How to Get Crayon Stains Out of Laundry

Kids' crayons cause staining if accidentally included in the laundry.

Kids love drawing colorful pictures with crayons. One downside to crayons is discovering that one of the kids has put a crayon in their pocket and you forgot to check before putting the clothes in the laundry. The crayon will melt in the washer with residue and colors covering the laundry. Inexpensive household products will remove the crayon stains from the laundry.

Things You'll Need

• Paper towels
• WD-40 lubricant
• Liquid dish detergent
• Laundry detergent

Instructions

1. Place a few paper towels on a table or similar hard surface.

2. Lay the garment over the paper towels with the stained area face down.

3. Spray the back of the stain with WD-40 lubricant and allow to sit for five minutes. WD-40 is a general household lubricant that you will find in most hardware or grocery stores.

4. Squirt a blob of liquid dish detergent on the back of the stain and work into the fabric with your fingers.

5. Wash the garment on the hottest wash the fabric will allow.

6. Rinse the garment in cold water and allow to air dry.

Tips & Warnings

• Color-safe bleach may be added to the hot wash if the garment allows.

• Clean the washing machine drum with an absorbent cloth and soapy water after removing the stained laundry. Crayon residue will produce further staining on garments if left in the washer.

References

• Mrs. Clean USA: Tips For Removing Crayon Stains
• Dallas News: Get Crayon Stains Out of Cloths
• Crayola: Crayola Stain Removal Tips

Resources

• Stain Expert: What To Do in a Stain Emergency