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Playing with your children is all good fun until the silly putty falls out and flops onto your new carpet. You can take every precaution to ensure mistakes like this don’t happen, yet they sometimes still do. Luckily, all you need to know about how to get putty out of your carpet is right here.
Having time to play with your children and enjoy their youthfulness is necessary for all parents and there is little worse than limiting your child’s creativity and carefree nature because of concerns over keeping your carpets clean.
However, it is hard to not stress about the lifespan of your carpets and, as a parent who is doing all they can to ensure their child is happy, you also deserve to have nice things, like a carpet of your dreams in your living room.
You can lay down plastic and newspaper and portion out a large space for carefree playing with your children, but mistakes can still happen. Even when you have tried to protect your carpet, a trip, a fall, or a spill is always possible.
The sudden sense of panic as soon as the putty hits your fluffy carpet and the thoughts of how to separate the sticky sludge from those fine hairs start racing through your mind. You rush to search for the solution to save your carpet immediately.
You don’t have to stress anymore or worry about expensive cleaning solutions; you most likely have all you need at home right now. Just take a deep breath and let’s get cleaning to restore your carpet to its putty-free glory.
If the accident happened some time ago, don’t stress, since one method requires a lot of drying out of the silly putty before you begin to clean it off. I have both home remedies as well as a store-bought option for those tougher stains.
- The Materials You Need To Get Silly Putty Out Of Your Carpet
- Home Methods To Get Putty Out Of Your Carpet
- Store-Bought Stain Remover Product
- How To Prevent Future Stains
- How To Get Putty Out Of A Carpet FAQs
- Conclusion
The Materials You Need To Get Silly Putty Out Of Your Carpet
Getting putty out of your carpet doesn’t have to be an expensive trip to the store where you pile your trolley high with chemicals, and you don’t even know if they will ruin your carpet.
It can be difficult to know which cleaning products are best for your carpet. Yet, you don’t need to turn to this solution straight away; you can use simple home remedies to clean the stain.
However, if these home remedies don’t work for your carpet, I have provided you with one of my favorite cleaning products that will save the day.
The Materials:
- Ice blocks
- A blunt plastic knife or bank card
- A hard-bristled brush
- A vacuum cleaner
- Nail polish remover
- Rubbing alcohol
- Laundry detergent
- Goo Gone
Finding the right solution for you may take a bit of trial and error to determine the right cleaning method for your specific carpet.
Whenever you are putting any sort of chemical (even household products such as nail polish remover) on your carpet, you should always conduct a spot test to make sure it won’t leave any unwanted marks and stains.
You can do this by finding an inconspicuous spot on the carpet where no one will notice it and use a small amount of the chemical on that spot. Leave it for a while to see if any damage is caused.
If there are no adverse reactions on the spot where you applied the chemical, then it should be okay to clean the larger stained area with that chemical.
Home Methods To Get Putty Out Of Your Carpet
- The Ice Method
- The Nail Polish Remover Method
- The Laundry Detergent Method
- The Hydrogen Peroxide Method
There are a few home methods to try to get silly putty out of your carpet, and you could benefit from trying out some of these techniques before looking to buy a cleaning product.
If the home remedies are inefficient in cleaning the stain, we have you covered with a great cleaning product below.
Before you use the following methods, see how much putty you can gently pull off the carpet without pulling out too many fibers. It is okay if you can’t get too much off without unraveling threads; these solutions should get those stubborn pieces off.
The Ice Method
The ice method will take a few hours and, if the putty has been left on the carpet for a while and you maybe weren’t home at the time of the incident, there is no need to stress because you will be drying out the putty even more.
Start by gathering enough ice cubes to cover the entire mess of putty, place the ice cubes in a well-sealed bag, and place over the putty.
Make sure the ice bag is covering the entire glob of putty that is left on the carpet. Leave this for a few hours; up to three hours should be enough. Remember to replace the ice blocks when they melt to ensure there is ice on the putty the entire time.
Once the putty has completely hardened, it will be a lot easier to scrape it off the carpet. If the putty is still wet, leave the ice bag on for longer.
When you are scraping the putty off using a blunt plastic knife or a bank card, gently scratch as much of the putty off as possible. You can also brush the dried putty with a hard-bristled brush to scrape off the excess putty.
Once you have scraped off as much as you can, get out the vacuum or portable carpet cleaner to clean up any bits that have fallen into the carpet. The vacuum should be able to clean up any more pieces that are still stuck.
If there is still a stain left on the carpet once all the pieces are scratched off, use the next method to clean the stain.
The Nail Polish Remover Method
The nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol method is a great way to remove silly putty from your carpet, especially if there is a slight stain after you have picked and scraped away as much of the mess as you can.
First test whether the chemical you are using won’t stain the carpet. Rub a small amount where it won’t be noticed. Be careful with acetone-based nail polish remover as this chemical may stain some types of carpets.
Once you are sure the chemical won’t ruin your carpet, drench a cotton ball or a small towel with the nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol. Whatever you have on hand out of these two should work just fine.
Gently blot the silly putty with the cotton or the towel until the entire area is covered with the solution. You don’t need to drench the carpet with it and be careful to not push the putty further into the carpet.
Once the solution has hardened the last bits of the silly putty, scrape the remaining bits off with the same tools you used before.
This should clean up the last of the stained-looking bits of putty still stuck in the carpet. Once you have wiped up the stain, mix some non-harmful soap with warm water. Wipe the area with a cloth that has been dampened by this mixture of soapy water.
This will make sure the nail polish remover or the rubbing alcohol does not stain the carpet by sitting on it for too long.
If this solution doesn’t work, you may have some strong silly putty on your hands and you should try buying a different brand next time.
All hope is not lost though, and you still have a few more solutions to remove the silly putty from your carpet.
The Laundry Detergent Method
If the rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover is not suitable for your carpet with the possibility of staining it, you can use some mild laundry detergent to clean the silly putty from the carpet.
First, check the laundry detergent carefully to make sure it doesn’t contain any bleach products or other chemicals that could stain the carpet. Again, you should use the spot method here to be extra careful.
Pour two spoonfuls of the laundry detergent into a bowl filled with warm water. Mix it well before soaking a cotton ball in the mixture.
Use the cotton ball (or a small towel) to gently blot over the putty, just as instructed in the nail polish remover method.
Once the area is damp with the mixed solution, allow it to sit for at least 20 minutes while the laundry detergent breaks away the putty.
Once the time is up, blot the stained area with a dry cloth to soak up the laundry detergent solution.
Once you have dried it with the cloth, gently wipe up the stain using a damp cloth that you have wet slightly with plain water. If the mark is still there, repeat the method a few times to get rid of the stubborn stains.
The remaining bits of putty leftover, if there are any, should be easy to pick off with your fingers or that blunt plastic knife again.
The Hydrogen Peroxide Method
If your carpet is white or very light in color, you could get away with using some hydrogen peroxide to clean away the putty on the carpet.
This product can easily stain carpets, so it is very important for you to do a spot test to make sure it won’t affect your carpet by leaving any marks.
Since the chemical works to lighten dark and oily stains, it should not be used on dark carpets. You could also use the natural baking soda method that works on greasy stains.
When using the hydrogen peroxide solution, find a spray bottle to mix in one tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide to two cups of warm water.
Once you have sprayed some of the solution onto the putty stain, leave it to sit for up to 15 minutes.
Then, use a dry cloth to wipe away the stain by blotting at it gently. Once the stain is cleared away, don’t forget to wash the spot with soap and warm water to clean off any remaining hydrogen peroxide.
Store-Bought Stain Remover Product
Goo Gone – Goo & Adhesive Remover
If you are looking for a stronger product to keep at home for those spills and stains, you can opt for a product like Goo Gone.
You can keep this product on hand for other stains and sticky messes due to its versatility. The product is safe to use on multiple surfaces including carpets, fabrics, hardwood floors, and other hard surfaces.
Goo Gone breaks down sticky residues within 10 minutes, allowing you to wipe away the stain without any fuss.
To clean your carpet this way, simply apply some Goo Gone onto an old towel or rag and gently wipe it over the putty stain.
Let it sit for up to 10 minutes, especially if it is a tough stain, before gently wiping it away with a dry cloth.
Use a damp cloth dipped in soap and warm water to clean away the last of the Goo Gone.
How To Prevent Future Stains
If you would prefer to avoid the hassle of cleaning up the mess every time it happens, which is bound to be often when there are children in the house, there are a few measures you can take.
Try out these simple techniques to protect your carpet from the next spill before it happens, reducing the need for you to spend a few hours cleaning up the spill.
Invest In A Stain Resistant Carpet
The first option is to purchase a stain-resistant carpet. These carpets are designed to provide you with tough fibers that are engineered to reduce the chance of a stain occurring.
These carpets are created to prevent any spills from chemically bonding to the carpet material. However, this may not prevent the sticky putty from getting stuck in your carpet, so you would still need to dry it out and scrape it off.
You can also get a professional cleaning company to apply a stain-resistant solution to your carpet to prevent future spills. This may be a more expensive option, but in the long run, your carpet will last a lot longer.
Create A Toy Carpet
You can use your child’s toys to your advantage by creating a play carpet on top of your normal carpet. This can be created by using the large alphabet mats and other foam mats your children would love.
This creates a fun play place for your child while still protecting your carpet from unwanted spillage. Not only are they soft for your child, but they will also offer a colorful play area for them to enjoy.
Placing the foam carpet down for them will also help your child learn when it is time for play and when it isn’t time for play.
Clean Your Carpet Regularly
Cleaning your carpet is probably already a regular activity in your household, especially with children around; however, even regular cleaning may not be enough.
If the weekly vacuum isn’t doing it, you may need to consider having your carpet steamed more often. This will help lengthen the lifespan of your carpet and undo all the little spills and big messes that happen along the way.
How To Get Putty Out Of A Carpet FAQs
- Will Household Vinegar Clean Up Silly Putty From A Carpet?
- What Is The Best Way To Dissolve Silly Putty?
- Will Rubbing Alcohol Stain Your Carpet?
Will Household Vinegar Clean Up Silly Putty From A Carpet?
Yes. Using household vinegar mixed with warm water is an effective way to naturally clean up tough stains in your home. Test a small spot on the surface just in case it reacts badly with the material. If no marks form, then you can safely use the mix to clean up the silly putty.
What Is The Best Way To Dissolve Silly Putty?
If none of the natural methods work to clean up the silly putty, you can use a petroleum-based product to dissolve the putty. Goo Gone and WD-40 are good options for a store-bought solution to dissolving silly putty.
Will Rubbing Alcohol Stain Your Carpet?
No. Rubbing alcohol is safe to use on your carpets and shouldn’t stain them. However, you can also be extra cautious by testing the solution mixed with water on a small inconspicuous spot before cleaning up the stain. This allows you to be extra certain it won’t mark your carpet.
Conclusion
Watching the horror scene of putty flying onto your carpet can be a terrifying experience for any parent. Coming home to a mess of silly putty sitting on the carpet from earlier could be even worse. However, there is no reason to let these moments stop the good times.
As you’ve seen, cleaning these types of stains out of your carpet is fairly easy if you use the right techniques and products.
Don’t allow the anxiety of your carpets and floors getting damaged to stop you from enjoying some carefree time with your children. Enjoy the fun and worry about the spills later.
Hopefully, you will be able to prepare better for next time and feel assured that you will be able to clean it easily if a mistake does happen again.
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