Undoubtedly, playdough is a source of endless fun for your little bundle of joy. They love the texture and feel of pressing and kneading the substance. Unfortunately, it is not all fun when playdough gets into the carpet.
And since you can't keep your child away from playing with playdough, how do you clean it effectively from the carpet?
Method 1
- The first step should be to allow the playdough to harden. Give it some time until it is rough to the touch. This might not seem sensible, but dry playdough is more comfortable to extract then wet and mashy playdough.
- Using hot water and soap may seem like the most effective first line of action. However, the heat only makes the playdough soft and easier to get into the fibers, and of course that is not what you want.
- You can use cardboard and place it over the stain if it is on a high traffic spot. This will prevent individuals from stepping on the stain and pushing it further into the carpet.
- Use a stiff brush to clean the playdough off the carpet. However, you should do this when the playdough is already dry and easy to brush off. Using a stiff brush on wet playdough only works to spread it across the fibers. Take extra measures not to pull off some fibres with the playdough.
- You can as well try to stick some more playdough onto the spot, and allow some time for it to hold. This method may seem counter-intuitive, but it makes it easy to pull off the remaining playdough from the carpet.
Method 2
Freezing the stain can give you faster results,
especially when dealing with playdough. The method is a better alternative for
people that don't have all the time to wait for it to dry. After all, freezing
the staying will have the same effect as giving it time to dry.
- You can purchase a can of compressed cold air from any auto shop in your area.
- Using a can of compressed air, spray the playdough for about 15 seconds. The can should be about 3 inches away.
- You will know that the playdough is ready to be removed when it is frosted and hard. Remember to keep your hands and skin away from the cold air as it can cause freeze burns. Follow the safety directions listed on the can.
- You can then use a hard brush or knife to scrape the hardened playdough from the carpet. Brush or scrape continuously in the same direction until no more is coming off.
- A butter knife or a dull knife is the most appropriate in removing the playdough stain.
- Please note that using the brush in a circular motion is counter-productive as it can push the stain farther inside.
- Use a vacuum to pick up any removed particles from the carpet fibers. Then remove the playdough particles as soon as they are unstuck to prevent pushing them further down if you wait. You can alternate vacuuming and scraping to remove as much playdough as possible.
- You can then use hydrogen peroxide with a clean towel and rubbed on the spot to remove any stubborn stains. Some pieces of playdough can prove a hard nut to crack, and that is when you go to using the hydrogen peroxide. Be careful when using hydrogen peroxide as it can cause fade stains. Use it sparingly.
