Kids like squeezing the softness and texture of play dough. It is one of the efficient indoor activities when it is too hot or too cold. Nevertheless, the dough does have a drawback: It can get stuck in many places like the carpet.
If you care so much about your carpet, you have to get it out before it completely ruins it. So, if you are looking for easy hacks to get rid of playdough out of the carpet, we’ve got you covered. This article highlights excellent tips on how to get playdough out of carpet!
Contents
Reasons To Remove Playdough From the Carpet
i) Cleaning the carpet: Removing playdough stain from the carpet makes it cleaner.
ii) To make the carpets last longer: Cleaning out play doughs makes them last longer.
Materials Needed for Getting Playdough Out of Carpet
You will need the following materials for removing play dough from carpets:
- Hot water
- Dish soap/detergent
- Soapy water
- Silly putty
- Carpet cleaner
- Flour
- Baking soda
- Clean cloth
- A can of cold water
- Stiff brush
- White vinegar
- Goo Gone
- Butter knife
Steps To Get Play Dough Out of Carpet
Follow these steps to get play dough out of the carpet:
Part 1: Remove the Play Dough
Step One: Let It Dry
You have to wait for the play dough to get hard to brush it off. Dry the play dough entirely before removing it.
- You might feel the urge to add soap and water to a stain, but you have to resist that urge. Heating the play dough melt more on the carpet.
- If that play dough stain is along the home-like hallway, place empty cardboard above the stain. This box prevents people from stepping suddenly on that play dough. As it becomes dry, that will make removal hard.
Step Two: Freeze the Play Dough To Get Faster Results
Take a can of compressed air, hold it (5.1 to 7.6cm) 2 to 3 inches off the carpet, and spray that stain for ten to fifteen seconds. Freezing that play dough is another alternative to letting it dry naturally. You can freeze the play dough using cold air and form the same hardening effect by allowing it to dry shortly.
- The play dough gets frozen and frosted when it is time to remove it.
- Put the fingers off the cold air as spraying takes place. The air becomes cold and will burn when it is in contact with your skin.
Steps Three: Scrape off With a Knife or Brush
I usually use a butter knife or carpet brush to start chipping the hardened play dough from the carpet. Brush or scrape continuously in an equal direction to lose that dried dough in the carpet fiber.
- Use only a butter knife or dull knife. A sharper blade can damage carpet fibers.
- Do not use a circular motion with the brush since it can force the play dough onto the carpet.
Step 4: Use a Vacuum To Take Away Any Pieces Removed
With a vacuum, take off loosened pieces from the carpet as work continues. Once I remove the play dough from that carpet, I dispose of it immediately.
- Vacuuming and alternative scraping is required till the play dough is removed.
Part 2: Take Away Leftover Stains Using Alcohol
Step One: Do Not Rub Alcohol on Your Paper Towel; Blot the Carpet Gently
Add a small quantity of alcohol to a piece of paper. Gently blot the stain to remove any residue remaining. Often, I avoid rubbing since it can make it worse. Switch over to a clean spot on the paper towel. This is to avoid spreading and distributing the play dough stain as you clean.
- When I rub alcohol, there could be damage to the adhesive on the back of the carpet. I avoid pouring it directly on my carpet. Transfer only a small quantity to the carpet’s surface with a towel or paper towel.
- Test that alcohol is on the carpet with an inconspicuous spot below the room’s edge or table. This is before adding it to the play dough stain to ensure it does not spoil the carpet.
Step Two: Apply Hydrogen Peroxide to Those Stubborn Stain on My White Carpet
Add a little quantity of hydrogen peroxide using a clean paper towel. Remove the stain gently till the remaining play dough gets removed.
- Add a stain remover like Resolve to tackle stubborn play dough stains.
- Hydrogen peroxide will efficiently remove the discolorations play dough causes. But you should only use it on white carpet. Hydrogen peroxide can bleach carpets with methods or colors.
Step Three: Add Some Mild Soap to That Stain
Remove the cleaning solution and any other play dough residue remaining in the soap. Add a little quantity of mild soap to that paper towel, and blot the carpet gently.
- Ensure that the soap has no bleach that can lead to discoloration.
Step Four: Wash off the Soap Using Cold Water
With a spray bottle containing cold water, blot the carpet stain. Only spray out a layer of water above the carpet. It is not my wish to soap the carpet. This can lead to water damage to the underneath subfloor rather than adding multiple thin layers of water. Blot off using a paper towel between sprays until I remove the entire soap.
Another stuff I do use to clean this is Silly Putty and Goo Gone on the stained area, which I can use with a detergent to blot. Detergents wash up the stained area. But make sure no detergent remains in the stained area.
- Warm water can make any play dough remaining to melt back into the carpet fibers.
Part 3: Dry the Carpet
Step One: Cover this spot with paper towels and apply pressure to dry the carpet. Remove all the carpet’s water by adding a layer of regular towels or clean paper towels. Tap the paper towels on the mat to soap water up.
- Consider placing a block or heavy book on your towel’s top for 2 hours. This is to enable them to soak the water up.
Step Two: Apply a hair dryer to dry the spot faster. Add a hairdryer on top of the wet spot. Dry it with the lowest setting till I remove the water. Put my hand on my carpet to test dryness as I use the hair dryer.
- I do remove all play dough before I use the drying method. I can introduce the stain to my carpet.
Step Three: Dry up the carpet using a desk fan if there is no hairdryer. Add a desk fan on my floor, where I am cleaning. Target the fan to enable the air to blow directly on the wet area of that carpet.
- Apply an extension cord if relevant to make the fan near the wet spot. The nearer the fan to the wet carpet, the more efficient it is as it dries.
