How to clean crayon out of your carpet

Many parents are at one point faced with an unusual problem: crayon stains all over their favorite carpet. Creativity is a great thing, but when it’s difficult to clean up later, it becomes an issue. 

Luckily, there are many ways to restore your carpet back to its former glory, and most of them utilize things you already have at home! It’s best to act fast, so read on to find out how to clean crayon out of your carpet.

Before you begin

Before you get started, please take a look at our important tips and tricks to ensure that everything goes smoothly. 

1. Cleaning should be done out of the reach of children and pets.
2. If you will be using any type of detergent or rubbing alcohol, make sure to first try it on a small, hidden patch of carpet to prevent damage.
3. If using rubbing alcohol, please dilute it: 1 part alcohol, 2 parts water. 
4. If using any type of substance, it’s recommended to open the window and allow the room to air out later.
5. When using a detergent, make sure that you wear cleaning gloves. Don’t wear your best clothes in case of spills.

4 easy ways to get rid of crayon marks on your carpet

You are just a few steps away from a perfectly clean carpet! 

Read on to find which method will work best for you.

Method #1:  Using rubbing alcohol

Time: 15-20 minutes

Required items: dull-edge knife; white paper towel, rubbing alcohol.

This method will work for most stains that are not too severe.

1. Gently scrape excess crayon with a dull knife. A lot of it will come off just by patiently scraping.
2. Using a small amount of rubbing alcohol, dab the carpet with your paper towel. 
3. Press down on the stained area after blotting several times.
4. Warning: do not let the rubbing alcohol soak through to the bottom of your carpet!
5. Remove the paper towel and replace it with a new sheet.
6. Dry the affected area.
7. If the problem persists, repeat the steps a few times. You can also try our more advanced options below: methods #3 and #4.

Method #2: Using grease blotter

Time: 15-20 minutes

Required items: dull-edge knife, grease absorbent paper (grease blotter), white paper towel, water

This is one of the least invasive methods, recommended for small marks that did not go far into the carpet.

1. Scrape the crayon off the affected area.
2. Once you’ve removed every bit of crayon that you possibly could, take the grease absorbent paper.
3. Press down on the stain. Hold it firmly, allowing it to absorb grease.
4. Replace the grease absorbent with a wet paper towel. Dab gently.
5. If the stain persists, repeat the steps. However, for bigger stains, we recommend moving on to the next method.

Method #3: Using WD-40

Time: >20 minutes

Required items: dull-edge knife, stiff bristle brush, sponge, paper towels, water, WD-40, liquid dish soap.

This method is recommended for deep stains. 

Tip: if you do not have WD-40 at home, you can use any kind of carpet cleaner. If you do, please skip steps 5 and 6.

Before you begin, please make sure to follow our tips above to ensure safety for yourself, your home, and your family.

1. Scrape as much of the crayon marks as possible using a dull knife.
2. Spray the stain with WD-40.
3. Let it sit for a few minutes.
4. With a stiff bristle brush, try to remove what remains of the crayon. Wipe with paper towels.
5. Respray the stain with WD-40 and use a small amount of liquid dish detergent on the sprayed area. 
6. Work the mixture in with the brush. Let it sit for a maximum of 2 minutes.
7. Wipe away with a damp sponge.
8. If the stain remains, repeat the steps. This method involves deep cleaning and may need to be repeated several times.

Method #4: Ice cubes

Time: >20 minutes

Required items: dull-edge knife, ice cubes in a plastic bag, clean (white) cloth, iron, dry-cleaning solvent (optional)

This method works on all kinds of crayon marks.

1. Try to remove as many marks as possible by scraping the carpet using a dull knife.
2. Wrap an ice cube (or several) in a plastic bag.
3. Apply directly to the stained area and press down, holding for over a minute.
4. Replace the ice cubes with a clean cloth. We recommend using a white cloth to avoid any color transfers.
5. Next, using the tip of a warm (not hot) iron, press into the cloth. 
6. The stains should begin to transfer from the carpet onto the cloth. 
7. Repeat the steps as needed. 
8. OPTIONAL: If the stain persists, you can sponge the area with a dry-cleaning solvent.

What’s next?

The key to success in removing crayon stains out of your carpet is simple: persistence. Before moving on to the next option, we recommend repeating these steps 2-3 times. Make sure that you follow all the steps carefully, and most of the time, you will be successful.

Some stains may be harder to clean. If after trying all of our suggestions you still cannot get rid of the crayon marks, we recommend consulting a professional. 

Crayon marks are difficult to prevent. Luckily, in all but the most extreme cases, you will be able to clean your carpet utilizing only the things that can be found in most homes. A splash of color on the carpet will never have to be an emergency again.