting and remove the crayon stain.

Things You'll Need

• Butter knife
• Thin cardboard
• Scissors
• WD-40 (with long nozzle)
• Small scrub brush
• Paper towels
• Dishwashing detergent
• Damp sponge
• Absorbent towel

Instructions

1. Scrape at the crayon with the butter knife to remove as much as possible from the carpeting. Discard the removed crayon.

2. Cut a hole in the thin cardboard that is just large enough to encircle the crayon stain in the carpeting. Place the thin cardboard over the stain so the crayon stain is showing through the opening in the cardboard.

3. Direct the long nozzle of the WD-40 onto the crayon stain and spray the area generously. The cardboard surrounding the stain will prevent the WD-40 from overspraying onto the unstained areas of the carpeting.

4. Allow the WD-40 to sit on the stain for approximately five minutes.

5. Scrub at the crayon stain with the dampened scrub brush. Use the surrounding cardboard to place under the carpet fibers as you scrub at them to prevent the dyes from the crayons from spreading onto the other carpet fibers.

6. Wipe the stained area with the paper towels. Spray additional WD-40 onto the area.

7. Place two to three drops of dishwashing detergent onto the crayon stain and scrub at the area with the scrub brush again. Use the damp sponge to remove excess WD-40 and dishwashing detergent from the carpeting.

8. Assess the carpet and if the crayon stain still remains, repeat Step 7. Rinse the area completely and dry with an absorbent towel.

References

• WD-40: List of Uses
• r8m.org: Removing Crayon Stains