Slime: the tacky, sticky, sometimes DIY, sometimes store-bought play substance that some kids love and some parents love to hate. Unfortunately, it also gets everywhere and into/onto everything. Messy by design, slime is the kind of toy you want to keep as contained as possible during playtime.
But when newspaper-lined tables and dedicated slime trays aren’t enough, you need to know how to clean up.
Luckily, kids can just wash their hands – but what about everything else? Read on to learn more about cleaning kids’ play slime from a range of surfaces in your home …
Cleaning Kids' Slime from Hard Surfaces
Slime usually scrapes off most hard surfaces easily and cleanly (fabric is really trouble). If residue—wet or dry—is left behind on a hard surface, mix up a DIY cleaner to get rid of it.
Use a few drops of mild dish soap in warm water and a clean cloth on dry slime. You can wipe it away with a few passes!
For still-wet slime, mix baking soda and water into a thick paste. Smear a layer over your slime stain and let it dry. Brush away the dried paste with a paper towel.
How to Clean Play Slime Off Clothes
First things first: Does slime come out of clothes in the wash? It can, if you pretreat it properly:
- Scrape off as much slime as possible with a butter knife.
- Stick the clothing in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
- Scrape the remaining slime again.
- Use liquid detergent to pretreat the stain for 10 minutes, especially if your slime has colorful dye in it. If the slime has dried, soak it in distilled white vinegar for five minutes before pretreating.
- Soak the clothing in hot water for 30 minutes, if the fabric allows. (Check the care tag for wash instructions.)
- Wash and dry the clothing as normal.
How to Clean Slime Out of Carpet
Kids’ slime in the carpet may feel like a mess you’ll never get out – but the fix is simple! The solution? White vinegar. Here’s what to do:
- First, use a spoon or your fingers to remove as much slime as possible.
- Then mix two-parts distilled white vinegar and one-part water in a spray bottle.
- Spray the solution thoroughly on the slime residue.
- Immediately peel the remaining slime up with your fingers.
- If slime residue remains or is worked deep into your long-fiber carpet, spray again and let sit for five minutes.
- Gently scrub the remaining residue with a brush, working it out of the fibers.
- Use a vacuum to remove any remaining slime.
- If your slime contains dye, try rubbing alcohol or laundry stain remover to lessen colorful stains. Test your cleaning solution on an out-of-the-way piece of carpet to make sure it won’t affect the color of the carpet.
How to Clean Kids' Play Slime Off the Couch
No, not the couch! … Don’t panic. You can get slime out of your upholstery too:
- Without scrubbing, peel or scrape as much excess slime as possible off the fabric.
- If the couch is upholstered with suede microfiber cloth, place a bag of ice cubes on the remaining slime for 15 minutes to freeze it. Then, scrape it again to remove the slime from the couch before moving on to step 3. This helps prevent slime from getting pushed deeper into microfiber, but you can try it on other fabrics as well.
- Mix two-parts distilled white vinegar and one-part water in a spray bottle.
- Spray the solution thoroughly on the stain and let it soak in for at least five minutes.
- With a soft brush (regular upholstery) or a clean, damp cloth (microfiber), gently work the slime residue out of the fabric. Work against the grain of microfiber fabric to avoid pushing it deeper into the fibers.
- Wipe the cleaned spot with a fresh, damp cloth to minimize the vinegar smell.
- Pat dry with a towel before air-drying the rest of the way.
- For colorful slimes full of dye, try rubbing alcohol or laundry stain remover to minimize stains.
Take a Break and Let the Pros Handle Your Messes
Spot-cleaning a slime mess is one thing, but cleaning the whole house every week is a hassle. Pass the routine cleaning chores you don’t have the time or energy for to the professional team at The Cleaning Authority. Schedule regular home cleaning to enjoy a clean house without doing all the work yourself.
Call (888) 658-0659 or request service online today.